A tree to diagnose electrical trouble from symptom to cause

Home Electrical Diagnostic Tree

This diagnostic tree for home electrical problems assumes little special knowledge or tools. Realize that it cannot address every possibility. For instance, if someone recently connected something the wrong way, this tree will not be as helpful as a personalized consultation with me or another electrician. Disclaimer

TO START, select which ONE of the following best describes your problem:

  1. More than one thing doesn’t work and it doesn’t seem to be from a tripped circuit breaker.
  2. Things are working now but in the past have gone out and later come back on, on their own.
  3. A circuit breaker has tripped and won‘t reset.
  4. A reset button (on a ground-fault outlet) has popped out and won’t reset.
  5. Lights blink or flicker at times. But compare #6 in this list.
  6. Lights strangely dim down for awhile or stay brightened -- for no reason or in response to unrelated appliances.
  7. Only one thing doesn‘t work (or one set of lights controlled by the same switch[es]).
  8. Electric heater(s) are not working or not controllable.
  9. Someone experienced a shock.

If none of these choices apply, or if going through this diagnostic tree does not uncover the source of your problem, try other parts of My website, or Contact me.

Here's a good site for troubleshooting Christmas lights and holiday lights.

© 2005 Larry Dimock