What happened to my power?
GFCI Outlet Trips Breaker
GFCI outlets may trip sometimes, but not all the time. A GFCI can wear out faster than a regular outlet. If you have to reset the button often, the GFCI outlet isn’t adjusting correctly to the electrical current variations properly. Replace it.
One cause may be the black and white wire contact the bare ground. An ohmmeter will tell you if there is a leak in the circuit.
Also, the wire connections of the outlet may not be firmly connected where it joins the rest of the outlets in the house. A multimeter or an electrical contractor will need to test the outlet.
Dead Outlets
If there is no power to the outlet no matter what you try to plug in, check the main breaker panel for a tripped breaker. Shut off the breaker completely, reset, and see if it’s working.
Tripping means that an overload has affected the circuit. Sometimes the cause is a loose wire in the electrical box of the outlet.
Check the other outlets in the home, too, to see if there may be a short or overload from one of them. Check the connections to the outlet. Any loose connection will create extra heat that can lead to outlet damage, electric shock, or even a fire.