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Home Repair Outside outlets not working anymore

Discussion in 'Homeowners Corner' started by exp123, May 19, 2014.

  1. exp123

    exp123 New Member

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    Hi all,

    I live in a townhouse.

    After it rained a lot, I found out that 3 outlets in my house do not work anymore:
    - the one in the backyard
    - the one in the front
    - one in the garage.

    Now, the problem is that there is a GFI in the garage too, but it works! and the outlet that's connected to the garage door opener also works.

    I went ahead and replaced the GFI that works in the garage: it didn't solve things
    I replaced the GFI that's in the basement: it didn't solve things.

    I have two questions:
    1- When I go to the circuit board, there is a circuit breaker that says "GFI:Outside/Basement" and I suspect it's the faulty one, but I can't find where it is...
    2- If I can't find where "GFI:Outside/Basement" is, what else can I do to make the the 3 outlets work.

    Thanks much
     
  2. KTdid

    KTdid Well-Known Member

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    Process of elimination for the breaker box? Also, did you reset the GFI switch?
     
  3. exp123

    exp123 New Member

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    Yes. I reset every GFI switch I could find in the house...

    the breaker box: I found "GFI:Outside/Basement" but I don't know where it's located in the house...

    my house has the following GFIs:
    - one in the bathroom upstairs
    - 2 in the kitchen
    - 1 in the basement
    - 1 in the garage

    Any thoughts where "GFI:Outside/Basement" might be? as I turned it off from the breaker box, but no known GFI outlets were affected.

    Thanks
     
  4. GeauxTigers

    GeauxTigers Member

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    In my townhouse, the outside outlets are controlled by the GFCI in the master bathroom. My guess is that is to balance the loads but it does seem really silly that an outlet at ground level outside is controlled by the furthest possible GFCI (two stories up and on the opposite wall) when there is one in the bathroom maybe 15 feet away and two in the kitchen just one story up and on that same wall.
     
  5. exp123

    exp123 New Member

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    Thanks Geaux for your reply,

    There is already a breaker for the bathroom GFI in my breaker box...
     
  6. exp123

    exp123 New Member

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    thanks much all.

    I actually had called an electrician who wanted to charge me $500 to run his tool and find where the problem is. I said no.

    I got my neighbor how has a GFCI in the attic. I didn't. he came in, we found the GFCI hidden behind the foil thing. he broke the found, and voila! it was there. the GFCI was not visible AT ALL.

    saved me $500. Be good to your neighbors:)
     
    Sleepyhollow likes this.
  7. Villager

    Villager Ashburn Village Resident

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    What and where is the "foil thing?" I have some outlets not working as well.
     
  8. exp123

    exp123 New Member

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    In the garage, in the furnace actually. That foil looking paper that covers a lot there. You will find the red emergency switch there, below it, I found the GFCI.
     
    Villager likes this.
  9. Alexander Isaac

    Alexander Isaac New Member

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    Hi. New to Broadlands. Having the same issue you had. I've replaced all the exterior outlets and the GFCI in the utility/furnace room, in the garage. Power is coming in the GFCI outlet but no load. So, none of my exterior outlets (2 in front, one in rear, and the GFCI in the furnace room). Also, neither the light in the shed under the front steps nor the lamp post out front have power. I've even removed the photo sensor and direct connected, and still nothing.

    Like you had previously done, I've checked every wall and room in the house and every GFCI is working properly.

    So, if there's a GFCI hidden somewhere, someone please point it out.

    Alex

    703-585-7344
     
  10. chrisatpc

    chrisatpc Member

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    Our house in has the GFCI outlet for exterior lamppost and exterior outlets underneath the basement stairs. There's a single outlet there. Why this spot.....who knows?
     
  11. Alexander Isaac

    Alexander Isaac New Member

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    Thanks, but only regular outlets are located along the wall in that area.

    Think it's time to call in the electo-man!


     
  12. jwf

    jwf Well-Known Member

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    My GFI is in the basement as well for the garage. It was being tripped because the junction box on the exterior wall on the outside letting to the post light had connections made there that somewhat oxidized the wires and raised the current level high enough to trip. I had to clean the wires and reconnect with new wire nuts and that fixed the issue.
     
  13. jwf

    jwf Well-Known Member

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    Is the breaker also a GFCI? That could explain why you can't find the outlet.
     
  14. Magna72

    Magna72 New Member

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    Same problem here, my GFCI is in the same room as the breaker box.
     

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