tracking power feed short to switch


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Old 09-01-18, 10:29 AM
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tracking power feed short to switch

120v household line. Feed line suddenly lost power. Tenant reports no heavy usage at the time - says she just finished a shower so possible condensation/steam issue caused the short. one gfci in bathroom works fine, no load on gfci just a direct 12-3 yellow feed line into gfci no load out (appears only bathroom is on bathroom circuit breaker). Double switch box is the problem - first switch controls bathroom fan and shower light. Second switch controls vanity light. Seems main power feed from the "wall" is dead (tested with volt meter and main feed line to switch box is dead). No other outlets or switches seem to be on bathroom breaker (all other outlets & switches in apartment work)

I have a few options to get power to the switch box - but my question is how best to track the short in the line? AFAIKnow, since gfci works, energizing from the breaker side will tell me know more than i know now. Is cutting sheetrock the only sure way to track the short location? I would try looking for lower resistance but only the gfci and the double switch seem to be on the circuit. Any suggestions i appreciate - thank for taking time to read my post
 
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Old 09-01-18, 10:42 AM
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You don't have a short you have a open. Open first not working outlet/ switch and check connections. Any back stabbed wires should be moved to screws and any wire nuts should be checked. and redone. Go to last working outlet/switch and repeat if still did not work.
 
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Old 09-01-18, 11:05 AM
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Welcome to the forums.

If it is a white, black and bare ground wire...... it's a 12-2 w/ground cable.
Three wire cable includes an additional red wire.

Of course there was no heavy load involved if there are no receptacles on the circuit..
What exactly is the problem ? What is dead ?

In an apartment..... it would be extremely rare for the bathroom lights to be on their own circuit.
It would be more common to have them shared with other lighting loads.
 
 

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