You know anything about power?? Our one circuit won't stay on/in.

Sternchen

Sternchen

O.G.
May 16, 2006
24,716
97
#1
Hi everyone,

I came home this afternoon to find that the power in all of the house had gone out. I immediately went to the circuit breaker and saw that all of the little circuits had been popped out. So I put them all back to where they were supposed to be, and tried turning on the main circuit again - but it wouldn't stay on.

So I did it one by one. And it was all working fine until I put in #5 - the one for our kitchen lights & power outlets. I went and unplugged everything except for the fridge (we have a built in and I can't get to the plug because I don't know where it is!) and tried it again. Still keeps popping. I just tried our oven, and it turned on - so the Oven is not connected to that breaker.

Does anybody hav any idea what it could be? We'll call an electrician tonight when my mom gets home - but I'm just currious now. We rent, so it wouldn't be on our costs - I just hope the stuff in the fridge won't go bad!! But if it doesn't stay cold, then we'll have to take the food to my grandmother's house. Maybe the kitchen circuit is bad? This happened when nobody was in the house - so I dunno
 
#2
There is some piece of equipment in your kitchen which is not functioning properly, and which is plugged into a wall socket - likely your fridge. It's possibly some sort of power leakage in the fridge circuit. It might even be a light.
 
#3
It's not good that this is happening, so don't force the breakers back on. the reason breakers trip is to keep your elctrical system safe from fires or failure. Usually what happens is for some reason or another an appliance or device plugged in to the circuit begins to fail in a way that it requires excessive voltage to keep it running. When this request for extra voltage begins, the wires supplying that voltage get hot. Without a breaker, those wires would eventually get so hot, the insulation wrapping them will melt, exposing the bare wires, and we all know, exposed electrical wires are not good. From there you can get fires and electrocution. Definitely get an electrician, as he/she can isolate the problem. It can definitely be your fridge. Perhaps a voltage regulator on the motor is failing and the reason for the increased voltage. I'd also check the cord as a small creature might have chewed through the insulation causing a short circuit.
 
#4
Hmmm, might be the fridge - but shouldn't be since we just had the kitchen installed less than a year ago....

I wouldn't think it's the dishwasher either, since that's not on and we don't use it all that often. Hmph. Figures that something like this would happen! But other than the fridge & dishwasher, the only thing that's "plugged in" our our lamps, and they're not turned on either...
 
#5
lamiastella said:
Hmmm, might be the fridge - but shouldn't be since we just had the kitchen installed less than a year ago....

I wouldn't think it's the dishwasher either, since that's not on and we don't use it all that often. Hmph. Figures that something like this would happen! But other than the fridge & dishwasher, the only thing that's "plugged in" our our lamps, and they're not turned on either...
Click to expand...

I don't think it matters if it's turned on or not..sometimes just being connected to the mains suffices if there is a problem.
 
#6
Charles said:
It's not good that this is happening, so don't force the breakers back on. the reason breakers trip is to keep your elctrical system safe from fires or failure. Usually what happens is for some reason or another an appliance or device plugged in to the circuit begins to fail in a way that it requires excessive voltage to keep it running. When this request for extra voltage begins, the wires supplying that voltage get hot. Without a breaker, those wires would eventually get so hot, the insulation wrapping them will melt, exposing the bare wires, and we all know, exposed electrical wires are not good. From there you can get fires and electrocution. Definitely get an electrician, as he/she can isolate the problem. It can definitely be your fridge. Perhaps a voltage regulator on the motor is failing and the reason for the increased voltage. I'd also check the cord as a small creature might have chewed through the insulation causing a short circuit.
Click to expand...

what he said. (its so good to have a dude in the forum...)
I think we need a Mr. Fix-it subforum called "Ask Charles..." We can post questions like these or automobile problems etc....:lol:
 
#7
We figured out the problem

Our neighbors upstairs had a clogged drain and their brother came and fixed it. WEll, now our ceiling is wet - guess where? RIGHT ABOVE THE KITCHEN! I wish people would use people who KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING!!!!.
 
#8
Charles said:
It's not good that this is happening, so don't force the breakers back on. the reason breakers trip is to keep your elctrical system safe from fires or failure. Usually what happens is for some reason or another an appliance or device plugged in to the circuit begins to fail in a way that it requires excessive voltage to keep it running. When this request for extra voltage begins, the wires supplying that voltage get hot. Without a breaker, those wires would eventually get so hot, the insulation wrapping them will melt, exposing the bare wires, and we all know, exposed electrical wires are not good. From there you can get fires and electrocution. Definitely get an electrician, as he/she can isolate the problem. It can definitely be your fridge. Perhaps a voltage regulator on the motor is failing and the reason for the increased voltage. I'd also check the cord as a small creature might have chewed through the insulation causing a short circuit.
Click to expand...

Charles: I am copying this for my DH and sending him it by email. We have the same problem going on right now in our house with the hallway lights.:confused1: I of course, kept trying to force the switch back up and DH has been turning of the mains and doing the same thing. Keep telling him to call an electrician and he is procrastinating!

Lamistella: sorry for the thread hijack and happy to hear that you found the problem and I hope the water incident upstairs has caused any damage to your apartment.
 
#9
Well...We have water spots on our ceiling and a water spot on the ceiling and wall in my mom's room. So, we will have to see. We are waiting for an electrician to come in about 30 minutes to see what he says.

This just frustrates me so much! Now I gotta try and figure out where to put all of our groceries and my EBM (TMI I know..)!!! :rant:
 
#10
Update: Electrician came last night (what a cutie!! Never saw a cute electrician before, lol) and found where the water was. It went down into an electrical box and the wires were wet. Had to leave it open overnight so it could dry. At 8am this morning we tried turning the power on again and it worked. WOOHOO!
 
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