Short in electrical wiring?

[derpderp]

Hello Beyond,

My mother has an odd power issue in the house, the lights in one of the hallway just randomly decides to work on its own whim and now one of the lights at the front entrance has started to not work sometimes too, or it flickers when you turn it on.

I figure its a short, but I don't know much about this stuff. She is always busy so she isn't going to do anything about it unless I can prove its a problem with a solution.

Do you think this would be a short? How can I test for something like this?

Thank you.

[HuMz]

It could very well be, but I would bet theres a loose splice in one of the boxes. Open up all the lighting boxes on that circuit and check the splices. If it wasn't spliced very well it could be causing some arcing.

To check for a short turn the power off and attach a meter to it and test for continuity from your hot wire to the neutral and ground. If there is a continuous path to either one of those then the meter will beep.

[HuMz]

And its probably not something you wanna leave if theres arcing going on, thats how house fires start. Where abouts does she live?

[derpderp]

Originally posted by HuMz
And its probably not something you wanna leave if theres arcing going on, thats how house fires start. Where abouts does she live?

Yah that is my concern. My mother is one of those people who will just say, "it isn't a problem stop worrying so much". So I know unless I can show it is really a serious problem she might just try and have it put off. It is an old house? Would arching still be a problem? Or is it something due to poor construction that might not show up for 20+ years?

She lives in Airdrie, I'm living at home but I am moving back out for school very soon so I want to check it out before I go.

[schmooot]

ya just open the fixture (remove the light fixture, not just the bulb) and start wiggling the wires where they junction...preferrably tap them with an insulated screwdriver. Most of the time the problem lies right there

[revelations]

Incandescent or ballast-type lighting?

[71/454]

Check the breaker box too. I had the hot wire loose in the breaker itself and all it took was a turn of the screwdriver. BE CAREFUL make sure all the power is off at the main breaker before snooping around in the box.

[CHICHARITZHI]

test the outdoor breaker outlet if there's a power come out and if not then replace it.. Make sure u turn off all the power at the main switch box before u replace it..