Foo - any electricians in the house

A lot of things in my house wont turn on such as oven and dryer. i went to circuit breaker box and the wires that feed it one leg is at zero volts other at 120. a course both to ground should read 120 and both to each other should read 240.One leg is dead .i live in a condo there is acircuit breaker outside that feeds both lines to my house > am i correct in asummeing if the wires are ok that this breaker is dead?

A lot of things in my house wont turn on such as oven and dryer. i went to circuit breaker box and the wires that feed it one leg is at zero volts other at 120. a course both to ground should read 120 and both to each other should read 240.One leg is dead .i live in a condo there is acircuit breaker outside that feeds both lines to my house > am i correct in asummeing if the wires are ok that this breaker is dead?


Do you have power upstream of the breaker, but not downstream of the breaker? If so, the you can assume a bad breaker. If no power upstream, you have anther problem, since your tester will provide the ground necessary to allow current flow. Now, you're good asking these questions, but since you have to ask these questions, I'd STRONGLY suggest you hire an electrician, since even household current can kill a feller. It's not the voltage that does it, it's the amperage and the 60 cycle AC that interrupts your heart rhythms.

i cant see if i have power upstream since its dark but im checking in the am. o and im very safe with power and only use one hand at a time and turn all power off before i change stuff. i hope it is something simple like a breaker

Paging pgoat...

You're at the right place. We're all electricians, it's just that some of us aren't licensed.


A lot of things in my house wont turn on such as oven and dryer.

Yes, since both of those are 240 volts, and with the problems you mentioned, it does sound like one of the 120 volt feeds is dead somewhere. Good luck with poking around and finding it.

It does take a bit of care and common sense. A short shouldn't mean a short life.

Do you have power upstream of the breaker, but not downstream of the breaker? If so, the you can assume a bad breaker. If no power upstream, you have anther problem, since your tester will provide the ground necessary to allow current flow. Now, you're good asking these questions, but since you have to ask these questions, I'd STRONGLY suggest you hire an electrician, since even household current can kill a feller. It's not the voltage that does it, it's the amperage and the 60 cycle AC that interrupts your heart rhythms.

Beat me to it tom. If the breaker in question is the main breaker and you have no way to turn it's power feed off, then it's a deal breaker (no pun intended).

Replaced breaker so far so good. was scary see how close them live lugs was from where i was working

It does take a bit of care and common sense. A short shouldn't mean a short life.

Nah, 120V just tickles, 240 stings a little bit.

lick the wires to see if they are hot.

lick the wires to see if they are hot.

I wouldn't go that far, but if I know it's a 110 line, I have been known to touch the bare wire to see if it is hot.

Was doing some wiring for a neighbor, he told me the breaker was off. I started working and just stopped and gave him the look, he instantly went and just turned off the main. :p

I wouldn't go that far, but if I know it's a 110 line, I have been known to touch the bare wire to see if it is hot.

Was doing some wiring for a neighbor, he told me the breaker was off. I started working and just stopped and gave him the look, he instantly went and just turned off the main. :p

Can you please post a pic of you giving "the look"? Pretty please.

Can you please post a pic of you giving "the look"? Pretty please.

I'm sure chris... can provide that.

Couch

Yes

lick the wires to see if they are hot.


Come on now, as with an electric fence we all know the true test is to pee on it. A little tingle tell you it's working and makes you feel more alive.

Come on now, as with an electric fence we all know the true test is to pee on it. A little tingle tell you it's working and makes you feel more alive.

That freaking hurts just reading it.

I got tangled up in an electric fence when I was a kid and didn't know any better. It hurt so freaking bad, I still remember it and probably the only thing I remember from being that young.

Several years ago at a 4th of July party that was held on a small cattle ranch here, the people that owned the place built a little 3 sided outdoor pisser for the men to use. They backed it up close to the electric fence that kept the cows out of the yard. They also wrapped a piece of aluminum foil around the wire and drew a bulls-eye on it then hung a sign in there saying, "hit the target win a prize"

Late in the day, and deep into the 3rd keg some dumba$$ won the prize.

The cable guy is at my house. Would you like me to ask him?

The cable guy is at my house. Would you like me to ask him?

Is that going to bother your wife?

The cable guy is at my house. Would you like me to ask him?

Is his first name Larry? :)

That freaking hurts just reading it.

I got tangled up in an electric fence when I was a kid and didn't know any better. It hurt so freaking bad, I still remember it and probably the only thing I remember from being that young.

Now when you get aroused the lights and radio go on.

With all the solid content here already, it seems like it would take just a few more posts for this topic to become the place to go to search for electrical info.

So, since this information reminded me of this topic, here it is.

http://i50.tinypic.com/2pzwgub.gif