GFCI Breaker

[DawgPaw]

We have 3 exterior outlets and each has a separate GFCI breaker. I know that they all worked a few months ago as I was using them. I tried today and discovered that none of them have power. They do not appear to be tripped and the test appears to work on all of them.

How on earth could I loose power on 3 separate breakers?

 

[RossABQ]

I don't see how the test would work if there was no power? Are they the type with an LED for status? They do go bad, a surge could have taken all 3 out, but it seems unlikely.

 

[jchetty]

Is it possible that there is another GFCI that has tripped?

The GFCIs have no power- if the line wires are also showing no power than it could be a branched GFCI that is upstream.

 

[justsam]

Are these really GFCI breakers? Sounds like you are discussing GFCI receptacles. Breakers are located in your breaker panel with all the other breakers. Assuming these are GFCI receptacles and not GFCI breakers it is possible that one is feeding all the others.

It certainly is not required to be done with three separate GFCI receptacles, as just one can be used in a LINE/LOAD configuration to feed the others down stream of it. However there is no harm in making all of them GFCI and that may be what has happened here.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Agree with others.

Are these GFCI breakers or GFCI receptacles??

How old are they?

 

[DawgPaw]

Breakers. The house was built in 2007.

 

[DawgPaw]

https://goo.gl/photos/nyAw8JN3jYB3moZr9

 

[kd3pc]

https://goo.gl/photos/nyAw8JN3jYB3moZr9

It appears that the breakers on the bottom right feed those outdoor outlets. Those breakers are conventional breakers, not GFCI breakers.

I would suspect that these are not the issue, IF, big IF you are comfortable troubleshooting, one would next remove the panel cover and check for voltage on the output of those breakers, and flip them off, verify that the voltage on the output goes away.

Similarly, you can plug something in to the outlets in question to verify they work.

Before I did anything, I would cycle those three breakers, off and then back on.

Unlikely that you have lost voltage to all three of those breakers at the same time.

 

[DawgPaw]

No I should have said to ignore the labels. The three breakers in the bottom left are the issue. I know it lists bedrooms. It's crazy. The ones on the right are the three outlets inside the garage and they are fine.. The 3 breakers on the bottom left are connected to the outlets that do not work.

I've flipped and flipped those stupid things. I'll open it up up tomorrow, but it just seems really strange. I have had to replace two failed switches and tighten up a loose connection on a light so we have certainly had issues.

 

[exranger06]

Those are AFCI breakers, not GFCI breakers.

 

[DawgPaw]

Well that's good to know. Any thought on why they may not work?

 

[engineer2]

AFCI breakers are required for bedrooms per the NEC section 210.12. That's what they should be used for instead of switching them around for another location. They are to prevent bedroom electrical fires.
Outdoor outlets need to be protected by GFCI's. Your choice of GFCI receptacles or GFCI breakers. If you have outdoor GFCI receptacles, sometimes moisture corrodes them internally over the winter and they need to be replaced.

 

[AntonLargiader]

It looks like the square part next the handle is an LED indicator for arc fault. If the breaker is tripped and the LED is lit, it tripped for arc fault, otherwise it tripped on overload. You can simulate arc fault with the test button.

Are they tripping, or are you losing power on all three of those circuits without the breakers tripping? Reading your posts, it seems that you have GFCI receptacles on AFCI breakers (which is fine) but I can't understand what - if anything - is tripping.

The outlets trip for ground fault
The breaker trips for arc fault or overload.

 

[AffableCurmudgeon]

You need to re-label your panel.
What kind of outlets do you have? Are they regular or GFCI?
have you checked continuity between the panel and the outlets?

 

[DawgPaw]

I have done my best to relable it on a sheet that is mounted to the door, but it is very screwy. Don't pay attention to anything that is written on the box itself.

They are normal receptacles and those type breakers. I have done nothing except flip them on and off. I'm off tomorrow but was hoping to get some ideas. Also none of the breakers tripped. The outlets just stopped working which seems really strange.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Its possible u have a backstabbed outlet somewhere along the line and the connection failed...

 

[justsam]

Are you sure you are resetting the right breakers? I know you said to ignore the labels, but bedrooms are exactly where I would expect AFCI breakers which is what the labels indicate.

Just to confirm, try turning off those breakers and see if you lose power to the bedroom(s).

 

[Mr_fixit]

We have 3 exterior outlets and each has a separate GFCI breaker. I know that they all worked a few months ago as I was using them. I tried today and discovered that none of them have power. They do not appear to be tripped and the test appears to work on all of them.

How on earth could I loose power on 3 separate breakers?

They can't. Unless they're all tied together to one GFCI receptacle. Operator error.
You're wrong on the arc faults.

 

[Showkey]

Suspect the dead outlets are down stream on a GFCI .......and that GFCI might be a distantance from the dead outlets. The arc faults are just mistaken identity and might still be th bedroom outlets????

 

[DawgPaw]

Yeah I'm about to give up and call someone I guess. I tested today and I do not have power to them. It sounds like the AFCI's are in the wrong place as well since they are not for the bedrooms. I think that someone made the same assumption that some people on here did that they had to be when labeling. So at the very least I guess those need to be swapped, but then I guess I'll need to either replace the outside outlets with GFCI ones or GFCI breakers. What a mess.

 

[justsam]

Yeah I'm about to give up and call someone I guess. I tested today and I do not have power to them. It sounds like the AFCI's are in the wrong place as well since they are not for the bedrooms. I think that someone made the same assumption that some people on here did that they had to be when labeling. So at the very least I guess those need to be swapped, but then I guess I'll need to either replace the outside outlets with GFCI ones or GFCI breakers. What a mess.

Don't give up yet! You are bigger than this problem! It sounds like you really need to map out which breakers control which receptacles and which light fixtures. If the labels are all wrong as you indicate, take some time and sort it out now. Just get yourself a small table lamp or similar and use that to confirm power at receptacles as you turn ON/OFF breakers. Same with light fixtures except you do not need the lamp. Just draw out a chart on paper and write it down as you confirm. If you use Excel or Numbers, do it on a computer.

If this is a typical production home there are things that must have been part of the original build. There will be AFCI breakers, which you have, and there will be GFCI receptacles. Find them, and assume nothing about what feeds what, but confirm with lamp.

Once all that is done, there are many that can help on this board, but right now too many variables.

 

[AntonLargiader]

It's even easier to map out the circuits with a helper and cell phones. Get the numbering clear first and then go for it. Accept the fact that you'll need to reset a bunch of clocks or whatever when you're done, turn off the computer and then start flipping breakers and talking.

 

[AntonLargiader]

BTW when you say you have no power to them, do you mean you pulled the receps out of the boxes and tested the incoming power leads at the screws?

 

[wyliesdiesels]

BTW when you say you have no power to them, do you mean you pulled the receps out of the boxes and tested the incoming power leads at the screws?

Thats an important distinction/question....