A couple nights ago I came home to find the alien and lights in my second story shop window. Was out. I figured it had gotten unplugged, but no, the plug was dead! This floor is basically a storage warehouse, so all the other outlets were behind shelves. I found ONE across the room, crawled under a shelf and -- dead. The ceiling lights are on the same breaker, so that wasn't it. But I was envisioning a broken plug or connection upstream, and
I went through all my old construction photos, pre-drywall, to figure out where the other plugs on the floor and the wires connecting them were located. It appeared the first plug in the run was near the stairs, right above the breaker panel on the first floor.
And that's when I remembered that the first plug on the circuit downstars had a GFI plug that had caused me trouble once before (Ironically, it had been hidden behind a bookcase in my wife's writing office). Was there one on the second floor? If so, it would be that first plug, deep behind a shelf. Also behind a lot of flat things that I'd put BEHIND that shelf.
I pulled out multiple sheets of plywood and perfboard blocking the way, and way behind the shelf, I could just see the plug. Unable to see clearly, I stuck my phone back and took a closeup of the plug with my phone. Yeah, that spoiler picture. Red LED. Poorly marked reset button.
With difficulty I reached back, found the reset by feel, and pushed it. The lights came on! Yay! My fears of an expensive electrician visit were relieved!
The lesson here is, if you're building or remodeling something, TAKE LOTS OF PICTURES during every stage of construction, especially before the drywall and insulation go up. Get clear shots of every interior and exterior wall, and don't forget the ceiling.
Knowing where your studs, rafters, beams, and hidden systems, pipes, wires, ducts, are, can save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars later.
Even if you don't understand what you're looking at, you can show them to a professional when they are coming in to aid in troubleshooting or modifications. Sure, there are ways to "look" through walls, but pictures are much quicker and more certain.
Now my alien returns to his mission to bring cheer to a dark modern world!
#homerepair #DIY #homeowner #homeownership #repairs #electrical #homerepair #troubleshooting #lifehacks
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