# Unusual home electrical problem. Any suggestions? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 2, 2011, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-home-electrical-problem-any-suggestions/566138 "2011-01-02T14:21:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2011, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-home-electrical-problem-any-suggestions/566138/21 "2011-01-03T01:09:53Z")
> [@Snnipe\_70E](#): > > Daisy chining through outlet is common by DYIers but should never be done. The wires should be daisy chained through the box with pig tails and not daisy chained through the outlet. I’ve seen it wired both ways in new construction. I would personally prefer outlet-to-outlet because the wires are screwed down instead of wire-nutted. I’d rather see the euro style screw buss splice but the closest thing in the states is a push-pin style buss splice. Either way you splice it this appears to be a daisy chain problem. Somewhere down the line a connection is loose. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2011, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-home-electrical-problem-any-suggestions/566138/22 "2011-01-03T05:55:04Z")
> [@johnpost](#): > > neutrals after the breaker box can be connected in many locations. a splice feeding a string of devices could become intermittent. > [@beowulff](#): > > Yes, but not on different circuits (breakers). there are cases where you want to keep the neutrals for each circuit isolated. otherwise neutrals from different circuits can be get connected later. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2011, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-home-electrical-problem-any-suggestions/566138/23 "2011-01-03T14:52:23Z")
> [@johnpost](#): > > there are cases where you want to keep the neutrals for each circuit isolated. otherwise neutrals from different circuits can be get connected later. I hate to continue this hijack, but… cite? ---
**Author:** ![snowmaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e99b99/32.png) [@snowmaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowmaster)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2011, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-home-electrical-problem-any-suggestions/566138/24 "2011-01-03T14:58:23Z")
> [@Snnipe\_70E](#): > > Daisy chining through outlet is common by DYIers but should never be done. The wires should be daisy chained through the box with pig tails and not daisy chained through the outlet. I’ll see your speculation and raise you an accusation. We just had a similar problem, and the cuprit was push-in type recepticles daisy chained together. Push-in types, where the little molded diagram on the back encourages you to strip off 1/4 inch or insulation and just stuff the wire on in there are EVIL!! The springs wear out, they don’t adjust to different guages of wire well, and when you shove the whole mess into the box you invariably put stress on these push-in jobs. Breaker off the circuit, verify each recepticle with a meter, and pull’em out. I’ll bet you a wooden nickel when you take the recepticle out of the box one of the wires will slip right out of its already tenuous connection. Real electricians, real DIY’ers, USE THE SCREWS! ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2011, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-home-electrical-problem-any-suggestions/566138/25 "2011-01-03T15:03:17Z")
> [@johnpost](#): > > there are cases where you want to keep the neutrals for each circuit isolated. otherwise neutrals from different circuits can be get connected later. > [@beowulff](#): > > I hate to continue this hijack, but… cite? depends on the wiring method and techniques you can have shared neutrals or neutrals connected. you find it in the real world. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2011, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-home-electrical-problem-any-suggestions/566138/26 "2011-01-03T15:05:06Z")
> [@johnpost](#): > > depends on the wiring method and techniques you can have shared neutrals or neutrals connected. you find it in the real world. I think you will find that that it not up to NEC standards. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2011, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-home-electrical-problem-any-suggestions/566138/27 "2011-01-03T15:14:31Z")
> [@snowmaster](#): > > I’ll see your speculation and raise you an accusation. > > We just had a similar problem, and the cuprit was push-in type recepticles daisy chained together. Push-in types, where the little molded diagram on the back encourages you to strip off 1/4 inch or insulation and just stuff the wire on in there are EVIL!! The springs wear out, they don’t adjust to different guages of wire well, and when you shove the whole mess into the box you invariably put stress on these push-in jobs. > > Breaker off the circuit, verify each recepticle with a meter, and pull’em out. I’ll bet you a wooden nickel when you take the recepticle out of the box one of the wires will slip right out of its already tenuous connection. > > Real electricians, real DIY’ers, USE THE SCREWS! screw don’t push is right. you don’t have easy means of checking your connections with push in connections. there are some push in devices that tighten with screws and not springs (more frequent on large wire sizes), while better they still can be some problem in the 12 and 14 gauges. a bent/wrapped connection around a screw can be seen after the device is in place. ---
**Author:** ![Khendrask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3e96dc/32.png) [@Khendrask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khendrask)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2011, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-home-electrical-problem-any-suggestions/566138/28 "2011-01-06T19:07:59Z")
You didn’t mention the age or brand of the breaker panel… I’m hoping it’s not a Federal Pacific “Stablok” one… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-home-electrical-problem-any-suggestions/566138.md?page=1)