Solving Bob's Electrical Problem After Storm

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After a severe storm, Bob found that his outdoor outlet for Christmas lights was not functioning. Initially, he believed the issue was unrelated to the storm, but upon rechecking, the outlet worked again. Forum members suggested that the problem could be due to a loose or corroded contact, recommending the use of an electrical socket tester to ensure proper wiring. They also noted that the issue might reside within the wall or ceiling if connections are unreliable. Bob confirmed his understanding of checking the outlet and sought further clarification on the term "AC Mains."
Wannabeagenius
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Hi All,

A couple of nights ago we had a fearsome rainstorm with gusts up to 55 mph. The next day, the outlet outside connected to our Christmas lights didn't work and nothing apparent seemed to be wrong. I decided to troubleshoot and fix it the next day.

Before I started my wife recommended that I check it again since it may have been related to the storm. My response was that anything related to the storm other than a power failure would cause a short and blow a fuse. She insisted so I checked again. Guess what? It worked.

Could someone please explain to me what is happening or was I correct and perhaps I still have a problem.

Thank you,

Bob
 
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Wannabeagenius said:
Hi All,

A couple of nights ago we had a fearsome rainstorm with gusts up to 55 mph. The next day, the outlet outside connected to our Christmas lights didn't work and nothing apparent seemed to be wrong. I decided to troubleshoot and fix it the next day.

Before I started my wife recommended that I check it again since it may have been related to the storm. My response was that anything related to the storm other than a power failure would cause a short and blow a fuse. She insisted so I checked again. Guess what? It worked.

Could someone please explain to me what is happening or was I correct and perhaps I still have a problem.

Thank you,

Bob

Sounds like a loose or corroded contact.

I'd start with an electrical socket tester (the simple 3-neon bulb type) to check that it is wired correctly, and then (if you are comfortable with home AC Mains handyman type stuff), I'd pull the socket out of the wall and check the contacts. The problem could also be in the wall or ceiling, if a wire nut is loose and the contact is not reliable.

Have you worked with AC Mains projects at home before?
 
My question is that if you had to ask, how did you plan on troubleshooting in the first place? I would say that what berkeman said is about right. It may just be coincidence with the storm.
 
berkeman said:
Sounds like a loose or corroded contact.

I'd start with an electrical socket tester (the simple 3-neon bulb type) to check that it is wired correctly, and then (if you are comfortable with home AC Mains handyman type stuff), I'd pull the socket out of the wall and check the contacts. The problem could also be in the wall or ceiling, if a wire nut is loose and the contact is not reliable.

Have you worked with AC Mains projects at home before?

Thanks for the advice.

I'm not sure what you mean by AC Mains but I know how to check the outlet like you suggested.

Bob
 
AC Mains is just one term for the power wiring in buildings.
 

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