Outlet Issues….

[smokey0810]

Have two outlets in our family room that tie into each other. One feeds the other, the other is end of the circuit. This was an outdoor porch we had a contractor come in 4 years ago and enclose. He added the two outlets, and all was well. About 6 months ago the outlets started to go off and on at random. I finally got fed up tonight and pulled both fixtures, and the ground wires seemed loose. Tightened them up and still no power….about an hour later, they were hot again….thoughts on where to start diagnosing?

 

[Chuckster in NJ]

Have two outlets in our family room that tie into each other. One feeds the other, the other is end of the circuit. This was an outdoor porch we had a contractor come in 4 years ago and enclose. He added the two outlets, and all was well. About 6 months ago the outlets started to go off and on at random. I finally got fed up tonight and pulled both fixtures, and the ground wires seemed loose. Tightened them up and still no power….about an hour later, they were hot again….thoughts on where to start diagnosing?

Not to sound like a **** but…… My professional advice is to call a licensed electrician ASAP because the problem could be anywhere.
This could be a potential fire hazard in the making……… Loose connections are bad.

 

[Stuart in MN]

If the connections at the receptacles are tight, then the problem is somewhere upstream. Does the wire feeding them go directly to the circuit breaker panel, or does it splice into a circuit somewhere else? Is it just these two receptacles, or have you notice intermittent power to any other spot in the house?

 

[Steve W.]

As questioned earlier, does the feed come directly from the breaker panel? If not, it's possible that it comes from a switched supply. That could mean the porch receptacles are only live when the family room lights are on.

.

 

[yatg]

Find where the feed is to your outside receptacles, probably the closest inside receptacle. Check there.

Make sure the receptacles are connected with the side screws, not the backstabs.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Have two outlets in our family room that tie into each other. One feeds the other, the other is end of the circuit. This was an outdoor porch we had a contractor come in 4 years ago and enclose. He added the two outlets, and all was well. About 6 months ago the outlets started to go off and on at random. I finally got fed up tonight and pulled both fixtures, and the ground wires seemed loose. Tightened them up and still no power….about an hour later, they were hot again….thoughts on where to start diagnosing?

the ground wire would have no bearing whatsoever on the receptacle losing power.

you have a bad connection somewhere that is intermittently working.

my vote is on a "backstabbed" connection on a receptacle.

 

[Cruzan80]

I really hope the OP meant "hot" as in they are getting power, and not raising in temperature. If they do spike temp after an hr, then I would shut down the entire circuit and start tracing from the breaker box. Heat is never a good sign.

 

[Chuckster in NJ]

I really hope the OP meant "hot" as in they are getting power, and not raising in temperature. If they do spike temp after an hr, then I would shut down the entire circuit and start tracing from the breaker box. Heat is never a good sign.

This is why I said in post #2 to "Call a licensed electrical contractor"

BTW! Giving electrical troubleshooting advice over the internet is like getting a haircut over the phone.

 

[kbuhagiar]

Have two outlets in our family room that tie into each other. One feeds the other, the other is end of the circuit. This was an outdoor porch we had a contractor come in 4 years ago and enclose. He added the two outlets, and all was well. About 6 months ago the outlets started to go off and on at random. I finally got fed up tonight and pulled both fixtures, and the ground wires seemed loose. Tightened them up and still no power….about an hour later, they were hot again….thoughts on where to start diagnosing?

Find the outlet where the contractor connected the two new outlets, and I'll bet you'll find your problem.
If it's an outdoor porch, find it's common wall with the existing indoor structure. The odds are he just used one of the old existing outlets on the other side of that wall to feed to new outdoor facing outlets. So you probably only have one or two 'old' outlets to check.

 

[mm08822]

This is why I said in post #2 to "Call a licensed electrical contractor"

BTW! Giving electrical troubleshooting advice over the internet is like getting a haircut over the phone.

BAHHH!! this was done with FaceTime.

 

[smokey0810]

HOT as in power going thru it, not temperature wise. About twenty minutes after I posted this, outlets were back on as if nothing happened….

 

[AA/FC]

HOT as in power going thru it, not temperature wise. About twenty minutes after I posted this, outlets were back on as if nothing happened….

There is still a problem somewhere. Receptacles that are operating correctly are not intermittent.

 

[mm08822]

Are there switched recepts nearby? If yes, possibly they were tied into that. However, I think you would have discovered this sooner.

 

[dave*99]

HOT as in power going thru it, not temperature wise. About twenty minutes after I posted this, outlets were back on as if nothing happened….

Just in case you have not found a qualified electrician...

I helped a friend (he had no troubleshooting skills) by having him plug a light into the intermittent outlet and then give all the nearby outlets a fist bump. Look for the light to blink. Not my favorite troubleshooting method, but it worked.

If you turn off the breaker and see which outlets go dead, you will need less fist bumps. Do remember, power could have been tapped anywhere for the porch.

You really don't want an intermittent connection burning your house down.

 

[whateg01]

Not to sound like a **** but…… My professional advice is to call a licensed electrician ASAP ...

Because if you thought tightening the ground was going to fix it, you don't know anything about it.