Broken or Tripped Circuit Breaker?

[HayZee518]

you can try to remove the tie bar. if it is rivetted together don't try you could destroy the breaker. sometimes contractors buy a snap in tie bar that goes over two single pole units.

[normel]

It's not the breaker, it's a loose connection. It could be at the closest working receptacle on the same circuit or on one of the nonworking receptacles. Probably a push-in connector that has worked loose.

[froddan]

So could I check for the loose connection in the outlet that broke?
Would it make sense that this connection broke while the hairdryer was being used?

How can you be sure that the breaker is working properly?
Do they never break?

Originally Posted by normel

It's not the breaker, it's a loose connection. It could be at the closest working receptacle on the same circuit or on one of the nonworking receptacles. Probably a push-in connector that has worked loose.

[Java_Bob]

How can you be sure that the breaker is working properly?

to do that you need to open up the panel, and i am not sure you would feel comfortable doing that...

[HayZee518]

I just looked again at your original posting. there was no mention of a broken outlet. then, yes this is a place to start. normel is correct in stating to "check the outlets that use the push in terminals in back of the outlet." a loose neutral or loose hot could cut power to the downstream outlets. since you don't know which breakers feed your circuits, be extremely careful when you remove a coverplate and outlet. the outlet might completely fall apart and you'd be in trouble. in answering your question about the breakers you need an analog meter from radio shack. if you have any doubts about what you are doing DON'T hire somebody to do it for you who knows what to do.

[froddan]

Thanks again for your replies!
I would certainly be very careful when opening both outlets and the breaker.
I've opened a few outlets before, so I should be able to check for loose connections.
I'm a bit doubtful to the broken outlet, only because the power was lost when a hairdryer was used simultaneously as a few other electrical devices using the same outlet. Sounds to me that it would be the time when a breaker would trip, but you are the experts.
I would certainly shut off the main power when going in to any of these outlets...if no luck, I'll call the experts.
Thanks again!

[normel]

What usually happens is when a high current draw appliance is used (like a hairdryer) and there is a poor connection at a push-in, the resultant heating causes the connection to fail completely. Most of the time this is at a working receptacle and is usually the one closest to the failed ones.

[froddan]

I got it!!! Thanks to you guys!
Apparently, the outlet closest to the one where the hairdryer was plugged in had a loose connection, and I managed to fix it!
Thanks a bunch to all of you who contributed to this! You guys were very helpful and perfectly correct in your advice!
F