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Old 04-04-2015, 01:28 PM
 
10,221 posts, read 19,154,272 times
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If your power is failing and your breaker isn't tripping, you have some sort of serious problem. What it sounds like is that you have a connection that is heating up and (fortunately) disconnecting. This is a problem you need to get fixed immediately, because if it keeps happening eventually it'll probably heat up and catch fire instead of disconnecting.

Beyond the immediate problem: You're not really supposed to have regular 15 or 20A receptacles on a 30A circuit in any case. If the 30A circuit is using 12 gauge wire, that's completely wrong and you're definitely risking a fire. If it's using 10 gauge wire, it won't work right with residential receptacles sized for 12-14 gauge wire and again you're risking a fire. If you're using commercial receptacles... well, they're usually not rated for more than 20A feed through, so you're STILL risking a fire. But it's at least a lower risk of a fire. Bottom line is you or your landlord should get an electrician in there.
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Old 04-04-2015, 01:42 PM
 
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So would putting a 20 amp breaker in the 30 amp slots be a good temp fix until I can get an electrician out here?
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Old 04-04-2015, 01:46 PM
 
Location: Berkeley Neighborhood, Denver, CO USA
17,692 posts, read 29,691,842 times
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Bedroom.
Losing power?
Consider Viagra.
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Old 04-04-2015, 03:03 PM
 
Location: OH>IL>CO>CT
7,490 posts, read 13,540,408 times
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Is the wiring copper or aluminum ?
If AL, it might be expanding under high current loads, and a connection is separating. Reconnects when current decreases and wire cools down.
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Old 04-04-2015, 03:07 PM
 
10 posts, read 9,735 times
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Copper
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Old 04-04-2015, 09:56 PM
 
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Here are some of my fun breakers
Attached Thumbnails
Losing Power in bedrooms-30amp2.jpg   Losing Power in bedrooms-30amp.jpg  
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Old 04-05-2015, 10:25 PM
 
22,629 posts, read 24,486,042 times
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I say it is a bad breaker.............funky shutoffs without a clear breaker-trip is puzzling, but not totally unusual with a dying breaker. The old technology of bimetallic-strips, deforming at a certain heat (certain amperage), has been around a LONG time.......it works good, but does not last forever.

What I would do is put a clamp-on ammeter, at the panel, onto the circuit that is going off line. Check to see how much current you are actually using with all the things you usually have turned on.
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Old 04-06-2015, 12:09 AM
 
Location: Not far from Fairbanks, AK
20,274 posts, read 37,040,759 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LakeTexoma View Post
Well all the plugs are side screw. My gf mentioned that a month ago we had a heater plugged into one in the living room and the power went out. She unplugged it (didnt touch a breaker and the power came back on)

I'm including this picture (not really sure why lol)
Just get an electrician to check the wiring. It is possible that one to the leads at the first or subsequent outlet (s) has become loose. But this also happens when GFI outlets are in the circuit.
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Old 04-06-2015, 02:42 PM
 
10 posts, read 9,735 times
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Electrician came out and put in a new plug and a 20 amp breaker. Said water had gotten into the plug somehow and it got overloaded, which fried the wires and the plug, but didn't burn much coating. He fixed it and said he is going to take a look at the rest of it in a couple of days.
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Old 04-20-2015, 03:15 PM
 
141 posts, read 211,060 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LakeTexoma View Post
Electrician came out and put in a new plug and a 20 amp breaker. Said water had gotten into the plug somehow and it got overloaded, which fried the wires and the plug, ...
Water does not cause overloading. But a wire, not firmly held down by that screw, would create the visual effect he called overloading. It completely explains your previous symptoms.

An incandescent light bulb, powered from that receptacle or receptacles downstream (powered from wires in that receptacle), would have blinked when something was connected or disconnected from that receptacle.
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