Electrical Wall Outlet Dead

[moresex4me]

That wasn't the mistake. The mistake was dismantling a receptacle, without first making sure he knew what breaker it was connected to. Depending on what the failure was, and what else was happening in the house, the power could have returned unexpectedly.

110 (V) can hurt you badly, especially, if it is not a glancing shock. I think the electric chair uses less than 100 (V) to execute someone.

This was a case where:
a) All the circuit breakers in the breaker box should have been toggled. Sometimes, under short-circuit loads, the breaker will trip without flipping to "off." As such, it is necessary to toggle each breaker, one at a time, until the flipped one is found and reset.
b) All GFCI outlets should have been found and checked.
c) All upstream outlets from the malfunctioning one needed to be checked (assuming the problem was not obviously at a GFCI or a breaker.)
d) If you can't prove power is disconnected, then you have to turn everything off before working on the malfunctioning outlet. "TURN THEM ALL OFF." The master disconnect helps.
e) The correct tools to trace wiring inside a house should have been used.

He used the screwdriver to remove the CO2 detector. That's what shorted it out. I agree, he should have exhausted GFI's and breakers before opening the receptacle up. No trace required. It was a tripped breaker.

Electric chairs use more than 15 amps...

 

[Anynym]

I think this is what happened in my case. It probably tripped without flipping to "off" so to the naked eye it was not obvious that it had tripped.

Correct. A "tripped" breaker will still appear to be closer to the "on" position than to "off". It'll have a bit of play in it (moving it towards the "on" position), but it won't stay in the "on" position until after you move it all the way to the "off" position first.

 

[fuji]

My advice for all you guys who are fucking around with your electrical circuits without the foggiest idea and relying on advice on an escort review board as to what to do next:

Double check that your fire insurance is up to date and paid and that your smoke alarms are all working.

 

[papasmerf]

My advice for all you guys who are fucking around with your electrical circuits without the foggiest idea and relying on advice on an escort review board as to what to do next:

Double check that your fire insurance is up to date and paid and that your smoke alarms are all working.

Think of Electricity the same way you do sex.

Hire a pro and it always works out well.

 

[tboy]

CONCLUSION:
When I had my first ever central air installed about 3 years ago, I created a "map" of my breaker panel (smart, eh). After the flash last Friday, I went to the breaker panel and did not visually notice any breakers had tripped. So, I consulted my "map" and saw breaker #6 "basement front" and immediately INCORRECTLY ASSUMED that the receptacle was on this breaker.

It turns out that the receptacle is on its own circuit and is on breaker #5. Life lesson #57: Read the ENTIRE breaker map before deciding which is the correct breaker for a receptacle.

Everything is fine now. I am so embarressed. Let us speak of this no more forever.

I think I will say this for everyone (or some):

Oh for fuck's sake......SHEESH. Didn't check the breakers just the one you THOUGHT it should be?

If you come to the terb party 2 rounds of drinks on YOU.....

This is right up there with "locking yourself INSIDE your car...."

 

[landscaper]

My advice for all you guys who are fucking around with your electrical circuits without the foggiest idea and relying on advice on an escort review board as to what to do next:

Double check that your fire insurance is up to date and paid and that your smoke alarms are all working.

no need to check, they won't need thje services of teh insurance company , however I curl with the owner of a funeral home competative rates.....

 

[Rockslinger]

Now that everything is ticky boo in Rockland, I'm glad you guys are having a bit of fun at my expense. However, there are a couple of important takeaways from this experience.

1) Turn the breaker to the "off" position. Much easier to find the RIGHT breaker when the CO detector is still plugged in and the green light is on. The green light on the CO detector will shut off if you turn off the right breaker.

2) AFTER the breaker is turned off, you can then use the screwdriver to pop out the damn CO detector prongs that are wedged so snuggly inside the receptacle.

 

[james t kirk]

It is possible for 110 to kill you, but not likely.

I've been zapped many times over time (I never like it), but you'd have to hang on for it to kill you.

It's actually the current (amperes) that kill you. The voltage is constant at 110 AC, however, what varies is your body's resistance which in turn determines the amperage.

