Sparta Outdoor Light System--Lower Deck

 Sparta Outdoor Light System--Lower Deck

The problem presented as a tripped breaker disabling the downstairs bedroom and the lights in the pump room.  My first read was a worn out breaker in the fuse box, but I went up there to do some work and realized that the garage electricity was dead as well as the outlets on the posts below the side deck of the house and along the garage and below the fire pit.  

Now it fell into place.  The lights and outlets on the posts are old and the box near the corner of the garage is infested with bugs.  I cleaned that one out.  The bugs were crawling into the little slots where you plug stuff in, so I removed the outlet and tested the breaker.  Still tripping!

Now I decided to change out all the outlets.  Took them all apart and lo and behold! The breaker still trips.  I removed the one under the side deck that we used to plug in the window air conditioner and the breaker held.

It took me a while, but I inspected the short run from that outlet to the junction box for the switching system and everything beyond.  Finally I discovered a break in the insulation, which I proceeded to peel back.  Sure enough!  The black wire beneath was compromised and was able to short against the bare ground wire in there!  When I isolated it, the breaker held!  

I taped it up, but now I have everything taken apart everywhere, so why not replace it all with new stuff.  That took the next day.  As long as I was at it, I replaced the ruptured Tee in the water system by the lower deck.  

Now there are new outlets in Cathy's flower bed beneath the side deck, both corners of the detached garage, and the one by the woods.  I caulked the boxes where needed and inserted plastic childproofers to fill the slots so the bugs cannot crawl into them.  If I inspect it annually and spray for bugs, I think I am good to go on this system.