Checking my troubleshooting skills with the pro's

[electricalperson]

When is the last time they had to reset the GFCI?

Did they reset it and it hasn't worked since?

Any evidence of rodent activity?

Gathering info from the HO is a troubleshooting step.....good luck!

do you think its possible for a big rat to completly chew through apiece of romex? i think if he bites through the neutral he will still get killed if theres a load.

we found some wires mice and squirrels chewed up. not much left to the mouse. i also found a dead mouse lying across the terminals of a 3 phase 480 volt contactor mickey didnt get up from that one

 

[sparky76]

do you think its possible for a big rat to completly chew through apiece of romex? i think if he bites through the neutral he will still get killed if theres a load.

we found some wires mice and squirrels chewed up. not much left to the mouse. i also found a dead mouse lying across the terminals of a 3 phase 480 volt contactor mickey didnt get up from that one

That reminds me- A few weeks ago, I opened a five gang switch box and found a long dead mouse in between a set of switches. He had crawled in through an open KO in the steel box. Quite a surprise!!!

 

[electricalperson]

That reminds me- A few weeks ago, I opened a five gang switch box and found a long dead mouse in between a set of switches. He had crawled in through an open KO in the steel box. Quite a surprise!!!

was the homeowner watching? i bet she was surprised too

 

[PCN]

Plus i found out the homeowner has been changing outlets and switches himself.I found one switch he put in the wire came right out of the screw. QUOTE]

There you go. Just check everything he touched.

 

[bjp_ne_elec]

do you think its possible for a big rat to completly chew through apiece of romex? i think if he bites through the neutral he will still get killed if theres a load.

I've heard of guys finding the rat or squirrel with his mouth still around the wire, a big black spot on the romex and the rodent as stiff as a board and open circuit down line - does happen.

 

[electricalperson]

I've heard of guys finding the rat or squirrel with his mouth still around the wire, a big black spot on the romex and the rodent as stiff as a board and open circuit down line - does happen.

thats nasty

 

[220/221]

 

[electricalperson]

i had my fair share of dead things inside equipment and under houses. i really dont like that stuff since i like animals

 

[ohm]

This happened to me, just once I found a gfci in a walk in closet buried by some full length garments. It took me the better part of a half of a day, opening boxes, checking the panel, walking in circles, and scratching my head. Keep looking

Bingo! I did the same thing. Even my tracer was no help. After asking the HO if there could be more GFCI's in their 6000 sqft house I just started looking.

I finally found one on the 2nd floor balcony controlling rooms & porches on the 1st floor! I reset it and all was fine. After a couple of hours I too was ready to give up.

 

[roger3829]

I have seen mice eat completely thru a piece of romex. only found it after a cut open the sheetrock. The area had been patched many times and I thought a nail may have hit the wire. Dead mice in a wall really smell.

I have also found a GFCI in the garage that protected a bathroom.

Does the HO know if the bathroom even has/had GFCI protection?

I would start looking at all the boxes that are around the bathroom looking for a loose connection. The problem usually seems to be in the last working outlet in a circuit, not the non-working outlets.