Electrical Power ?

[Flurette Farm]

I have a remote barn that is on its own transformer. I hadn't used any power at that location for several months or maybe a year.
When I went there today and needed power there was none. I checked the meter breakers which were on but have no power at the inside box. Can these breakers go bad just setting in the on position with no draw through them. There is no power beyond any breaker in the box. Advice?

 

[Stan in Oly, WA]

What is the last point at which you can detect power? For instance, do you have power to the bus bars of the breaker box where you're not getting power beyond any breaker? It wouldn't make sense to try to find out what's wrong with the breakers if it turned out that the problem is farther upstream, like at the meter, or the transformer.

All the best, Stan

 

[MarkB_MI]

It seems very improbable that multiple circuit breakers would fail simultaneously. It is just as unlikely that both phases on the main breaker would fail together.

Troubleshooting these sorts of problems is always the same. Work your way back until you find power, then go forward until you find the fault. If you're not comfortable working on hot breaker panels, then bring in an electrician.

You do have a multimeter, don't you? If not stop now.

It sounds like you have a main disconnect at the meter, and a main lug panel in the barn. Turn off the main disconnect, then open the panel, turn the main back on and check out the voltage coming into the main lug. You need 120V from each phase to neutral, and 240V phase-to-phase. If you don't, then there's a problem upstream. Working on the disconnect means working on a hot panel and/or removing the meter, so you probably need an electrician at this point.

My guess is you'll find serious corrosion to be the source of the problem.

 

[RodinNS]

When you open the panel up do you have 120 on each leg coming down the stack onto the bus? If yes, problem is in your breaker panel, maney the main. If NO, problem is outside, possibly in the meter base or the power company's connections.

Rod

 

[tech4]

My guess is that the fuse at the power transformer is blown. Call the power company.

 

[woodbutcher]

The same thing happened at my barn when a terrorist squirrel blew himself up by shorting out the breaker at the top of the pole. It was a simple matter for the power company to come and replace the fuse, reset the breaker.
Butch

 

[El Toro]

Look out on the pole and see if the breaker is tripped on the pole. If it is you need to call your power company. Hal

 

[John T]

When you say theres no power in the main box, you reallyyyyyyyyyy need to know if theres power incoming at least to the high input (from meter base) side of the main circuit breaker. If theres power there but NOT on the breakers load side theres a main breaker problem WHICH I DOUBT. If theres no power getting to the meter base from the utility drop then I suspect the utility circuit breaker at the transformer is out WHICH IS A FAIRLY COMMON PROBLEM,,,,,, Call the Utility if thats the case.

In that panel look for signs of heat or carbon or burning from a loose connection another possible problem.

John T

 

[Crem]

tech4,
One time I had that same problem and could look up by the transformer and see that the fuse was blown open.