Bathroom receptacles not working

[sigbrown1297]

So there was multiple hair dryers going on in the house today and now the receptacles in all the bathrooms won't work. The GFCI won't reset. when i try to push the button in, it wont push in. The main panel switches are all "on."

Any ideas as what's wrong.

[gregintenn]

Trip the GFCI and then turn it back on. If that doesn't work, turn off and back on the breaker. If that don't work, you may have a faulty outlet.

Edited October 20, 2012 by gregintenn

[sigbrown1297]

We reset the breaker and even got a new receptacle. Still doesn't work. The test button won't push in and the reset button doesn't stay in when you push it in

[strickj]

Any ideas as what's wrong.

Going out on a limb here.... but I'd say plugging multiple hairdryers in at once is what's wrong.

Sorry I'm no use

[sigbrown1297]

Haha ya. That's what happens when you have family visiting and all the women are getting ready at the same time.

[DaveS]

I think it's already been mentioned, but SNAP OFF the breakers (main panel) and SNAP them back on. If your your GFI outlet is working (try a drill or something in it) then your hair dryer is out. If it's not working, and your switch is on, call an electrician. I actually had a hair dryer burn a contact on the back of my breaker switch. If your comfortable with doing so, pull your breaker from the box and check it and replace it if needed. If not, call an electrition.

Dave S

[mikegideon]

We reset the breaker and even got a new receptacle. Still doesn't work. The test button won't push in and the reset button doesn't stay in when you push it in

If the reset button won't stay in with the power off, you probably have a bad gfci

[billyscott]

Make sure everything is unplugged from all circuits that are on the affected GFCI. There may be a shorted device still plugged into it. The GFCI may be wired to plugs in the kitchen or garage, so check them too. If that doesn't work I'd call an electrician. Better safe than sorry.

Good luck.

[DWARREN123]

Check other outlets, any outlet connected properly downstream from the GFCI outlet will act on it. If it still does not reset then I would check or have the breaker checked

[RED333]

Neutral is bad at the breaker box?

[sigbrown1297]

Everything is unplugged. The receptacles in both the upstairs and downstairs bathroom don't work.

[TMF]

Check other outlets, any outlet connected properly downstream from the GFCI outlet will act on it. If it still does not reset then I would check or have the breaker checked

Do what he said here. I have this problem every time the inlaws visit. It's like Christmas lights; one goes out and they all go out. It took me a while to figure this out too.

[jtmaze]

How old a house is it? Is the reset button on the actual outlet or in the box. See if outside outlets are working. Sounds like a bad breaker or tripped breaker.

JTM

Sent from my iPhone

[sigbrown1297]

@TMF - when you say check the other outlets what do you mean?

@Jtmase - The house is a out 20 years old. Only one of the bathrooms actually have the test and reset buttons. The other outlets in the bathrooms done have buttons.

[DaveS]

@TMF - when you say check the other outlets what do you mean?

@Jtmase - The house is a out 20 years old. Only one of the bathrooms actually have the test and reset buttons. The other outlets in the bathrooms done have buttons.

I think what he means is to check other plugs on the line....like in my house, my garage, front porch and bathroom plugs are all on the same line. Check all your other lights/plugs and see what is affected.

I would bet your breaker switch is bad!

Dave S

Edited October 20, 2012 by DaveS

[TMF]

When the outlet gets tripped in one bathroom they all go out. I had to reset all of them last time before they would work. Go around and reset every GFI outlet and chances are you'll get the one that is affecting the rest of them.

[TMF]

Check your outdoor outlets and any you have in your kitchen.

[Sam1]

When the outlet gets tripped in one bathroom they all go out. I had to reset all of them last time before they would work. Go around and reset every GFI outlet and chances are you'll get the one that is affecting the rest of them.

+1, you're going to have multiple plugs on the same circuit and as TMF said, if a GFI is tripped anywhere on that circuit the entire line goes cold.

[peejman]

You're going to learn just how totally screwed up the wiring is in your house. What sort of electrician puts the wall outlets in the garage and both bathrooms on the same circuit? The moron that did my house.

I have similar problem. There may be more than one GFCI outlet in the circuit. You've got to find and reset all of them.

1. Turn the breaker off.

2. Find and reset all the GCFI outlets. If one (or more) won't reset, replace them.

3. Once the outlets are reset, turn the breaker back on. Still no juice? Replace the breaker.

[mikegideon]

You're going to learn just how totally screwed up the wiring is in your house. What sort of electrician puts the wall outlets in the garage and both bathrooms on the same circuit? The moron that did my house.

I have similar problem. There may be more than one GFCI outlet in the circuit. You've got to find and reset all of them.

1. Turn the breaker off.

2. Find and reset all the GCFI outlets. If one (or more) won't reset, replace them.

3. Once the outlets are reset, turn the breaker back on. Still no juice? Replace the breaker.

Why would anybody do that? More isn't better with GFCI.

[sigbrown1297]

Thanks everyone for the responses. Looks like we are going to have to call an electrician. I'm sure the house is wired all crazy.

[mikegideon]

I'm sure the house is wired all crazy.

Wouldn't be the first time that happened. You gonna let us know what he finds?

[Guest Grubbah]

You're going to learn just how totally screwed up the wiring is in your house. What sort of electrician puts the wall outlets in the garage and both bathrooms on the same circuit? The moron that did my house.

I have similar problem. There may be more than one GFCI outlet in the circuit. You've got to find and reset all of them.

1. Turn the breaker off.

2. Find and reset all the GCFI outlets. If one (or more) won't reset, replace them.

3. Once the outlets are reset, turn the breaker back on. Still no juice? Replace the breaker.

The same person must have done my house too. Same problem once, the bathroom circuit popped and I couldnt reset it. I checked every one I could find, and it turned out to be the outlet in the garage needed to be reset. But the previous homeowner plugged in one of those 6 plug outlet converters on that outlet and I've never used it so it took me a while because I didnt know that the plug in the garage was even a gfci until I pulled that converter off...

[mikegideon]

The same person must have done my house too. Same problem once, the bathroom circuit popped and I couldnt reset it. I checked every one I could find, and it turned out to be the outlet in the garage needed to be reset. But the previous homeowner plugged in one of those 6 plug outlet converters on that outlet and I've never used it so it took me a while because I didnt know that the plug in the garage was even a gfci until I pulled that converter off...

That's driven by code. The ground fault outlet for my first floor bathrooms is in the garage. It has to be the first outlet on the circuit, so mine wound up in the garage because it was the least amount of wire. The bathrooms are on the same circuit as the garage.

[tnhawk]

A GFCI on an outside outlet could be causing the problem.