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CooTer wrote:
> I have some questions for any electricians that may be lurking about...
> I was using a small 3gal compressor (rated 15A) in my house when I lost
> power to 4 outlets. I immediately thoughtt it was a breaker so I checked,
> none tripped. I turned each one off and on again and power was still not
> restored. I pulled the outlet from the wall where I had the compressor
> plugged in and all the wiring still appears new, tough, like it was just
> installed (house is a mere 7 years old) in other words, nothing was burnt or
> melted within the wall of the said outlet nor did I smell anything nearby or
> at the breaker panel. I got a multimeter and took some measurements:
>
> Incoming is 440VAC from outside to panel rated 200amps
> 12.5 ohms between the black & white wires, no voltage.
> 125 VAC from the white wire to ground, 60 Hz
> 124.5 VAC from the black wire to ground, 60 Hz
>
> So the power is there on both wires but not connected between the two.
> What could the problem be? A friend suggested a faulty breaker but would
> there still be voltage on both wires to ground?
> And info appreciated.
> Thanks.
>
>

Where did you measure the voltages - at the switchboard or at one of the
affected outlets?

It sounds to me like a short somewhere in the wiring for those four
outlets, and the 12.5 ohms between active and neutral supports this,
along with both being at approximately the same voltage relative to
ground. Because they are both at near enough to the same voltage, I
would not expect to get a voltage reading between the two - or else so
small a reading it may very well have been discounted as a meter error.

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Cheers
Oldus Fartus

I have some questions for any electricians that may be lurking about...
I was using a small 3gal compressor (rated 15A) in my house when I lost
power to 4 outlets. I immediately thoughtt it was a breaker so I checked,
none tripped. I turned each one off and on again and power was still not
restored. I pulled the outlet from the wall where I had the compressor
plugged in and all the wiring still appears new, tough, like it was just
installed (house is a mere 7 years old) in other words, nothing was burnt or
melted within the wall of the said outlet nor did I smell anything nearby or
at the breaker panel. I got a multimeter and took some measurements:

Incoming is 440VAC from outside to panel rated 200amps
12.5 ohms between the black & white wires, no voltage.
125 VAC from the white wire to ground, 60 Hz
124.5 VAC from the black wire to ground, 60 Hz

So the power is there on both wires but not connected between the two.
What could the problem be? A friend suggested a faulty breaker but would
there still be voltage on both wires to ground?
And info appreciated.
Thanks.

"CooTer" <> wrote in
news:bvfinv$rn4od$:

> I have some questions for any electricians that may be lurking
> about... I was using a small 3gal compressor (rated 15A) in my house
> when I lost power to 4 outlets. I immediately thoughtt it was a
> breaker so I checked, none tripped. I turned each one off and on again
> and power was still not restored. I pulled the outlet from the wall
> where I had the compressor plugged in and all the wiring still appears
> new, tough, like it was just installed (house is a mere 7 years old)
> in other words, nothing was burnt or melted within the wall of the
> said outlet nor did I smell anything nearby or at the breaker panel. I
> got a multimeter and took some measurements:
>
> Incoming is 440VAC from outside to panel rated 200amps
> 12.5 ohms between the black & white wires, no voltage.
> 125 VAC from the white wire to ground, 60 Hz
> 124.5 VAC from the black wire to ground, 60 Hz
>
> So the power is there on both wires but not connected between the two.
> What could the problem be? A friend suggested a faulty breaker but
> would there still be voltage on both wires to ground?
> And info appreciated.
> Thanks.
>
>
You need to go get a 3 prong outlet analyzer. Get it at the hardware store
or elec. shop. It will tell you, if you have a problem on any fault line.
You should not have 120 V between neutral and ground. Small investment and
a time saver.

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Check the voltage on each breaker's out-terminal. A breaker could be fused
in the open mode.

On Sat, 31 Jan 2004 01:42:12 -0500, "CooTer" <> wrote:

>I have some questions for any electricians that may be lurking about...
>I was using a small 3gal compressor (rated 15A) in my house when I lost
>power to 4 outlets. I immediately thoughtt it was a breaker so I checked,
>none tripped. I turned each one off and on again and power was still not
>restored. I pulled the outlet from the wall where I had the compressor
>plugged in and all the wiring still appears new, tough, like it was just
>installed (house is a mere 7 years old) in other words, nothing was burnt or
>melted within the wall of the said outlet nor did I smell anything nearby or
>at the breaker panel. I got a multimeter and took some measurements:
>
>Incoming is 440VAC from outside to panel rated 200amps
>12.5 ohms between the black & white wires, no voltage.
>125 VAC from the white wire to ground, 60 Hz
>124.5 VAC from the black wire to ground, 60 Hz
>
>So the power is there on both wires but not connected between the two.
>What could the problem be? A friend suggested a faulty breaker but would
>there still be voltage on both wires to ground?
>And info appreciated.
>Thanks.
>

There should only be 1 breaker to check. 4 outlets went down, and they
have to be on the same circut. How many should he check for that circut?
Aw-mm open is no current flowing. Closed is normal unless shorted,
then, depending on the wiring to his box, the big breaker, would have went.



