Trying to determine power outage faults in a wiring harness in Residential homes done by others is enough to confuse even the most seasoned electricians who have tackled nightmare service calls. I enjoy these challenges where others fear to tread I want a solution for my clients that is safe, reliable and stops why they called me in the 1st place.
A cold winter day here in Michigan with lake effect snow doing the inch an hour weather thing and the phone rings with a residential service call of garage outlets not working? Not to displease the client as I was the 3rd fellow called to arrive to determine why within 24 hours the outlets were working and the next day they were not?
Garage outlets should have GFCI ground fault circuit interrupter protection which none were visible in any garage area, all circuit breakers were on and not tripped in every main breaker panel and subpanel. Pulled devices out of boxes for voltage/visual inspection all were a mess of backstabbed wiring into rear of each device still no power? Counted 11 openings that were affected with this power outage so far 15 minutes into this and than I go looking inside the home for Tripped GFCI outlets. Found it, the 1st floor bathroom sink counter GFCI outlet was tripped did the reset and all 11 devices came back on.
Ok problem solved? No because it will just happen again over and over better to FIX it correctly.
Solution is to remove load NMB wire from this bathroom GFCI outlet and disconnect it entirely from this 11 circuit feed. Taking that load off the bathroom GFCI will make hair dryer curling irons and the many other gadgets that are operated in this room operate more efficiently and stop the GFCI from tripping all the time. But the next problem is that there is no electrical power panels close to the garage to start running new circuit breakers and wires to re energise the 11 devices that need breaker protection. Ok to fix this now is to run 100/amp 240/volt to the garage with a breaker feed from basement sub panel 100' distance all emt to finished drywall painted garage walls with 3/4" plywood used for sub panel mounting & emt conduit strapping. All looks good in basement sub panel other than no ground wire to ground rod present? Will note this on Punch List.
Another 3 hours preparing Punch List MS word along with Materials Report MS SS with store skew numbering and link for each product emailed off to client with follow up phone call.
It never seems to amaze me on the wiring short cuts and substandard/minimum code work does by others. After explaining pigged tailed according folded true series circuit to clients they are amazed that why there electrician did not do this in the 1st place? Instead of just ramming the wiring into the rear of a electrical outlet or switch device take the time to pigged tailed according folded true series circuit every device. Quality craftsmanship will outlast and outperform any short cut back stabbed wiring harness every time.
By adding 1 white additional wire to the 2 original white wires a tap wire to the device is made aka true series circuit these same steps apply for the black hot wires and ground bare wire. What this solves and stops is when wiring is back stabbed in time they become loose from heat and age they become bad knocking power out not only at this point but every device downstream from it also.
Now the fun begins, as usually the whole house needs this fix completed to have 100% pigged tailed according folded true series circuit throughout the entire home wiring harness
Follow ups to let you know how this works out with photos will continue.
A cold winter day here in Michigan with lake effect snow doing the inch an hour weather thing and the phone rings with a residential service call of garage outlets not working? Not to displease the client as I was the 3rd fellow called to arrive to determine why within 24 hours the outlets were working and the next day they were not?
Garage outlets should have GFCI ground fault circuit interrupter protection which none were visible in any garage area, all circuit breakers were on and not tripped in every main breaker panel and subpanel. Pulled devices out of boxes for voltage/visual inspection all were a mess of backstabbed wiring into rear of each device still no power? Counted 11 openings that were affected with this power outage so far 15 minutes into this and than I go looking inside the home for Tripped GFCI outlets. Found it, the 1st floor bathroom sink counter GFCI outlet was tripped did the reset and all 11 devices came back on.
Ok problem solved? No because it will just happen again over and over better to FIX it correctly.
Solution is to remove load NMB wire from this bathroom GFCI outlet and disconnect it entirely from this 11 circuit feed. Taking that load off the bathroom GFCI will make hair dryer curling irons and the many other gadgets that are operated in this room operate more efficiently and stop the GFCI from tripping all the time. But the next problem is that there is no electrical power panels close to the garage to start running new circuit breakers and wires to re energise the 11 devices that need breaker protection. Ok to fix this now is to run 100/amp 240/volt to the garage with a breaker feed from basement sub panel 100' distance all emt to finished drywall painted garage walls with 3/4" plywood used for sub panel mounting & emt conduit strapping. All looks good in basement sub panel other than no ground wire to ground rod present? Will note this on Punch List.
Another 3 hours preparing Punch List MS word along with Materials Report MS SS with store skew numbering and link for each product emailed off to client with follow up phone call.
It never seems to amaze me on the wiring short cuts and substandard/minimum code work does by others. After explaining pigged tailed according folded true series circuit to clients they are amazed that why there electrician did not do this in the 1st place? Instead of just ramming the wiring into the rear of a electrical outlet or switch device take the time to pigged tailed according folded true series circuit every device. Quality craftsmanship will outlast and outperform any short cut back stabbed wiring harness every time.
By adding 1 white additional wire to the 2 original white wires a tap wire to the device is made aka true series circuit these same steps apply for the black hot wires and ground bare wire. What this solves and stops is when wiring is back stabbed in time they become loose from heat and age they become bad knocking power out not only at this point but every device downstream from it also.Now the fun begins, as usually the whole house needs this fix completed to have 100% pigged tailed according folded true series circuit throughout the entire home wiring harness
Follow ups to let you know how this works out with photos will continue.
D B Electric
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