Apartment circuit breaker question?
Question:I live in a small apartment and am trying to figure out which switch on the circuit breaker might control the kitchen ceiling lamp which is broken. Is there a common way these are wired? I would just turn them all off and assume that I am safe except none of them appear to shut off my bathroom light nor one of my living room outlets. There are two spots in my circuit break that don't have switches for some reason (they are covered with a plastic strip).
Answers:
sounds like landlord cabbage job you can wire hot, as long as you dont use yourself as a ground.
flip them all. live dangerously.
You notify the landlord about the kitchen ceiling lamp and they will have a maintenance person who knows what they're doing take care of your problem--I hope.
You can ask the repair person what they think in regard to the breaker, or you can watch what is done, or ask questions about the plastic strip. What ever works for you.
May you have light!
Not really odd to have blank spots in your breaker box. It is odd that none of the breakers turn off your light or the outlet. If there were more things that you found that did not turn off, I would wonder if you had another breaker panel somewhere, but that doesn't make sense for two fixtures.
I am guessing your fixtures are wired to a neighbors panel. Good news is you get that electricity for free. Bad news is you will have to figure it out to fix your light.
You need to call the building owner or maintenance person and have this checked out. If yours is really like that, I wonder if another neighbor is wired into your box?
the plastic strips are spacers to keep fingers and such from entering accidentally.
assuming everything in the kitchen is on the same circuit, shut that one off
however you can buy a sensor kit at home depot that will track circuits foy you and it's probably about $50 or so
shut the main breaker off to the house,then for sure you will have no power.usually located near the electric meter.the plastic strip is probably just there to prevent people from putting their fingers in it.if cutting the main breaker does not cut off your bathroom look for another box,perhaps behind something or in the closet of the bathroom.if all else fails contact your landlord it is their responsibility.
turn the switch off at the wall for the lamp if it is off then there is no power to the lamp it is safe to fix it then.
There should be a main breaker to shut off all power to the whole apartment. If you cant find it then I would call the land lord to make the repair or at least show you where the main circuit breaker/fuse/ disconnect is.
There is a simple tool you can buy at the hardware store that will help you out.
They are called circuit testers. All it is is two wires that come together at one end and at that end there is a little light bulb. Or they look like a screwdriver with a wire and a clamp.
You simple touch the wires with the open ends and if the light bulb comes on then there is current.
Just give the clerk the description I gave you and he will know exactly what you are looking for. They have been around as long as electricity has been.
call your landlord and ask him to have it fixed. if you rent it is not your resonsablity to fix stuff. that falls on the landlord.
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