Replacing a circuit breaker?

davidbrooks

So yesterday my electrical outlets stopped working.  If i put a multi meter on them i have 100-120 v between one of the prongs and ground.  Nothing between the two prongs.  It looks like all of the outlets are on one circuit and the culprit could either be the GFI by the sink or the circuit breaker.  I can figure out how to replace the GFI once i drill out the rivets.  Why would they rivet the thing in anyway?  The big question is how do you replace the circuit breaker?  I started to pull out the panel and can get it about 8 inches out of the bulkhead.  The back is encased in an aluminum box.  In reading posts by @Black_Diamond he had to take out the refrigerator in order to get enough slack to pull out the panel.  Is this what you have to do just to replace a breaker or am i missing something?

LaRea

No, that's correct.  There's not much slack, and you have to really work it to get the panel out.  

The way you describe it, you have a fault on the neutral side.  You're getting voltage, so the problem isn't on the hot side.  It might be a loose connection on the neutral wire rather than a failed breaker.  If the problem was with the GFCI, I think you would not see voltage anywhere on the circuit.  

By the way -- if you do remove the panel, replace all of the panel lights while you have it out.  You probably have some that are burned out already.  

davidbrooks

Thanks @LaRea.  I am going to pull out the GFCI outlet first to test the wiring.  Working backwards to the source.  I really hope it is just loose there.  Going further with pulling this panel out is not what i had hoped to work on this weekend.  So to replace a circuit breaker you have to:

1. Shut off power
2. Remove the refrigerator
3. Remove the plastic cover over the Electrical panel with out breaking it
4. Remove the 4 corner screws on the panel and start pulling
5. Feed wiring up from Refrigerator opening
6. Pull on Panel until you can get it all the way out ~ 2 ft
7. Remove Aluminum cage on back of panel
8. Unscrew Circuit breaker and remove wiring
9. Screw in new circuit breaker
10. Put everything back together

Ok Rinker lets make this just a little harder.

raybo3

Its not the breaker. If it were the breaker you would not not get any voltage. Sounds like you lost the neutral. If that is the only outlet your having problems with try to find out what other outlet is feeding it and that is where your problem will be. If all the outlets on that circuit are like that then the problem is in the panel 

davidbrooks

Thanks.  It is all of the outlets on that circuit.  The first one in the circuit is the GFCI outlet.  I guess i will test it out and then go to the getting the panel out further.  Thanks for helping me focus in on the neutral. I am worried about a short as i have power between the blade and the ground in the outlet and i shouldnt.

LaRea

Do you have continuity between the neutral blade and the ground?

davidbrooks

if i put a multimeter on a blade and on the ground prong i get 100-120 volts. if i put it between blades i get maybe 1-3 volts.

Handymans342

Bad neutral

reneechris14

Taking out the fridge is because the wires are zip tied behind it. Cut the zip tie and the panel will sit on the stove. It's not hard just not your plan for the weekend.

Black_Diamond

Re-rivet that outlet too. I suspect it it more a vibration issue so the outlets do not get loose.  You’ll need to add a rivet head washer to make it work.  Been there. 

cettialpha6

I agree with Raybo that your breaker is not the problem. Since you metered hot to ground = 120v and hot to neutral = 3 or 4 volts , you therefore have lost your neutral.  The neutral isn't necessarily bad. The gfci checks the difference in current between hot and neutral (load) lines.  If any slight difference in current between hot and load, it trips out the gfci. All gfci have a reset button and test button. You should push the test to trip it manually then reset the gfci pushing the reset button. If the gfci doesn't reset it maybe the gfci is bad or another outlet downstream. FYI any outlets wired down stream from the gfci can trip or prevent the gfci from resetting if any of them are a problem. gfci 's do go bad with age, a gfci monitors and trips sensing as little as 5 milli amps between hot and load. I would first check to see if you have 120v at input to the gfci. If you have 120v then I would change out the gfci, if the problem persists your trouble is one or more outlets after the gfci.
hope this helps.

davidbrooks

Thanks everyone.  My first instinct was to go to the breaker.  Your experience and my desire to not go through the hassle of pulling the panel had me rethink it.  So i switched gears and decided to start with the last outlet i was using.  They are all riveted in so, drilled it out, disconnected the wires and turned on the circuit.  Everything worked again.  So bad outlet.  The GFCI outlet was fine it was the one that is near the rear closet.  Thanks for everyone's help.  I swear they should offer a college degree in boat maintenance/ repair.  I feel like i just passed a unit test....with a little cheating from my friends.

raybo3

Nice easy fix. Good for you. 

Stodge

Trying to remember if my outlets were riveted.  I switched out the 2 outlets in the dinette for ones with sockets and USBs for chargers.  The only thing I recall as different was the stranded wire versus solid.

Cableguy Greg

The older ones were riveted and the newer boats they installed fiberglass outlet boxes and the outlets are screwed in. I have the scar on my left index finger from drilling out a riveted box with a dull bit that I got from the dealer. I learned never to borrow bits from the dealer. They are junk. Eight stitches later was a tough lesson.