How to Troubleshoot Unusual Electrical Faults in Older Buildings

Introduction

Troubleshooting electrical issues in older buildings can be challenging due to outdated wiring, lack of documentation, and unusual faults caused by age and deterioration. As a homeowner or electrician, a systematic approach and patience is required to correctly diagnose and resolve electrical malfunctions. This article provides a step-by-step guide on how I troubleshoot unusual electrical faults in older buildings.

Signs of Electrical Issues in Older Buildings

Some common signs that may indicate electrical faults in an older building include:

• Frequent tripping of circuit breakers or blowing of fuses: This often points to overloaded circuits, short circuits or ground faults.

• Flickering lights: Can signal loose connections, faulty wiring or voltage drop issues.

• Outlets or switches not working: Likely caused by loose or damaged wiring.

• Buzzing sound from outlets: Indicates potential wiring issues or faulty components.

• Burning smell: A strong indicator of overheating wires or electrical components.

• Tingling sensation from fixtures: Suggests exposed live wires or ground faults.

• Sparks or arcing: Reveals dangerous short circuits, wire damage or connection issues.

• GFCI or AFCI breakers tripping: Ground faults or arc faults are likely present.

Safety Precautions

When dealing with unusual electrical issues, safety should always be the top priority. Important safety tips include:

• Cut power to affected circuit: Switch off breaker and verify power is off before starting work.

• Wear insulated gloves and eye protection. Exposure to live wires can cause electrocution.

• Use non-contact voltage testers. Help detect live wires without direct contact.

• Avoid standing water. Can cause potential shock hazards.

• Have fire extinguisher on hand. Faulty wiring can spark fires.

• Inspect extension cords. Use only UL-listed, grounded cords in good condition.

• Look for covered junction boxes. Exposed connections violate code and are dangerous.

Steps for Diagnosing Electrical Faults

Systematically narrow down the location and cause of unusual electrical issues by following these steps:

1. Verify Fault Symptoms

• Confirm the reported symptoms by inspecting all affected lighting, outlets, and equipment.

• Note down fault specifics like frequent breaker tripping, flickering lights, non-working outlets etc.

• Reproduce the issue if possible. Symptoms may be intermittent.

2. Evaluate Fuse/Breaker Panel

• Check for any tripped breakers or blown fuses related to the problem circuit.

• Reset tripped breakers and replace blown fuses. Fuse may blow again indicating continued fault.

• For recurring issues, conduct voltage and resistance tests on circuit wires.

3. Check Connection Points

• Visually inspect all accessible wire connections, splices and junction points.

• Look for loose, disconnected, damaged or burnt wires along the affected circuit.

• Check plugs, cords, receptacles and light fixtures for faulty contacts or terminations.

• Search for signs of arcing like pitting or charring on contacts and wire insulation.

4. Test Continuity of Wires

• Verify continuity between different points along the suspect circuit wires.

• Check for opens, shorts or high resistance indicating damaged wiring or poor connections.

• Locate any splice or junction box causing wire discontinuity.

5. Measure Voltage Levels

• Using a multimeter, measure and note down voltages along different points of circuit.

• Check for significant drops in voltage compared to panel output. Points to issues like high resistance joints or undersized wiring.

• Record any abnormal high or low voltages that deviate from expected values.

6. Isolate Fault Location

• Based on above checks, narrow down location of fault to specific section of circuit or component.

• Isolate parallel paths or remove loads on circuit until root issue is pinpointed.

• If problem disappears when a section is disconnected, focus troubleshooting efforts there.

7. Repair Fault Source

• Once fault location is found, perform repairs to resolve issue.

• Replace damaged wires, loose connections, faulty equipment etc.

• Consider upgrading wiring if undersized or insulation is degraded.

• Verify normal voltages and functioning after repairs.

Key Fault Sources in Old Buildings

Some common electrical faults found in aging buildings include:

• Loose, corroded or damaged wiring and connections. Cause overheating, shorts and continuity issues.

• Overloaded circuits. Exceed current rating of wires and cause tripping or fires.

• Ground faults. Live wires contacting grounded metal parts, like conduit. Very dangerous.

• Wire insulation breakdown. Exposes copper and creates shock/fire hazard. Replace old brittle wire insulation.

• Damaged receptacles and switches. Create sparks and connections may fail intermittently.

• Undersized wiring. Inadequate for loads of modern equipment and devices.

• Rodent/pest damage. Chewed up wires create faults. Look for signs of infestation.

When to Call an Electrician

If DIY efforts are unsuccessful in resolving unusual electrical gremlins, it is best to call a licensed electrician. They have the specialized training, tools and experience to fully diagnose and fix problems stemming from old wiring systems. An electrician should be contacted immediately in any of these scenarios:

• Unsure about how to safely turn power off before working.

• No idea where to start troubleshooting.

• Cannot find the root cause of recurring issues.

• Fault location requires demolishing walls or digging.

• Finding hazardous exposed live wires.

• Outlets sparking frequently.

• Diagnosis points to whole home rewiring.

Dealing with quirky electrical systems in older construction requires patience and meticulous troubleshooting. While home electrical repairs can often be DIYed, know when specialized help is needed to safely resolve potentially hazardous conditions and faults.

Conclusion

In summary, when unusual electrical issues pop up in aging buildings, take a methodical approach to diagnose the problem. Start with verifying the symptoms, then follow a sequence of visual inspections, continuity and voltage testing to pinpoint the source of the fault. Focus repair efforts at the identified trouble spot, and call an electrician for assistance when needed for safety or complex rewiring jobs. With diligence and proper precautions, homes can continue to be illuminated and powered safely, even with older electrical systems.