Unk <> wrote in
news::

> Check the voltage on each breaker's out-terminal. A breaker could be
> fused in the open mode.
>
> On Sat, 31 Jan 2004 01:42:12 -0500, "CooTer" <>
> wrote:
>
>>I have some questions for any electricians that may be lurking
>>about... I was using a small 3gal compressor (rated 15A) in my house
>>when I lost power to 4 outlets. I immediately thoughtt it was a
>>breaker so I checked, none tripped. I turned each one off and on again
>>and power was still not restored. I pulled the outlet from the wall
>>where I had the compressor plugged in and all the wiring still appears
>>new, tough, like it was just installed (house is a mere 7 years old)
>>in other words, nothing was burnt or melted within the wall of the
>>said outlet nor did I smell anything nearby or at the breaker panel. I
>>got a multimeter and took some measurements:
>>
>>Incoming is 440VAC from outside to panel rated 200amps
>>12.5 ohms between the black & white wires, no voltage.
>>125 VAC from the white wire to ground, 60 Hz
>>124.5 VAC from the black wire to ground, 60 Hz
>>
>>So the power is there on both wires but not connected between the two.
>>What could the problem be? A friend suggested a faulty breaker but
>>would there still be voltage on both wires to ground?
>>And info appreciated.
>>Thanks.
>>
>



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Sounds like a breaker, but I agree with doc, you shouldn't have 120V from
neutral to ground. Might want to look at the junction(s) for that circuit
between the faulted outlets and the box, if any/accessible.

CooTer wrote:
> I have some questions for any electricians that may be lurking
> about...
> I was using a small 3gal compressor (rated 15A) in my house when I
> lost power to 4 outlets. I immediately thoughtt it was a breaker so I
> checked, none tripped. I turned each one off and on again and power
> was still not restored. I pulled the outlet from the wall where I had
> the compressor plugged in and all the wiring still appears new,
> tough, like it was just installed (house is a mere 7 years old) in
> other words, nothing was burnt or melted within the wall of the said
> outlet nor did I smell anything nearby or at the breaker panel. I got
> a multimeter and took some measurements:
>
> Incoming is 440VAC from outside to panel rated 200amps
> 12.5 ohms between the black & white wires, no voltage.
> 125 VAC from the white wire to ground, 60 Hz
> 124.5 VAC from the black wire to ground, 60 Hz
>
> So the power is there on both wires but not connected between the two.
> What could the problem be? A friend suggested a faulty breaker but
> would there still be voltage on both wires to ground?
> And info appreciated.
> Thanks.

OK, no voltage between hot and neutral. Hot to ground and Neutral to
ground are both 120 V. You simply plug in the little 3 prong analyzer
in the outlets from the bad one to the box. Personally, I think he misread
the meter.


"Miss Tawni" <> wrote in
news:ZVISb.3707$ ink.net:

> Sounds like a breaker, but I agree with doc, you shouldn't have 120V from
> neutral to ground. Might want to look at the junction(s) for that circuit
> between the faulted outlets and the box, if any/accessible.
>
> CooTer wrote:
>> I have some questions for any electricians that may be lurking
>> about...
>> I was using a small 3gal compressor (rated 15A) in my house when I
>> lost power to 4 outlets. I immediately thoughtt it was a breaker so I
>> checked, none tripped. I turned each one off and on again and power
>> was still not restored. I pulled the outlet from the wall where I had
>> the compressor plugged in and all the wiring still appears new,
>> tough, like it was just installed (house is a mere 7 years old) in
>> other words, nothing was burnt or melted within the wall of the said
>> outlet nor did I smell anything nearby or at the breaker panel. I got
>> a multimeter and took some measurements:
>>
>> Incoming is 440VAC from outside to panel rated 200amps
>> 12.5 ohms between the black & white wires, no voltage.
>> 125 VAC from the white wire to ground, 60 Hz
>> 124.5 VAC from the black wire to ground, 60 Hz
>>
>> So the power is there on both wires but not connected between the two.
>> What could the problem be? A friend suggested a faulty breaker but
>> would there still be voltage on both wires to ground?
>> And info appreciated.
>> Thanks.
>
>



--
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Check all four outlets. One may have loose connections - or gotten
fried - upstream from the one you looked at.

Are you sure you're getting 440v to the panel? 240 would be more
likely.

CooTer wrote:
>
> I have some questions for any electricians that may be lurking about...
> I was using a small 3gal compressor (rated 15A) in my house when I lost
> power to 4 outlets. I immediately thoughtt it was a breaker so I checked,
> none tripped. I turned each one off and on again and power was still not
> restored. I pulled the outlet from the wall where I had the compressor
> plugged in and all the wiring still appears new, tough, like it was just
> installed (house is a mere 7 years old) in other words, nothing was burnt or
> melted within the wall of the said outlet nor did I smell anything nearby or
> at the breaker panel. I got a multimeter and took some measurements:
>
> Incoming is 440VAC from outside to panel rated 200amps
> 12.5 ohms between the black & white wires, no voltage.
> 125 VAC from the white wire to ground, 60 Hz
> 124.5 VAC from the black wire to ground, 60 Hz
>
> So the power is there on both wires but not connected between the two.
> What could the problem be? A friend suggested a faulty breaker but would
> there still be voltage on both wires to ground?
> And info appreciated.
> Thanks.

No, I didn't misread the meter. I just metered it again and its still the
same


*12.5 ohms* between the *black* & *white* wires, *no voltage*.
*125 VAC* from the *white* wire to *ground*, 60 Hz
*125.1 VAC* from the *black* wire to *ground*, 60 Hz

Tell me where I may have miss read the meter, then tell me how to read a
meter correctly (since metering resistance & voltage is part of my everyday
job) and I will do it on your terms.


docmill wrote:
> Personally, I think he misread the meter

Yes its 440, who ever lived here before us had some huge mechanical
eqiuipment in the garage for some reason.

SgtMinor wrote:
> Check all four outlets. One may have loose connections - or gotten
> fried - upstream from the one you looked at.
>
> Are you sure you're getting 440v to the panel? 240 would be more
> likely.
>
> CooTer wrote