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What would cause an outdoor outlet to stop working?
One of the first things you should do when you notice an outlet isn’t working, check out the circuit breaker to see if it has tripped or has blown a fuse. Tripped circuit breakers are most often caused by a circuit overload or a short circuit from a device that is plugged into a circuit.
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.
Do outdoor outlets need to be on their own circuit?
That being said, no, outdoor outlets are not required to be on a separate circuit. They do need to be protected by a GFCI which can either be a GFCI breaker or the familiar “outlet with buttons” wall box mounted unit.
How do I know if my outdoor outlet is GFCI?
An easy way to tell is by looking on the face of the outlet for the letters “WR”, which stands for weather-resistant. If your outlet is not a weather-resistant GFCI, it should be changed to ensure the best possible protection is being provided.
Does an outdoor outlet have to be GFCI?
Outdoor electrical outlets differ from indoor outlets because they have watertight covers that protect the outlet even with a cord plugged in. Plus, the National Electrical Code requires all outdoor outlets to be GFCI outlets (ground fault circuit interrupter outlets).
Why is my electrical outlet not working?
As a homeowner, if you have an electrical outlet that is not working there are several possible causes other than the circuit breaker is off or tripped. If you have eliminated the power is off as the problem, the next possible thing is that there might be a loose connection of the wires leading to the outlet.
What do you do when the breaker is on but no power?
Check the GFCI Reset Button Another easy solution that might apply when your circuit breaker is on but there is no power to its corresponding outlets is to check the GFCI reset button. Ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCI, but sometimes called GFIs) are designed to act like mini circuit breakers that can cut off power, too.
Why is my circuit breaker not working?
If you’ve confirmed that the other reasons aren’t behind the lack of power, then the simple truth is that the breaker is probably no longer working. This is often the case when the power isn’t going to your home’s lights or the problem otherwise doesn’t seem to involve an outlet. As such, replacing the breaker will solve the problem.
What is a ground fault circuit interrupter outlet?
Ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCI, but sometimes called GFIs) are designed to act like mini circuit breakers that can cut off power, too. If your home is newer you may have ground fault circuit interrupter outlets, but this won’t always be the case.