Quote:
Originally Posted by DWBOX2000
Thanks Zeke. I did exactly what you described. I have one cable (black, white and copper) running from panel to junction box in garage. Those 3 wires from cable connect to four wires each of the same color and then leave junction box. I have identified where each goes. The one cable in question goes to an outlet in my sun room. This ties into three outlets and the fireplace. I tested each individually and it all works fine until I connect the wires in outlet that go to fireplace even though the wires at the fireplace are not connected to anything (I disconnected). It is that cable that is shorting the system. Unfortunately I don’t have that skill to run a new cable. If electrician says wall has to come apart, then I’ll do it myself.
Thanks again.
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That sums it up. As @rwest says, determining that the FP is not the culprit you most definitely have a problem just where you say it is. Not all is lost. Working those 3 wires you might find that one is shorted not to others, but to something else. You could cob together 2 out of 3 to make a circuit labeling what you did.
A bare wire as a neutral is a bad idea, don't do that. It would still be interesting to know if it's the hot wire (usually) and why it now is a short. What is the history here? By that I mean can you go back and undo the last thing done?
Also, the fact that you have a JB distributing wires where one feeds the branch that has multiple receptacles AND the FP. I'd be looking hard at that last recep before the FP. With that out of the wall and still hooked up, you may find something out about that black wire leaving that box to the FP. Weird things happen when you shove a device back in a box and close up. I've had many a ground not be pushed far enough in and they barely touch when made up and closed up. If it's in that box, there wil be a sign that it went to ground.
Let's fix this.