Outdoor electrical outlets might stop working for a variety of reasons. The most common issue is the GFCI outlet located outside has tripped and needs to be reset or possibly a main breaker has tripped.
What causes outside outlets to stop working?
Tripped circuit breakers are most often caused by a circuit overload or a short circuit from a device that is plugged into a circuit. If you notice that this is the issue, the best option is to call a professional electrician to remedy the issue.
How do you fix an outside outlet that has no power?
Reset or Replace the Outlet
The National Electric Code requires all outdoor outlets to be GFCIs, and if you find one that isn’t working, it may simply have tripped. If so, you should be able to restore power by pressing the “reset” button on the outlet.
What causes an electrical outlet to fail?
Tripped Circuit Breakers
Typically caused by an overloaded system, a tripped circuit breaker is the most likely cause of a dead outlet. So, if an appliance or device refuses to switch on after you plug it into an outlet, this is the first thing to check for.
What causes outside GFCI trip?
Most likely, your outdoor GFCI outlet is tripping due to one of these 3 problems: There’s a ground fault somewhere in the circuit. Moisture invaded the receptacle box. The GFCI outlet is faulty.
How do you reset an outdoor electrical outlet?
https://youtu.be/3QcwuBnoHbg
Quote from Youtube video: You can reset it the reset button is located in the middle of the GFCI outlet push the button in to reconnect power to the plug. Most exterior outlets are controlled by a GFCI.
What to do when certain outlets stop working?
If an outlet isn’t working, check your circuit breaker panel. The breaker that is tripped will appear to be between the ‘on’ and ‘off’ position. Flip the switch to off, then back to on. This will reset the circuit and potentially fix your broken outlet.
Can a bad GFCI cause other outlets not to work?
GFCI Outlets
When they say that a bad outlet can cause the other outlets to not work, that usually refers to the normal outlet that you use every day to plug in your devices. However, the reason the other outlets aren’t working may actually be linked to another type of outlet — a GFCI outlet.
How do you know if a GFCI outlet is bad?
If the GFCI won’t reset or the button doesn’t pop out when you press the “test” button, there may be no power to the GFCI or you may have a bad GFCI. Pro tip: If the “reset” button trips again every time you press it, there may be a dangerous current leak somewhere on the circuit.
How do you find a ground fault?
To locate a ground fault, look for continuity to ground on each circuit. This new analog ohmmeter will show infinite ohms when the conductor is not exposed to an earth ground. If the insulation is compromised and/or the copper is directly connected to ground the ohmmeter will indicate 0 ohms.
Why are my GFCI outlets not working?
A GFCI outlet won’t work if a breaker has tripped or if a fuse has blown. Check the main electrical panel to see if a blown fuse causes the issue and if so, replace the fuse and reset the GFCI outlet. Otherwise, check to see if the breaker for the corresponding room has tripped.
How do I find my outdoor GFCI?
How to Locate a GFCI Receptacle
- Go to the kitchen, bathroom, garage, crawl spaces, unfinished basement and outdoor outlets and plug in the outlet tester. …
- Locate the breaker box. …
- Turn off the breakers one at a time. …
- Search for any GFCI outlets. …
- Press the test button to deactivate any outlets loading off the GFCI unit.
Do GFCI outlets wear out?
Electrical safety check
All GFCI outlets have one little-known flaw: their circuitry eventually wears out, usually after about 10 years, at which point they no longer function properly.
How do you reset a GFCI without a reset button?
Quote from the video:
Quote from Youtube video: Open. The door. If you still have power back on on your GFI. Come down here you might find one of these breakers trip it'll be in an off position.
