Outlet not working, large switch tripped but not individual switch

[shannongirl]

Hi guys,
Hope you have time to answer a question please.
I have a 3 floor townhouse. in the third floor bathroom an outlet is not working. i had a heater going in there. probably not a good idea.
The outlet went out. Its a new outlet installed by a pro about a month ago when I had something else done in the house. so I don't think its the outlet itself.
In the first photo attached, none of the little individual switches moved (are these circuit breakers?). They are all still at "on." Usually when this kind of thing happens a little switch will move and I just reset it but they didn't move.
The larger switch on the upper right hand corner with the red "push to test" switch- that one went to trip. I turned it off and now to on (so it doesn't show as tripped in the photo; main power switch is above these just doesn't show in photo).
so (1) does this mean a fuse somewhere is broken? If that is true- why do the lights still work in the same room and all the outlets and lights and electrics work in the other rooms. (the fan doesn't work but that's been out for a couple weeks prior i think just cause its old).
The second attachment is the list of what the little switches correspond to. (2) I guess what i don't understand is which one is for this outlet? I would think it would be the number 20 and 22 for "top Fl plugs & lighting" - (3) but why only this outlet doesn't work but the lights do?
(4) If its the fuse- is it somehow under the switch for "top fl plugs" in the panel? Is it part of the whole switch? I don't see a way to get it out of there? do they pop out somehow? Do I replace two of them- 20 and 22?
(5) I assume i need to turn the main power switch off when/if i replace them.
Sorry for such stupid questions. I tried looking around on google but it didn't help.

 

[jeffmattero76]

First, if you have circuit breakers (your first picture), you don't have fuses.

Second, the bathroom outlet should be a GFCI outlet. On a GFCI outlet, there are two buttons. One says TEST and the other says RESET. Push the RESET button in, which requires some force, and you may hear a "click". That will reset the outlet if that was the problem.

If that is not the problem, I would suggest turning each of the circuit breakers all the way off, and then back on. Sometimes a circuit breaker switch barely moves when it is tripped.

If one of these suggestions does not solve the problem, post back.

 

[shannongirl]

Thanks Jeff!

Well I was told a couple years ago by an electronics guy that the basement bathroom was the GFCI one (the one with the initial problem Today is the 3rd floor bathroom) and it got replaced a couple of years ago with some other bathroom work. It never did have a test/ reset button on it- not before and not now. none of the outlets have that anywhere. I tested that basement bathroom outlet in there this morning and it worked fine.
So I went ahead and set all the breakers to off and then back on except the big furnace one (which is obviously set to "on" and working).
When I did that I heard 3 beeps which sounded like it was coming from the basement bathroom area- when i did the one listed on the attachment you'll see as GFCI/bathroom.
The outlet in the 3rd floor bathroom still does not work and now the outlet in the basement bathroom no longer works (but strangely worked before I turned the breakers off and on).

First, if you have circuit breakers (your first picture), you don't have fuses.

Second, the bathroom outlet should be a GFCI outlet. On a GFCI outlet, there are two buttons. One says TEST and the other says RESET. Push the RESET button in, which requires some force, and you may hear a "click". That will reset the outlet if that was the problem.

If that is not the problem, I would suggest turning each of the circuit breakers all the way off, and then back on. Sometimes a circuit breaker switch barely moves when it is tripped.

If one of these suggestions does not solve the problem, post back.

 

[jeffmattero76]

All bathroom receptacles are required by code to be GFCI protected. So that you understand, GFCI stands for "ground fault circuit interrupter". If a hair dryer or some other electrical appliance was dropped into a sink or tub full of water, the GFCI would trip, thereby protecting you from electrocution. GFCI protection is required in the kitchen also, for the same reason.

GFCI protection can be accomplished in two ways. One way is by using a GFCI receptacle. The other way is by using a GFCI circuit breaker. Your #2 and #4 slots are taken up by a GFCI circuit breaker. I would suggest pushing the red button. That should cause themail handle of that circuit breaker to move to the "TRIPPED" position. Then move that handle to the OFF position, and then back to the ON position. If that doesn't solve the problem, and if you do not have any other GFCI receptacles, I would suggest that you call an electrician. Working inside the breaker panel is dangerous, unless you know what you are doing.

