First the facts:I think I have a short in an electrical wire in my wall somewhere.The circuit breaker held for 10-15 minute spurts and then would pop. I replaced it and it held for about a week. What does this mean?I installed cabinets and feard I had hit a wire or loosened a connection. I took off the cabinets (UGG) and checked all teh screw holes by cutting the rock. No punctured wires. I unplugged everything and it still popped. How can I find where in this line a short is taking place? I had heard about continuity tests that can determine where shorts are taking place. How do you do this?
my wiring seems to have been twisted. most lights and switches work, but a few don't. it also has little power going through the down sockets.
Previous answer took the words out of my mouth spot on
Disconnect the wires at the circuit panel. Use a continuity tester between the white and black wires - there should be no reading. Again between the green and black wires, also no reading. Once more between the white and green wires - there should be a reading (that's your ground). If there is any kind of reading between the black and anything else you have a short. Go to each outlet and disconnect it, eventually you will find the one where the reading drops to zero. If you using a tester with a light, it basically works the same. Any kind of glow means there is a short circuit.
This Site Might Help You. RE: How to find where an electrical short is in home wiring? Continuity test? Breaker holds for short term? First the facts: I think I have a short in an electrical wire in my wall somewhere. The circuit breaker held for 10-15 minute spurts and then would pop. I replaced it and it held for about a week. What does this mean? I installed cabinets and feard I had hit a wire or loosened a connection.
Unplug everything on the circuit that has the problem. Also get a good digital VOM and read the instruction booklet. If you damaged a cable while installing the cabinets, the wall will need to be removed so the wire can be replaced. This will take time and a lot of looking to locate the problem. In general I start looking where the last work was done before the problem began. If the breaker holds for 5-10 minutes before it opens it is a high resistance short or a device that is failing or possibly just too many devices on the circuit. Another responder explained what to check in the panel. As I mentioned it will take a thorough inspection of the wiring. When this fails to solve the problem, call a qualified professional electrician to do the work.
