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dead electrical circuit?
i want to check the circuit breakers out. i have no idea which individual breaker controls the dead circuit. SO, i want to use a volt meter to check each breaker at the panel. with the breaker on, i should read zero volts across my meter, right? and if i read voltage across a live breaker, that means it's bad, right? any helpful hints would be appreciated. thank you! jim
too many breakers to flip each one then go check and see if the lights are on. too much uncertainty. start with the panel then go to the switches.
believe me, i would love turn this over to a real electrician, but it's the dreaded money factor. those guys like to get paid. i'm kind of stuck.
4 Answers
- callipygenousLv 78 years agoFavorite Answer
You've got the basic idea. 0VAC to grounding bar on a dead MCB. 110, 120, 208, 240, or 277 VAC (I dunno where you live or what your service is) from live MCB to grounding bar. I must say, it's very unusual that an MCB fails. I bet you've got a loose connection somewhere if you don't have a trip state on the MCB.
- wild woodpecker®Lv 68 years ago
WHY not switch off the other breakers one by one and find out what circuits they protect and label the breaker so you know whats what ... you can get a good idea of what is what by the rating of the breaker too.... take a reading from the common negative to the positive terminal of the breaker...or if you have a good voltage indicator you can quickly check it by touching the live cables insulation from the breaker, if it lights up you have power
- johnrymelLv 48 years ago
buy what they call a "tone and trace" one ends goes into the dead outlet and the other end you will touch each breaker and it will indicate to you when you get the right one
you can buy them at any home depot or lowes