 

[shannongirl]

Thank you for the follow up and for the information.
I pushed the red button several time before it seemed to slowly to to Trip. Then I turned it Off and then back ON. Outlets still do not work. The one did work earlier.
Do you think the GFCI breaker is burnt out or needs replacing? I hate to spend money to call someone to fix it if its something I can turn power off, pop out and replace.

All bathroom receptacles are required by code to be GFCI protected. So that you understand, GFCI stands for "ground fault circuit interrupter". If a hair dryer or some other electrical appliance was dropped into a sink or tub full of water, the GFCI would trip, thereby protecting you from electrocution. GFCI protection is required in the kitchen also, for the same reason.

GFCI protection can be accomplished in two ways. One way is by using a GFCI receptacle. The other way is by using a GFCI circuit breaker. Your #2 and #4 slots are taken up by a GFCI circuit breaker. I would suggest pushing the red button. That should cause themail handle of that circuit breaker to move to the "TRIPPED" position. Then move that handle to the OFF position, and then back to the ON position. If that doesn't solve the problem, and if you do not have any other GFCI receptacles, I would suggest that you call an electrician. Working inside the breaker panel is dangerous, unless you know what you are doing.

 

[jeffmattero76]

Have you ever worked in a circuit breaker panel? The incoming wires are hot, even if you turn the main off.

It is not hard to replace a circuit breaker, but it is dangerous if you don't know what you are doing.

You would first turn off the MAIN breaker. Then you need to remove the screwsame holding the cover on the panel. Then you would remove the black wire from the breaker, and the white wire from the neutral bus, and the ground wire from the bus. Then you would lift the outside of the existing breaker (the red button side), and remove the old breaker. Reverse those steps to install the replacement.

Understand that the breaker might not be the problem, and a new GFCI breaker can cost around $50, so, if that is not the problem, you will be wasting that money. That combined with the fact that you don't seem to know a whole lot about electricity (not trying to insult you, trying to protect you) makes me strongly suggest calling an electrician, or an experienced handyman to do this for you. If you want to learn, look over their shoulder this time so you can do it next time.

 

[shannongirl]

OK, thank you for your concern. I appreciate your help and the time you are taking to answer me.
I should probably call an electrician.
Just curious- if it isn't the breaker, I wonder what else it could be. Did that 3 beep noise that I heard when i turned off the GFCI breaker mean anything or is that just normal?

Have you ever worked in a circuit breaker panel? The incoming wires are hot, even if you turn the main off.

It is not hard to replace a circuit breaker, but it is dangerous if you don't know what you are doing.

You would first turn off the MAIN breaker. Then you need to remove the screwsame holding the cover on the panel. Then you would remove the black wire from the breaker, and the white wire from the neutral bus, and the ground wire from the bus. Then you would lift the outside of the existing breaker (the red button side), and remove the old breaker. Reverse those steps to install the replacement.

Understand that the breaker might not be the problem, and a new GFCI breaker can cost around $50, so, if that is not the problem, you will be wasting that money. That combined with the fact that you don't seem to know a whole lot about electricity (not trying to insult you, trying to protect you) makes me strongly suggest calling an electrician, or an experienced handyman to do this for you. If you want to learn, look over their shoulder this time so you can do it next time.

 

[Snoonyb]

GFCI's have evolved over the years, for safety. Modern GFCI's require power to be available and the reset pushed to activate, which is probably why the basement recep. stopped operating.

 

[jeffmattero76]

GFCI's have evolved over the years, for safety. Modern GFCI's require power to be available and the reset pushed to activate, which is probably why the basement recep. stopped operating.

I agree, but she is saying that she has no GFCI receptacles, but only a GFCI circuit breaker.

 

[jeffmattero76]

I have never worked with a GFCI breaker. I would imagine that the 3 beeps are happening when the GFCI trips in order to alert the occupants.

 

[shannongirl]

Thanks again

I have never worked with a GFCI breaker. I would imagine that the 3 beeps are happening when the GFCI trips in order to alert the occupants.