dead light/recp...please help!!!

[that-guy]

ever since I moved into my house almost 2 years ago, a light post out front has not been working. it has a light sensor on it, so it should only come when dark. to activate it, there is a light switch by the front door

there is also a GFI receptacle on the house in line with the light post that is also inactive, which the power and ground for the light post is tied into...IE, both the light post and GFI are run off of the same switch inside of the house

I have replaced the sensor on the light post, the GFI with a brand new one, and have swapped the light switch in the house with known good ones and that switch has worked in other places of the house. only thought at this point is that there is a break in the wiring somewhere, I just have no idea how to do that

the wiring is about 20" underground and is in PVC tubing. my biggest question to you all is, how would I go about testing the wiring to find where is the problem is? I know a few functions of a multimeter, but not how to do this

 

[The Cobbler]

set the meter to AC volts , check the line side of the switch to see if you have power, if yes ,check the load side. remove the GFI and probe the line side ( coming from the switch, if there's voltage there . you say the gfi doesn't work so likely no power there, or it's hooked up wrong. finally do the same for your pole

 

[that-guy]

how would I know the difference between line side and load side?

 

[Mustang51js]

Yeah you need a testor to check for power or it will be real difficult. The switch you are turning may not even be the right one. Test the switch first and then the gfi, if power at switch and none at gfi then it may be a splice box in the basement or in the switch box.

 

[Mustang51js]

how would I know the difference between line side and load side?

Line side is power coming in and load side is going to the post. If you have a wire coming from back of box from inside that's likely the line unless both sets of wires come through there. You could always remove gfi, wire nut wires and turn switch on just to see if you have power.

 

[that-guy]

Got home today and checked for voltage...as I suspected, everything at the switch is fine. The GFI nor post have power

Sent from my DROID4 using Tapatalk

 

[48RON54]

Any junction boxes between the 2 that can be checked? Sounds like you are about to have to start chasing some wire

 

[justsam]

Did you check both the line and load side of the GFI, (I am assuming it is a pass thru type)?

Are you sure the switch you are operating is the one for the porch light?

 

[Mustang51js]

You need to find where the power comes into the house from the gfi, then start following the wire back

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Most GFCIs are labeled line side and load side on the back. But if u have no power on either black wire coming into the GFCI box, then the problem i between the switch and GFCI. One way to test the hot(black) lines is to plug an extension cord into a known good outlet. Then test between the neutral on the cord and the hots in the j box.

 

[that-guy]

from the way my house is layed out, it looks like the wires would be following the outside wall of the house, which goes around my son's play room to get from the switch to the GFI, and there are several reptacles in there, so i will cut power to the switch panel and see if anything in the play room gets cut as well, so make sure this thing isn't tieing into anything else...

this damn house has been nothing but trouble because of really lazy electrical work

 

[Mustang51js]

Does the pvc from the light go to the gfi box. Do you have a crawl space or basement.

 

[that-guy]

yes, and basement...the GFi is located behind a bush and is directly in line with the light post. i can see about 18" of the PVC coming straight up out of the ground and going into the receptacle box

 

[Zeke]

Sounds to me that you have an open circuit in one of the recp's in the play room. Turn off the power and pull everyone out. Turn the power on and turn the switch on. Check each rec'p with a tester. I recommend a no touch tester to do this quickly and safely. When you find it, turn the power off and rewire all of your recp's so that the power does not go through the lugs. Only the GFCI should be wired that way. This is called pig tailing and joins the whites, blacks and grounds with nut and a supply to each screw on the recp. Use stranded wire for the pig tails as it folds up better in the box.

You will now have a continuous (switched) power lead to the GFCI and lamp. It doesn't pass through the side of each recp in the circuit.

 

[Mustang51js]

So,the issue is from switch to gfi, I would see if you can see a wire that comes into the basement from outside. You may find out that switch your turning doesn't do the post light or gfi. Your last option is to just run a wire from switch down to basement and over to gfi.

 

[The Cobbler]

it is possible that the circuit was disabled due to a break or short... I would meter from the pole light to the GFI & see if there's an open or a short .