Changing an electrical outlet!!

[engteach64]

Okay, I got a new freezer. It will be delivered today. I cleared the spot in the garage and discovered a broken and mangled plug. I must change it. I went to my favorite store and got the outlet and cover. Pretty white. :) I turned off the breaker! Yay me! I started taking it apart and realized the screw was hot. Ouch! I figured it was just residual heat. I touched a wire and got zapped! Okay, not the correct breaker. Idiots who lable wrong. I guess I should have tried it. I plugged something into it and it came on. Crud. Called the son. :) He came in and we figured out which breaker it was. Got it changed. Looks great...doesn't work. Crap!

Realized I have a warranty that covers plugs. Called. They will call back within two days to fix it and another switch that needs repaired. Thank goodness for home warranties.

What is the moral of the story you ask? DO NOT change your own electrical outlest! There are people out there who know what they are doing. At least I now have an electric personality. :) Shocking huh? :))

[Rick]

My guess would be that it is connected to an outlet with a Ground Fault Circuit Interupter along the same circuit and when it zapped you, it did it's job and threw the breaker. It is probably just a matter of looking resetting the outlet with the little button switches on them.

Every home should have one of these to periodically test the GFCI. It would have told you immediately if you had the right breaker turned off.

http://www.lowes.com/ProductDisplay?partNumber=292761-12704-61-501&langId=-1&storeId=10151&productId=3128411&catalogId=10051&cmRelshp=rel&rel=nofollow&cId=PDIO1]IDEAL Analog Multimeter GFCI Receptacle Tester

The GFCI will protect you if you drop the toaster in the tub. ;)

[stormy]

Good that you have a home warranty!!! If anyone has other electrical questions, you can always direct them to harleygirl, and she can ask her hubby! ;)

[stormy]

Lucky for me, my dad is a jack of all trades, and he's very good at it...and he lives with me! We have done lots of DIY projects and I've managed to learn a little bit along the way. :thumbsup

[engteach64]

My dad talked me through it, that's why I know we did it correctly, but not sure why it won't work now. As to the breaker, we have turned them back on. All is working but that plug. I did think about the tester thing, but was already home and didn't want to go out again. As to the GFIs, I had them put in before I bought the house. They are by all of the plugs near water. As to dropping my toaster in the bathtub and frying myself, I would deserve it is I was making toast while in the tub. :)

My sister got a home warranty with her house and has gotten almost all of her appliances replaced, and also her central air conditioning unit. Each time it cost her 45.00 for the service call, that's it. My service calls are 60.00, but it is still cheaper than the electrician.

[Rick]

The GCFI that controls my garage and patio outlets is located outside, next to the garage door. But if all the others in the garage work, it's probably something else.

[xzochye]

Who is your home warranty through? I have been thinking of getting one.

[beaver]

You might want to check this site out. They rate all the home warranty companies based on reviews from users.

http://www.homewarrantyreviews.com/reviews

[engteach64]

The one that came with my house is Old Republic Home Warranty. I pay a 60.00 fee no matter what happens, and the rest is covered. My sister has one where she only pays 45.00.

I ran through the warranty page, adn they all look pretty similar. Funny, my sister's is on there with only 2 1/2 stars, and she gets excellent service.

[kantwin]

The receptacle in my garage had it's GFCI in one of the bathrooms. You may want to check those, to make sure. Use a hair dryer or small lamp to test.

[Brian McCall]

Okay, I got a new freezer. It will be delivered today. I cleared the spot in the garage and discovered a broken and mangled plug. I must change it. I went to my favorite store and got the outlet and cover. Pretty white. :) I turned off the breaker! Yay me! I started taking it apart and realized the screw was hot. Ouch! I figured it was just residual heat. I touched a wire and got zapped! Okay, not the correct breaker. Idiots who lable wrong. I guess I should have tried it. I plugged something into it and it came on. Crud. Called the son. :) He came in and we figured out which breaker it was. Got it changed. Looks great...doesn't work. Crap!

Realized I have a warranty that covers plugs. Called. They will call back within two days to fix it and another switch that needs repaired. Thank goodness for home warranties.

What is the moral of the story you ask? DO NOT change your own electrical outlest! There are people out there who know what they are doing. At least I now have an electric personality. :) Shocking huh? :))

Holy cow! I've changed plenty of outlets myself. It's the easiest thing you can do. But I NEVER start without plugging in a lamp or something and CONFIRMING that the breaker actually cuts the power.

You could have gotten a serious injury!

[Night Owl]

Why turn off the breaker if it is a 110?

[kantwin]

Because it's not the voltage that can kill, but the amps.
http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/construction/electrical_incidents/eleccurrent.html
Remember the 1/10/100 rule of current (amps). 1mA of current can be felt, 10mA is can cause you to not be able to let go of a power source, 100mA can cause your heart to stop.
In the "right" (or wrong, depending on your point of view), the human body's resistance can be well below 1000 ohms. In that situation, a person could get killed by a 12v battery.

[Ludwig]

My best friend was fishing on the dock at Possum Kingdom Lake. He caught a fish, reached for his fish basket with his right hand (the basket was in the water near an exposed and hot wire) his left elbow came in contact with a pump housing and he fell over into the lake, dead. Yes, 110 and even less can kill.

[Night Owl]

I guess it was his time.

[christine]

Lol I let my dad do it he built houses but if he wasn't around I would probably try my hand at it. Just next time shut all of them off then you know you got the right one ;-)

[mac]

i a in't never seen no 110 breakerk!.....mac


Why turn off the breaker if it is a 110?

[Night Owl]

you are correct kind sir. I misspoke. Either a 15 or 20 amp breaker.

[engteach64]

Okay, just to clarify. I did plug something into the plug, and when I turned the breaker off the product shut off. After that I got the little jolt. When my son was putting it back on he accidentally touched the ground wire to the metal on the plug and it popped. Why it isn't working is beyong me. I just am not willing to take the chance again when my warranty covers electrical.

[mac]

yeow, eng teach but you still gotta have someone come out and check it. if it's carrying current or "is hot" when it shouldn't be you have a serious problem and a real opportunity for your home to catch fire.....mac


Okay, just to clarify. I did plug something into the plug, and when I turned the breaker off the product shut off. After that I got the little jolt. When my son was putting it back on he accidentally touched the ground wire to the metal on the plug and it popped. Why it isn't working is beyong me. I just am not willing to take the chance again when my warranty covers electrical.

[engteach64]

That is why tomorrow I have an electrician coming out to change out the plug. I don't trust that it is dead. He will fix it and the hall light, then I can sleep securely knowing the plug on the other side of my bedroom wall is done correctly. :)

[engteach64]

You all will love this. The breaker that turned the item I plugged into the outlet off...wasn't the breaker it was on. So my son took off and replaced a live plug. We are so fortunate. Anyhow, the reason the plug didn't work was because the other breaker was flipped off just barely. I checked all breakers to be sure they all worked, but it was just slightly off.