Lost power in garage

[Mat and Suzy]

In the last 12 hours, we have mysteriously lost power to the wall sockets in
our garage. I've checked the fuse box, and none of the breakers had
tripped. There are 3 sockets, and they are all dead this morning, although
the ceiling lights and door opener are still working (luckily...they use
ceiling mounted sockets).

As far as I can make out, there is no "master switch" for the garage sockets
(or if there is, I don't know where it is!), and I think there is just one
breaker panel. The house was built in 1984, and the wiring seems to be in
pretty good condition.

I'm at a bit of a loss to work our what is going wrong... any ideas anyone?

TIA

Mat

 

[George Elkins]

If the crappy back-wired connectors were the issue, that would imply at
least one should work. The first receptacle should still work.

My best guess is the first one is a GFCI receptacle, which has tripped,
shutting down all three.

Other than that, I'd flip the breaker off and back on. Sometimes breaker is
not completely switched back on, although appears to be.

 

[Mat and Suzy]

In addition to the others who suggested GFI I will suggest that you look
at all the GFIs in you home as well. Check out the baths and kitchen.

Full marks to all of you that said it was the GFI, and bonus prize to Joseph
for this one - it was in the bathroom.

Seems a little odd to me to have it there (rather than a separate one in the
garage), but then again why should I be surprised after finding out the
washing machine was plumbed in with the hot to the cold, and v-v. It had
presumably been that way for years. Now that explains why the former owners
wore tight coloreds and dirty whites! God only knows what other things are
waiting to be found...

Thanks to all for a quick solution!

Mat

 

[JasonW]

Full marks to all of you that said it was the GFI, and bonus prize to Joseph
for this one - it was in the bathroom.

Seems a little odd to me to have it there (rather than a separate one in the
garage), but then again why should I be surprised after finding out the
washing machine was plumbed in with the hot to the cold, and v-v. It had
presumably been that way for years. Now that explains why the former owners
wore tight coloreds and dirty whites! God only knows what other things are
waiting to be found...

Thanks to all for a quick solution!

Mat

We had a GFCI that the builders installed UNDERNEATH the house. If it got
tripped, we had to pull up the trapdoor and skulk under the house to the
GFCI and reset it. I did that once before yanking it out and relocating it
in a sane location.

-JasonW

 

[Edwin Pawlowski]

Full marks to all of you that said it was the GFI, and bonus prize to Joseph
for this one - it was in the bathroom.

Seems a little odd to me to have it there (rather than a separate one in the
garage),

Saved a buck. The receptacle on my deck of the kitchen if protected by the
one in the downstairs bathroom.

My house was built in 1978 and sold for $60,000 back then. If another $100
was spent on the electrical, it could have been a great job, not just an OK
one that meets code.
Ed
(e-mail address removed)
http://pages.cthome.net/edhome

 

[Andrew Duane USG]

In the last 12 hours, we have mysteriously lost power to the wall sockets in
our garage. I've checked the fuse box, and none of the breakers had
tripped. There are 3 sockets, and they are all dead this morning, although
the ceiling lights and door opener are still working (luckily...they use
ceiling mounted sockets).

Probably a tripped GFCI upstream somewhere. Check your bathrooms.
BTDT, took me until the next day to even *think* that they might
be connected.

--

Andrew L. Duane (JOT-7) (e-mail address removed)
HP/Compaq Corporation (e-mail address removed)
110 Spit Brook Road (e-mail address removed)
M/S ZKO3-3/U14
Nashua, NH 03062-2698 (603)-884-1294