topic Re: I have three dead outlets in the new kitchen in Home

I have three live outlets=UPDATE

Laura14 — Thu, 06 Dec 2018 17:46:20 GMT

In my new place recently constructed and finished in August, my microwave stopped last night after a minute and my teapot turned off.

I have flipped breakers and there is no outlet with a reset button which floors me that they didn't do that somewhere in the kitchen. The outlets around it work which is good that at least it's not the refrigerator outlet that went.

So frustrating that you have brand new and it breaks after three months. We'll see what the contractor has to say for himself.

Re: I have three dead outlets in the new kitchen

BirkiLady — Thu, 06 Dec 2018 13:39:26 GMT

@Laura14 It's something simple. Happened to us in a new hotel in SF once. Took a couple of hours, but my husband finally figured it out . . . then felt really foolish because it was so simple. Now, I've completely forgotten what it was. Call the contractor. He'll tell you what to do. You'll laugh! Not a biggie. Good luck.

Re: I have three dead outlets in the new kitchen

Laura14 — Thu, 06 Dec 2018 13:49:13 GMT

I hope so @BirkiLady. I don't drink although I threaten to all the time. I may be buying my first bottle in I can't even remember when. Either that or I am going to run naked through Times Square while that ball drops to say bye bye to 2018. All done with you!

Re: I have three dead outlets in the new kitchen

aroc3435 — Thu, 06 Dec 2018 13:55:52 GMT

@Laura14 Yes, it will likely turn out to be something simple. The outlets are probably GFI type, which I think is now standard building code. I'm no electrician, but I think the circuit breaker is right in the outlet. It has something to do with safety for plugging things in near water--i.e. kitchens and bathrooms. On the GFI type there is usually a red "reset" button you can push to restore power. Seems weird you don't have that.

For other outlets sometimes flipping the toggle switches for lights that also have plug in outlets sharing the same faceplate at the same site can kill the circuit on those. Toggling the switch the other way can restore your "juice" and this has happened to me when trying to charge my phone.

Also the relay on switches for up and down staircases can be flukey if they are not set up properly--not dangerous--just annoying.

If you search GFI there might be a simple tutorial video tha tmight help you resolve this.

Otherwise good luck with the contractor. Bet you the electrician that did the work either wasn't that knowledgeable or took "shortcuts" that result in what you are experiencing. I can hear your "Aaargh" now.

Re: I have three dead outlets in the new kitchen

Misplaced Parisian — Thu, 06 Dec 2018 13:57:00 GMT

@Laura14 I vote for some bubbles...you need bubbles....champagne, bubble bath, etc. Darling, you need bubbles! Hang in there! You've got this.

Re: I have three dead outlets in the new kitchen

Laura14 — Thu, 06 Dec 2018 14:01:09 GMT

@aroc3435 I thought so too! This happened in the upstairs kitchen and I just pushed the reset button and voila! Toaster works again.

I did flip the lights and disposal on to see if they were still working and they were. I'll try again when I go back home for lunch to see if I'm not toggling enough. None of the dead outlets have a light switch attached to them.

And don't get me started on people not doing their job. I work hard and do my best every day and when you're talking about basic necessities people rely on, you need to do better. I'm half thinking about borrowing a shotgun and waiting for the contractor to come walking up the driveway on the porch.

Re: I have three dead outlets in the new kitchen

Laura14 — Thu, 06 Dec 2018 14:02:35 GMT

@Misplaced Parisian I need bubbly is right! Either that or this electrician better be so good looking it was worth the aggravation to see him work.

Re: I have three dead outlets in the new kitchen

Misplaced Parisian — Thu, 06 Dec 2018 14:26:41 GMT

@Laura14 Oh la la, I hope he's super handsome! Most of all I hope he is skilled and kind. Smiles. Keep us posted. I hope you were able to make some tea (I think you said your tea pot stopped working). I'd make you tea & snacks, but I'm a long ways from you. Hope things are resolved very soon.

Re: I have three dead outlets in the new kitchen

Venezia — Thu, 06 Dec 2018 14:30:31 GMT

@Laura14- This problem rings a very recent bell for me. We've been in our house for 17 years now (built new). Last month we had the same issue. The circuit the microwave, toaster and teakettle were on flipped. Went to the basement, switched the breaker on and off. Nothing.

Couldn't see a reset outlet either, so I called our electrician (not the one who worked on the house) and he finally located the reset switch - at the other end of the kitchen area in the breakfast room, behind a small desk I have there! He said it made no sense at all; he had to follow the wiring to locate it.

So in the near future, we're having him resite that, along with some other electrical work.

My point is, there is likely a reset outlet somewhere - just not where you might expect it to be! (And I'll join you in that drink.)

Re: I have three dead outlets in the new kitchen

Eileen in Virginia — Thu, 06 Dec 2018 14:42:35 GMT

Something like this happened in our (not new) kitchen recently. Four outlets in the kitchen are on the same circuit. The refrigerator and microwave are plugged into 2 of them. While making BLT’s one night, those 2 were in use, as well as one for the toaster oven, which I was using to make toast. Once DH turned on the electric tea kettle in the 4th GFI outlet by the sink, it overloaded the circuit and all 4 outlets died. Resetting the GFI outlet didn’t work, so we checked the circuit in the electrical panel - still nothing. We called the electrician and got on his schedule for the next day. This is where it gets really embarrassing. The electrician said when DH was checking the circuit breaker, he didn’t push the button down hard enough (you have to hear it click), so he didn’t really reset it. How humiliating! As long as he was here, and to avoid totally wasting the “walk in the door fee”, we had him replace the microwave outlet, which had been acting up.

