# Multiple outlets not working



## sadears (Oct 22, 2011)

I have two outlets in a bathroom, one in another and outside outlets that don't work. At first they were tripping the breaker. Now they do nothing...not even tripping the breaker. There are two GFCI outlets downstairs. Those weren't tripped either. I thought it was the breaker, so I replaced that. Nothing. After reading around here for a bit, I am wondering if the GFCI outlets need to be replaced.

Any ideas?

Stephanie


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## JTGP (Oct 22, 2011)

Change out the GFCI's. 

How many outlets are on the one breaker that tripped?


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## sadears (Oct 22, 2011)

Not sure. Four that aren't working so far that I can tell though I haven't checked all the outlets in the house.

Are there different shapes and sizes of GFCI's like breakers? Do I need to take an old one to compare?


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## isola96 (Oct 22, 2011)

Are the GFI downstairs on the same breaker?....


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## sadears (Oct 22, 2011)

Don't know. Probably. In the same bathroom, right next to each other.


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## isola96 (Oct 22, 2011)

sadears said:
			
		

> Don't know. Probably. In the same bathroom, right next to each other.



You need to find out exactly what's on the breaker 1st,..... there should probable be more then just the 2 GFI's... Check your connections to the GFI(s), lights, recepticals, switches it there on same breaker,


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## sadears (Nov 19, 2011)

I spoke to the electrical pro at work (I work at Lowe's). He thought I needed to replace one of the GFI outlets in the bathroom. I opened them up. The photo on the makes me think it should be the GFI. The one on the right looks like it should be a regular outlet. What do you think? They are currently both GFI.


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## joecaption (Nov 19, 2011)

There's no way to tell unless someone was there to check it. I've never seen two GFI's sitting next to each other like that.
One GFI can protect (if it's placed first in line in a circut) the whole circut. There's 0 reason if the power comes  into one gfi to feed it to another one down line.
Why is that black wire not connected?


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## sadears (Nov 19, 2011)

Don't know why the black wire was not connected.  Wonder if it slipped out. Considering the stuff I've discovered in the last 8 year anything is possible.  

I have a little tester that you put into the outlet. It's for a GFI outlet. Supposed to tell if the outlet is wired correctly. When I insert it and puthe little button, it trips the other GFI outlet.

The guy at Lowe's said I should replace one of the GFI's  with a regular outlet. I replaced the GFI on the right with a GFI, thinking it was bad one...because tester made the other one trip it.  So I was going to replace the GFI on the left with the regular one. 

However...after looking at them now I wonder if the one on the right should be replaced with a regular. Looks like the outlet on the left has other stuff running into it and should be the GFI. The one on the right leads me to believe it runs into the GFI on the left.

May replace GFI on left with the one I had bought for the right outlet. Then replace the right with a regular outlet. And insert the little lost black wire where it probably belongs.


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## joecaption (Nov 19, 2011)

That black wire was suppost to be attached under the metal clip that gets tightened down with the screw.
Without it attached or it was even loose it will trip the GFI.
http://www.naturalhandyman.com/iip/infelectrical/infgfi.html


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## sadears (Nov 19, 2011)

ok. so why do you suppose the GFI on the right was installed. Doesn't look like it does anything.


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## joecaption (Nov 20, 2011)

If there's only 1 black, 1, white and a ground then it does not do anything except act as a receptical.
You can just replace it with a reguler outlet.
For it to do anything there would have been another set of wires connected to the bottom set of terminals. One side of the GFI says load and the other one says line. The incoming power goes to the load side and any outlets down line that need protecting would go on the line side.


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## JTGP (Nov 22, 2011)

Problem solved?


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## JoeD (Nov 22, 2011)

Tell us how so the next person reading this post with a similar problem can be helped.


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## sadears (Nov 26, 2011)

I connected the black wire, then replaced the GFI with three wires with a regular outlet. Unfortunately, the other outlets upstairs still don't work.


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## JTGP (Nov 26, 2011)

pictures of other outlet not working? is it a GFCI? Where is it located?


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## sadears (Nov 26, 2011)

The second GFI (right next to the other GFI) I replaced with a regular outlet. I couldn't see the reason for two GFIs. Still, what started all this is that I have four outlets upstairs (2 in the master bath, one in a spre bath, one outside) that don't work.


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## sadears (Nov 29, 2011)

Apparently, there is a THIRD GFI in the garage. Just now noticed it. The garden lights and sprinkler system are plugged in. I think it was tripped. A yellow light was on. I pushed the reset button and it went out.  I put the plug-in tester in and it tripped. Pressed the reset button so the light would go out and pressed the test button on the tester. It tripped it again.  Going to replace it. Will let you all know...


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## JoeD (Nov 29, 2011)

Before you replace it disconnect the garden lights and the sprinkler. One of them could be faulty.


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## sadears (Nov 29, 2011)

I did. When I tested the outlet with the tester.


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