How to locate outlet starting from breaker panel?

[bcp]

a lamp or fan plugged into outlet and then switch off breakers till you find it.

Use a radio turned up loud. Then you can tell while still at the breaker panel.

Bruce

 

[MNBobcat]

Bruce,

Thanks for the suggestion. I can't start flipping breakers off though because I have computers that need to stay running.

Turns out the wire to the "exerciser" breaker was a red wire...traced it to the romex coming in to the panel and I found out its a 12/3 with ground. The black wire fro the romex goes to another 20 amp breaker. So this is a multi branch circuit where the 2 circuits share a neutral. The breaker for the black wire goes to our bathroom. Which means the breaker on the red wire, for which I'm trying to find the outlet, has to be really close to our bathroom. I'm guessing its an outlet in our closet. I have a hunch I know what outlet and I'll check after work. If its not the outlet that I think it is, then I'm going to use the tone generator to find it. Shouldn't take more then about 10 minutes.

Discovering it was a multi -branch circuit really narrowed down where the outlet could be!

 

[wthompson]

why don't you get a piggy back (tandem single pole breaker) and add the wire for an extra circuit?

 

[MNBobcat]

You can't use them in all panels. It depends on the type of bus bar in the panel. My panel won't accept them.

why don't you get a piggy back (tandem single pole breaker) and add the wire for an extra circuit?

 

[wthompson]

Just a thought didn't know you had a panel Not UL listed for a tandem breaker.

 

[Redlands Okie]

Some of the tools your looking at comes with a adapter so to speak. Plug in to alligator clips converter. Have to be extra careful hooking them up. Also be sure the tracing device your using can be used on active circuits with voltage in them. Have to read the instructions before you purchase most likely.

 

[lennyzx11]

Use a radio turned up loud. Then you can tell while still at the breaker panel.

Bruce

Ditto. What I've done for years.

 

[GregbkH]

Bruce,

Thanks for the suggestion. I can't start flipping breakers off though because I have computers that need to stay running.

Turns out the wire to the "exerciser" breaker was a red wire...traced it to the romex coming in to the panel and I found out its a 12/3 with ground. The black wire fro the romex goes to another 20 amp breaker. So this is a multi branch circuit where the 2 circuits share a neutral. The breaker for the black wire goes to our bathroom. Which means the breaker on the red wire, for which I'm trying to find the outlet, has to be really close to our bathroom. I'm guessing its an outlet in our closet. I have a hunch I know what outlet and I'll check after work. If its not the outlet that I think it is, then I'm going to use the tone generator to find it. Shouldn't take more then about 10 minutes.

Discovering it was a multi -branch circuit really narrowed down where the outlet could be!

You should know that 2 circuits that share the neutral are required to have the breaker handles tied together. Example: a two pole breaker with a common handle. Having two separate breakers apart from each other where the handles can't be tied together is a code violation.

 

[LD1]

I'm lost.

Everyone suggesting a radio or similar and flipping breakers....yea that helps you figure out what breaker the outlet is tied to.....but isn't his situation just the opposite.

He knows the breaker. Just wants to find the outlet.

Seems pretty simple to me. Turn that ONE breaker off. Walk around the house with a lamp, fan, whatever and see what outlet(s) no longer work

 

[joefromga]

Even easier use a non contact current tester.