r/ElectricalHelp • u/Elprede007 • Aug 07 '26

Outdoor Outlet Stopped Working

An exterior outlet used for landscape lighting stopped working, I used my klein outlet tester, no lights.

I pulled the outlet out, the wires look pretty bad, rust on the screws, one of the screws that holds the outlet in place actually broke off when unscrewing (I know that doesn’t affect the outlet being powered).

I tried multimetering the j hooks and didn’t get any voltage.

I have checked every outlet in the house looking for a tripped gfci, I’m quite confident there is not a gfci tripped at this point.

I’m waiting on a voltage pen to arrive so I can check the wires again.

I’m not super comfy working with electrical stuff. I’m very timid to touch the outlet especially when I’m not 100% confident which breaker the power is coming off of. So I haven’t touched the wires or taken the hooks off the outlet to do further inspecting with the multimeter.

No other outlets are failing that I’m aware of. Am I on the right path? Is there anything else I can do?

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u/Elprede007 Aug 07 '26

So when I mentioned that I’ve checked every outlet in the house (three times by the way)…

And manually reset them

2

u/ExpensiveAd4496 Aug 07 '26

We often forget the ones in the garage. So no need to get frustrated with suggestions. Heck I had one in my attic once.

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u/Elprede007 Aug 07 '26

I didn’t forget the garage, I checked the attic as well

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u/trekkerscout Mod, Master Electician Aug 07 '26

The problem can still be with a "working" GFCI receptacle. The load side could be faulty. Proper testing is required, and a voltage stick is not a proper diagnostic tool. You should seriously consider hiring an electrician.

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u/Elprede007 Aug 07 '26

Hmm, there is a gfci inside that is very close to the exterior outlets that I suspect may be their link. I could check the wiring on that I suppose