Circuit has 110v-120v but seems no current?

[mxnerd]

My two backyard post lights with power sockets near the base all of a sudden would not light up and nothing will turn on when I plug in portable lights or power tools.

I suspect that it rained a lot last month and probably the post lights short circuited somehow. I replaced the rusty sockets & switches and still no go.

I measured the voltage on the socket's silver & black screws / white & black wires and it's 110-120v, but nothing will turn on, it seems there is no current, what's going on?

The portable lights and power tools work perfectly everywhere else.

Thanks.

 

[stormkroe]

You can have an effective break in your circuit and have full voltage with no practical current. A bad breaker, burnt splice, etc can be the culprit. Maybe the socket tab is burnt/bent?

 

[mxnerd]

I replaced the old sockets with brand new ones so no bent/burnt tabs.

I also sanded the splices a little with sandpaper so no burnt / oxidized splices.

The two pole lights are actually #3 & # 4 downstream.

#1 outer wall sockets and #2 sockets in the middle worked perfectly so no breaker problem.

 

[mxnerd]

Forget to mention #1 is a GFCI socket. Does that make any difference? #1 & #2 work fine and have electricity though.

 

[feralkid]

You can have an effective break in your circuit and have full voltage with no practical current.

Say WHAT?

 

[mxnerd]

When I plugin the portable CFL light, the voltage on the screws drop to 12v-14, is that normal? If not, what would be the cause?

The wires between pole lights are buried in the soil inside a PVC pipe, should I dig it up and check?

 

[stormkroe]

Say WHAT?

*effective* break. If you have even 1 strand of 36ga fine strand left touching you'll get full voltage, but no useable current. Usually it will burn through if you try in that circumstance. More likely it's a burnt splice with contact through the oxide/melted insulator. Again, enough to read voltage but not enough current to meet the load (think of an undersized isolation transformer). OP, try checking connections at #1 and #2. Also, perhaps #2 is on the line side of the gfi, and the others are on the load side of the gfi and the internals are screwy.

 

[mxnerd]

*effective* break. If you have even 1 strand of 36ga fine strand left touching you'll get full voltage, but no useable current. Usually it will burn through if you try in that circumstance. More likely it's a burnt splice with contact through the oxide/melted insulator. Again, enough to read voltage but not enough current to meet the load (think of an undersized isolation transformer). OP, try checking connections at #1 and #2. Also, perhaps #2 is on the line side of the gfi, and the others are on the load side of the gfi and the internals are screwy.

You were right! It's burnt splice at #2, which outfeeds to #3 & #4.

Respliced the wires & now it's working! Thank for the tips!!!

Best,

 

[SinfulWeeper]

Sounds like a bad breaker. Perfect stunning material. Like stun guns. 1 million volts but no amps. Otherwise there would be a lot of bacon on them streets.

 

[feralkid]

*effective* break. If you have even 1 strand of 36ga fine strand left touching you'll get full voltage, but no useable current. Usually it will burn through if you try in that circumstance. More likely it's a burnt splice with contact through the oxide/melted insulator. Again, enough to read voltage but not enough current to meet the load (think of an undersized isolation transformer). OP, try checking connections at #1 and #2. Also, perhaps #2 is on the line side of the gfi, and the others are on the load side of the gfi and the internals are screwy.

I see!

That makes perfect sense; I was thinking about it incorrectly.

Thank you!