Anyone know how much an electrician charges these days?

HeXp£Øi±

HeXp£Øi±

Well-Known Member
I've got four outlets in my kitchen that don't have power. I just replaced them and still nothing. I even switched some of the breakers around to find if one of them was burned out and still nothing. Looks like i'm going to have to call a pro. I just know the guy's going to want to take a chainsaw to my wall and charge me $50/hr.
 
Shut off the breakers, take out the boxes, and tape a new section of ROMEX to the exposed, disconnected wiring. Find the junction box that corresponds to the outlets, and slowly draw out the old wires that are, hopefully, well-connected to the new ROMEX section. Once you have the new wire all the way through, completely disconnect the old wire and connect the new wire to the junction box, if the box is still in good shape. you may now wire in the switches. Now...double-check your connections. Are you sure everything is connected properly? If you are...check one more time before you turn the breaker back on. If it still doesn't work, then you have to call the electrician.

One more thing...If you aren't sure where your junction box is, do not do this. You could be setting yourself up for quite a shock...literally. And I'll, ultimately, be to blame.
 
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Just kidding. I can't find the junction box. I crawled inside the wall upstairs where the wires are and all i can find is a square cut into the floor where it looks like a junction box should be with a bunch of wires running into it. Also i don't know what a 'ROMEX' is.
 
HeXp£Øi± said:
http://www.hut.fi/Misc/Images/pic/shock.gif[/mg]

Just kidding. I can't find the junction box. I crawled inside the wall upstairs where the wires are and all i can find is a square cut into the floor where it looks like a junction box should be with a bunch of wires running into it. Also i don't know what a 'ROMEX' is.
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Sorry about that. ROMEX is the brand name of the typical household wiring. Looks like this...
e-romex.jpg
...

No junction box at all? That's weird. You didn't cut the hole in the floor, did you? I was hoping to save you from having to do any major carpentry work after you replaced that wiring section. I strongly suspect a broken wire inside the insulation...I think Padmaster would know exactly what it is, though...He's a real electrician...
 
That's why I gave him the trick of taping the two wires together. ;) That way, he can pull the wiring through the wall without having to tear anything down. You just have to be careful, and not pull too hard or too fast.
 
I've done no cutting whatsoever yet. So you're saying i should tie a string on the ROMEX before i pull it through(if i did). That sounds like a damn good idea. Only thing is, as i'm not an electrician i don't get what difference having the junction box makes if i shut off power to the entire house. I can do the drywall and carpentry if i have to but i'd like to avoid it if at all possible.
 
So you're saying i should tie a string on the ROMEX before i pull it through(if i did).
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Exactomundo, Hex. 'Splice' the wires, then pull them through. You can always re-strip if you need to. ;)

As to the junction box and it's usefulness...

You have to know where to splice in. That's why the junction box is important. Unless, of course, you want to drag wire from the outlets all the way to the breaker. Not knowing your layout, I'm assuming that your breakers are located either in the master bedroom closet, the dining room, the garage, or, if you've got one, the basement. If you've got the patience to pull your wiring through all that, then you've got a hell of a lot more than me. ;)
 
Since my only other option is hiring an electrician i might end up going the long route. The breaker box is located right outside my front door so i can get to the base of the wire easily and it would give me maybe only another 20' of romex to pull. I'm going to go do some more inspecting now of the romex layout and see just how plausible this idea is. Thanks for all the help. :)
 
I think Padmaster would know exactly what it is, though...He's a real electrician...
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I'm not an electrician, I'm a Printed Circuit Board Designer :p

But I did work as an electricians helper for a couple of years and I recently changed out all the plugs and switches in my house from ivory to white ;)

Are any of the non-functional outlets GFI (Ground Fault Interrupt)? those are pretty typical for a circuit that is in close proximity to a water source, like a kitchen/bath outlet.......if so, they have a little fuse in them that blows if there is a short....you may only need to replace that fuse.

Most outlets are daisy chained together in some sort of organized manner, usually by room. But the wire from the breaker usually comes down into the wall in only one place and the rest of the outlets are daisy-chained horizontally thru the studs in the wall, unless there is an obstruction like a door.....then they have to go back to the attic.....over the door.....and back down into the wall.

You should get an ohm meter and check for continuity from outlet to outlet to find where the connection is broken. My guess is it's probably between the first outlet in the daisy-chain and the breaker.

How old is this house?

Aluminum or copper wiring?

DON'T FORGET TO TURN OFF THE POWER :zap:
 
It's a 30 year old house with copper wiring. I changed all four outlets that were giving me problems and i didn't notice any fuses. Would they be hiding behind the outlet or connected to it? Three of the four outlets have two hotwires and the forth only has one so i can rule out one anyway. I'm going right now to cut a hole in the floor where it appears the romex leads to those outlets and see what else i can see.
 
HeXp£Øi± said:
It's a 30 year old house with copper wiring. I changed all four outlets that were giving me problems and i didn't notice any fuses. Would they be hiding behind the outlet or connected to it? Three of the four outlets have two hotwires and the forth only has one so i can rule out one anyway. I'm going right now to cut a hole in the floor where it appears the romex leads to those outlets and see what else i can see.
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So the wiring runs through a crawlspace? If it does, you may be able to get to it by going under the house...
 
There is some wiring in the basement that looks like it goes to the first floor(where the problem lies) but most of the wiring is in a crawlspace on the second floor running down in the general direction of the outlets through the floorboards. My guess is that it'll be coming down from the second floor. I was in the process of pulling nails out of the plywood floor upstairs when i decided it was frozen pizza time. :choclate:
 
If the wires are stapled to the studs, he's going to have a hard time pulling them through.

Anyway, should you have to tear the drywall out, I'm a damn good drywall finisher. Send me a plane ticket and take me fishing while I'm there, and I'll come up and do the patching for you. ;)
 
Ardsgaine said:
If the wires are stapled to the studs, he's going to have a hard time pulling them through.

Anyway, should you have to tear the drywall out, I'm a damn good drywall finisher. Send me a plane ticket and take me fishing while I'm there, and I'll come up and do the patching for you. ;)
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I suppose you'd even give him a discount for the job too, huh? ;)
 
From Florida!? For a few square feet of drywall? Shit! If electricians are more expensive then drywallers. I think i'm in trouble.
 
Ardsgaine said:
If the wires are stapled to the studs, he's going to have a hard time pulling them through.
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And they most likely are. You'll be better off running new wire. Get a good fish tape ;)
 
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