tracing power

[polexican23]

Afternoon you voltage junkies.

Need some help. Bought a house back in August and have been doing small repairs. Finally got around to trying to figure out why the lamp post way out in the middle of the yard wont light up.
Took the top off that houses the socket and bulb. Nice HUGE wasps nest in there. Glad they havent returned yet. Got those cleared up, and now the socket and some of the wiring was pretty rusted. I replaced the socket and cut the wires back to some clean/fresh stuff.
(i guess i should have tested for power with a tester prior to doing the work, but didnt own one at the time. Bought one yesterday)

Bottom line is: flipped every switch i could find and nothing will send power out that way. What is the best (hopefully easiest) way to figure out where this line comes into the house to check for continuity? Would like to have the light in the yard.

 

[BillK]

Does it have a photocell to turn it on at night ? The one on my post lamp went bad a year or so ago. Simple to replace.

 

[Mustang51js]

Check for photocell, a timer somewhere,and also check to see if there's a gfi outside. Can you see a wire going up your foundation. Or any j boxes on side wall in basement.

 

[polexican23]

no basement, only crawl space. reluctant to going down there.
No photo cell, and no gfi. I couldnt even tell you were the/if the conduit is buried anywhere.

 

[pattenp]

You need to crawl under the house and try to locate where the wire comes in and go from there.

 

[BillK]

Probably a stupid question, but have you looked on the breaker box to see if it is listed for one of the breakers ? I think you are going to have to go in the crawl space, like it or not, if you want to find out where the cable comes in. I suppose that maybe if you had a good enough metal detector you might be able to follow it from the post but if it is at the correct depth it is going to be difficult.

 

[sands35]

Is the post lamp a metal halide or sodium vapor? If it is, there is typically a transformer under the lamp. Should be some screws to take that off and see. I have one of those, bulbs are stupid expensive. So I took out the transformer and just use CFLs now.

If there is a light sensor, those can go bad as well. $8 part and 20 minutes to replace. (But I would see if you are getting voltage to the post lamp. But you need to figure out is the lamp is wired to a switch or right into the breaker box.

 

[polexican23]

I used one of the light up voltage tester pen things and it shows no power. And there inst a breaker listed for anything in our house let alone for this.

crawl space here i come. If i am not back in 5 mins order me a pizza.

 

[Mustang51js]

How did you make out. Do you have a garage,possible power comes from there. It's also possible that it's disconnected from previous owner. Your last option would be to grab a shovel and start following the line back

 

[BillK]

Do we need to send a crawl space search party

 

[polexican23]

naw, had to go into work and pretend to do stuff. Will have to do after they release me.

 

[Dave in Mass]

How did you make out. Do you have a garage,possible power comes from there. It's also possible that it's disconnected from previous owner. Your last option would be to grab a shovel and start following the line back

Any better ways to "trace power"? I think I have the opposite issue from the OP. In my front hall, I have a gang of 4 switches --

Living room --Check
Hallway -- Check
Outside lights over door -- Check
ummm Where the heck does this 4th one go? Doesnt control anything in the house from what I can see.

But there is a conduit coming out at the foundation level with some wire in it. andof course it buries itself under my brick steps and walkway.

I gotta think this used to run to a light out by the street but there is absolutely no sign of one having been there. Even if it did, an thoughts on how you would find where it goes?

 

[6t7gto]

We had a wall switch that didn't control anything, I thought.
It controls an outlet for a table lamp.
Only 1/2 the outlet is contolled by the switch.

 

[Dave in Mass]

We had a wall switch that didn't control anything, I thought.
It controls an outlet for a table lamp.
Only 1/2 the outlet is contolled by the switch.

Checked 'em all and I still have the mystery conduit and wire coming out of the house going lord knows where.

OP, Maybe we need to coordinate and when I flip this switch, I am turning on/off your light....

 

[Mustang51js]

Could be an old post light removed,landscape lights. There's plenty of houses I've been in with switches that don't do anything after remodels and people just removing things after they break.

 

[polexican23]

still no time to get into the crawl space. hoping to this week.

The best missing switch i have heard about was Motomeccas closet switch.

 

[73surffisher]

still no time to get into the crawl space. hoping to this week.

Come on polexican, there's no boggie man down there, , , , , , ,Just some really nasty spiders, ,all staring at you, , with forks and with cobwebs that get into your hair, thinking dinner time, , , , you know that creapy crawling feeling that something is on you, , ,

But hey its probably just a switch thing, , , ,

 

[southalabama]

Don't read the "what kind of snake is this" thread before you go in the crawlspace.

 

[polexican23]

LOL. you guys are good. Naw, have had to maintain my grandparents home since they passed and with buying my own home recently i have a priority list problem.

Went to mow their lawn and the JD rider wouldnt engage the blades. They just stopped while riding. They dont/didnt have any tools on site so had to finish up with a push mow. 1 acre with a push mow= fun times. But i promise i will get down there.