When you talk to the person who built your home, ask which outlets share a circuit. There may be other rooms besides your kitchen where you have shared circuits with features that draw a lot of power when in use (like a nice spa-style bathroom). If they haven’t already done it, get them to label each circuit with its corresponding outlet/appliance. And remember, you haven’t reset it until you hear the circuit click!

Re: I have three dead outlets in the new kitchen

software — Thu, 06 Dec 2018 15:06:49 GMT

This is an inconvenient tip for the future, but I never run 2 things at the same time.

If I'm running my microwave, I don't have a coffee pot or other appliance operating as well. Like I said, inconvenient but keeps everyone happy.

My dad was an electrician, he taught me how to figure out how much you can operate at one time but the math escapes me now, so I just run 1 thing at a time. For me, it has become habit.

And because I live in an area of the country with many lightning storms, I keep everything unplugged when not in use.

Re: I have three dead outlets in the new kitchen

Laura14 — Thu, 06 Dec 2018 15:09:46 GMT

Thanks @Venezia and @Eileen in Virginia. I will try the breaker again and see if I am clicking right. I was switching from side to side which clicks but not pushing anything. I'll have to do that and see if I am just as guilty.

The only reset button in an outlet I could find was on the other side of the wall which is a bathroom. I clicked that this morning and tried the ktchen and still got nothing. I'll try again and see if maybe I didn't do it correctly.

I really appreciate all of the help everyone!

Re: I have three dead outlets in the new kitchen

Laura14 — Thu, 06 Dec 2018 15:14:35 GMT

@software It's just a tiny tea pot that heats up water. I'm a little shocked it tripped anything if that's what happened but it's moved to the counter now where Google is plugged in and still doing well. I honestly had it on the island because I don't like two plugs in one outlet for just that reason. The microwave and the pot were on for a minute before they died.

The thing is the microwave is obviously plugged in above on the kitchen wall. The teapot was on the island with the outlet on there. I would never guess that outlet also corresponded to the one across on the wall. I need a map!

Re: I have three dead outlets in the new kitchen

2blonde — Thu, 06 Dec 2018 15:34:55 GMT

@Laura14 That's annoying. Did you say you have more than one flipped breaker? Were you able to flip them back? If the circuit wasn't overloaded, it's possible it's just a bad breaker.

Re: I have three dead outlets in the new kitchen

Laura14 — Thu, 06 Dec 2018 15:36:05 GMT

No flips that I could see @2blonde but I did flip it off and on and it never came back.

Re: I have three dead outlets in the new kitchen

2blonde — Thu, 06 Dec 2018 15:45:57 GMT

@Laura14 I live in a 40-year-old condo, so obviously I'm not up on the latest wiring. It sure was a lot simpler in the "olden" days. I just have one ground fault breaker for all the bathroom outlets, the outdoor outlet, and the garbage disposal. Mine is in the breaker box, and it has a bad breaker, so it just flips whenever it feels like it, even when nothing is being used. I have to go into the basement to reset it. I should get the breaker replaced, but I have to call a professional to do it because there's no way this skinny girl can pull that darned thing out of there!

Re: I have three dead outlets in the new kitchen

Skididdy — Thu, 06 Dec 2018 15:50:14 GMT

That is annoying @Laura14, but sure it is an easy fix. A small tea pot thing should not make the thing pop or stop working........hmmmm. I hope its an easy fix with a few phone calls.

BTW @Laura14....PLEASE DO A THREAD WITH YOUR BEAUTIFUL HOME ALL DECORATED . WE HAVE LOVED SEEING THE PROCESS HERE WITH THE BUILD.YOU HAVE AWESOME TASTE AND WOULD LOVE TOO SEE YOUR ROOMS AND THE FINISHED TOUCHES. WHEN YOU GET A CHANCE OF COURSE.

BEST WISHES GIRL.....HOPE YOUR PROBLEM GETS SOLVED SOON. !!!!!!

Re: I have three dead outlets in the new kitchen

Laura14 — Thu, 06 Dec 2018 15:51:18 GMT

I know nothing about anything @2blonde. I feel like they should have taught us this in school at some point on how to fix the nonsense around the house.

At lunch, I am going to run home and see if I am just not seeing something or not flipping the breaker properly. Nothing was flipped and I know I had the right one when I turned off and on because the lights went off and on. It's probably something stupid.

I once took my car to the repair shop because the A/C was not working. Turns out you have to push a dial in to make it switch to A/C. Do you think that was in the car manual I scoured or online somewhere? Nope!

I swear they do this to us just to make us spend more money and fund the yacht.

Re: I have three dead outlets in the new kitchen

Laura14 — Thu, 06 Dec 2018 15:52:55 GMT

I am so sorry @Skididdy. You've been asking for that and I haven't done it.

My wall pictures are still not up and I still need some small furniture but I'll do a photo shoot tonight for you or maybe at lunch.

Please excuse the extension cord in the kitchen currently powering up the microwave. LOL

Re: I have three dead outlets in the new kitchen

2blonde — Thu, 06 Dec 2018 15:58:50 GMT

@Laura14 Ain't that the truth. The directions to anything always leave out the most important part, or if not that, then the diagram is so small you can't see it, and the directions are written by a Chinese national.

Since your place is so new and has to be up to the latest codes, I'll bet there's a separate breaker hiding around the kitchen area somewhere. Don't be surprised if it also has a tiny little camera on it so that Chinese guy can have a good laugh at you when you finally find it!