Troubleshooting a Circuit
Troubleshooting to identify the cause of the high impedance within the electrical system
is actually quite simple. First measure the voltage drop at the furthest receptacle from
the panel on the branch circuit under test. If the voltage drop is high, than further
investigation is necessary.
Testing the remaining receptacles in sequence, from next furthest from the panel to the
closest to the panel, will identify the problem.
If the voltage drop reading changes significantly from one receptacle to the next, then
the problem is a high impedance point at or between the two receptacles. It is usually
located at a termination point, such as a bad splice or loose wire connection, but it might
also be a bad receptacle.
If the reading steadily decreases as you get closer to the panel, with no significant
decreases between receptacles, then the wire may be undersized for the length of run,
or for the load on the line. Check at the panel to see if the wire is sized per code, and
measure the current on the branch circuit.
The reading may not decrease at all from the last receptacle to the first. This would
indicate that the problem could be at the first splice, or at the panel itself. Most poor
panel connections show up as hot spots on the panel. These can be checked quickly
with an infrared temperature meter.
Testing the integrity of the branch circuit under load can have a dramatic effect on the
ability to positively identify hidden defects within the branch circuit.
By testing receptacle in
sequence from furthest from
the panel to closest with a
load test, hidden defects can
be identified and corrected
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