I = V/R

100 milliamps will stop your heart apparently.

BTW, the electric chair is 1750 volts.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2A1NLoZ1vMc&feature=related

 

[red]

It is possible for 110 to kill you, but not likely.

I've been zapped many times over time (I never like it), but you'd have to hang on for it to kill you.

It's actually the current (amperes) that kill you. The voltage is constant at 110 AC, however, what varies is your body's resistance which in turn determines the amperage.

I = V/R

100 milliamps will stop your heart apparently.

BTW, the electric chair is 1750 volts.

]

Taser stands for "Thomas A. Swift Electric Rifle." It is named after a series of children's science-fiction novels written in the early 20th century featuring the young genius inventor Tom Swift.

Taser International also says that while its device can deliver up to 50,000 volts, it does not deliver that much voltage to a person's body. The company says its Advanced Taser M26 delivers an average of 1,500 volts.

As well, the high-voltage pulse of a Taser is said to carry only a small current, typically 0.002 to 0.03 amps.

By comparison, electrical outlets in Canada deliver 120 volts of electricity, and the current they carry depends on the appliance that's plugged into them. A 60-watt light bulb, for example, pulls 0.5 amps, while a toaster pulls about five amps.

It's possible to suffer a fatal shock from a household electrical socket, at just 120 volts, if enough current passes through the body.

 

[Brill]

Where's the circuit breaker for this re-volt-ing thread?

 

[Rockslinger]

It is possible for 110 to kill you, but not likely.

When I was a kid going to circuses, I seem to remember this act where a guy is sitting in an "electric chair". He is zapped and hair and limbs are flying everywhere but he is none the worse for wear. This is because the voltage was high but the amps were extremely low.

 

[rdmnut]

A regular static shock that you get walking across the carpet and touching a door knob is between 2000 - 5000V.

It ain't the voltage that'll kill yah....

 

[papasmerf]

A regular static shock that you get walking across the carpet and touching a door knob is between 2000 - 5000V.

It ain't the voltage that'll kill yah....

It's the wife finding ya with one of TERBS best

 

[T.O.tourist]

However, there are a couple of important takeaways from this experience.

1) Turn the breaker to the "off" position.

Congratulations!! You have passed the first lesson of any electrical work.

ALWAYS make sure that the power is off. Once you are 100% certain that the breaker is off...
Go back and check again!

*Edit to add*

The bathroom receptacle does not have "set and reset" buttons

I would recommend having this changed to one that does (GFI).

 

[tboy]

Taser stands for "Thomas A. Swift Electric Rifle." It is named after a series of children's science-fiction novels written in the early 20th century featuring the young genius inventor Tom Swift.

Taser International also says that while its device can deliver up to 50,000 volts, it does not deliver that much voltage to a person's body. The company says its Advanced Taser M26 delivers an average of 1,500 volts.

As well, the high-voltage pulse of a Taser is said to carry only a small current, typically 0.002 to 0.03 amps.

By comparison, electrical outlets in Canada deliver 120 volts of electricity, and the current they carry depends on the appliance that's plugged into them. A 60-watt light bulb, for example, pulls 0.5 amps, while a toaster pulls about five amps.

It's possible to suffer a fatal shock from a household electrical socket, at just 120 volts, if enough current passes through the body.

Which is why they have GFIs in the bathroom. How many people have been killed by curling irons, blow dryers etc falling into the tub?

Even standing in a pool of water can kill you (while getting a shock that is). Don't think just because you are wearing shoes will protect you. The current can "jump" to the ground.

 

[Rockslinger]

Even standing in a pool of water can kill you (while getting a shock that is). Don't think just because you are wearing shoes will protect you. The current can "jump" to the ground.

I was watching a CSI program where a woman in a bathtub full of water was murdered when someone threw a lamp into the tub. Is that really realistic? Guys, don't try that at home.

 

[Moraff]

I was watching a CSI program where a woman in a bathtub full of water was murdered when someone threw a lamp into the tub. Is that really realistic? Guys, don't try that at home.

Believe that Mythbusters demonstrated that you can die that way if circuit is non GFI protected.