I'm trying to deliver power to a simple circuit, and need help identifying the source of smoke and sparks from an outlet outside our house when I try to connect wires going outdoors.
The wires outdoors go to a 2 outlet receptacle in a shed and a switch & light located in a cave. I suspect there's a short in the circuit, because when I turn on 1 outlet of the 2 outlet receptacle, it's fine, but both can't be on or else smoke comes from the outlet from the house and the 20Amp circuit breaker turns off.
I included a diagram of my wiring job. I disconnected the light and attempted to wire in series. The only configuration I could think of making both outlets work was disconnecting the light bulb. When I flip the switch off, it will cut power to one of the outlets. So far so good. However, just recently the power supply outside the house started buzzing loudly and smoke/sparks come from the plug connecting the outdoors circuit when the switch was ON. I'm at a loss at where I went wrong wiring the circuit, and what's causing the apparent short circuit. Please ask if further clarification is needed.
EDIT: Green wire shouldn't come from the power supply as the drawing shows.
Here's a picture of the box inside the shed. one black wire carries power from supply. the other black goes to the cave. 2 white neutrals (one from cave and one from shed, also the mystery red wire)
light fixture in cave (not sure why wires coming from cave end up at the outlet at the shed. Also, how do i get power to the light with one black wire carrying power?)
power supply (red-green,white-white,black-black)
Best Answer
Did you remove both tabs from the receptacle?
If not there is a dead short on the right side of the receptacle. Between the red and the white. Also your wiring diagram on the left shows the black and white of the light wire nutted together which accomplishes nothing and the white is connected to the black from the switch and back to the receptacle. This creates a 240 volt circuit on the bottom of the receptacle if this is how you actually wired it.
You need to check the connections on this entire circuit and update your drawing or change the wiring.
Good luck!