lights and plugs have died in 3 rooms of my home. None of the Circuit Breakers were tripped and they all test fine with my multimeter. I have turned the circuit switches on and off (all the way OFF so the switch is completely reset) and no luck.
I have checked the GFCI outlets throughout the house and they all test and reset fine. (Those GFCI outlets are all working fine anyway).
I do have two or three other receptacles in other bathrooms and in the kitchen that read: LEVITON GFCI PROTECTED but these do not have any reset buttons at all… (They are also all working and testing with the multimeter shows they are pushing 120).
Just before the power went in those rooms… I noticed the light fixture in the bathroom was flickering. As a precaution, I've NOW disconnected that light fixture from the wall and capped the exposed wires. I also want to point out that the bathroom with no lights has full power to the GFCI plug but no power anywhere else.
Should I replace all my receptacles and light switches?
Best Answer
No, do not replace everything.
Do you have a proximity based AC detector?
Do you have a signal-toner? (wire finder)?
What has changed (if anything) recently with respect to light fixtures, wall outlets, switches, extension cords, etc? Especially and obviously on this circuit specifically? Did you add/remove anything new? (a heater, an AC...)
The flickering for the bathroom light fixture that no longer works was probably your indication of a problem where somewhere a splice is detached (wirenut, backstab, wall sagged and tore some romex)
Has there been any new work activity in an attic or a basement?
Anyways....
As/If necessary, isolate all power and either use a toner or a detector with the goal of identifying all points of wire junction on the circuit in question. Positively identify anywhere there could be a BOX (switch, outlet, light etc.).
Using the above, make a logical path from the circuit panel to each room. Where would you run the wire FIRST if you were an electrician and didn't want to waste money on wire? Focus more on any common points near the affected area. NOTE: common sense doesn't always apply with how they run the wire, but it's a good guide.
Mark off any items that had "a lot plugged in" or that people bump/wiggle a lot.
Secure power to the circuit in question if not already.
With your list of suspects, (key suspects are ones that were not working) take a wall plate, or light fixture off and pull the wiring out. Ensure all wirenuts are secure, nothing is loose, burned, or dangerous looking. If so, repair it.
Pay close attention to any non-ground wires under a wire nut (more than 2) or in a backstab (more than one, or better yet, NONE!) or double upped on a screw.
If backstabs are used, take the time to correct this.
If wires are more than one to a screw, correct this.
If there are more than 2 wires on a wire nut, inspect it. One of these wires may be the suspect causing the outage.
Do not resume use of the circuit until you identify the bad connection. It is a fire hazard.
Depending on what you find from the guidance above, you might want to do the whole home. The issue you are having "should never happen"
Lastly, and this could have been first - do you have aluminum wiring? If so, there is a completely augmented list to follow.