electricians please help!!!

[trompet3]

I'm having an electricity crisis; not to sure on the electicity lingo, but here it goes...
Last night I came home to my tank and the electricity had blew out to the outlets that my tank is plugged into. I went to the circuit breaker and found the switch for those outlets and turned it off and on again. That didn't do anything, so I unplugged things and tried again until it worked.
Turns out that I can have everything plugged in except my Mag 24. It blows out even if that is the only thing plugged in.
I'm running out to get an extention cord to try and run it to a different room as a temporary solution, just to get things running. Not sure if it's even going to work.
What can I do? Everything had been plugged in and running for weeks and no problems up until this point. Have not plugged in anything new lately. In case it helps, I live in an apartment that is only 2-3 yrs old. I do have six-outlet extentions plugged into each outlet, so I know I was stretching it, but don't understand why the Mag 24 now won't run even if I take everything out and just have that plugged in.
Please help---thank you!!!
ps. even though I had a minor flood because I had not yet drilled holes to break siphons, I did manage to contain it to inside the cabinet. I learned (though not completely) from past mistakes of carpet accidents and put a tarp under my sump covering the entire inside of the cabinet, so now the water is just sitting on top of the tarp! At least something went right!

 

[scotts]

Your Mag 24 is shorted out. What probably happened is something broke in the and is causing the current to go straight to ground. This is a good thing, because it is better than going into you. IMO your mag will not work at all. Even if you run it from a different circuit. You do not want to keep testing with your circuit breakers. You can wear them out.
Save the money on the extension cord and buy a new Mag 24.
Scott

 

[scotts]

How old is your pump? I see on one webiste that they have a 3 year warranty. I would try and return it under the warratny if possible.
Scott

 

[slick]

I agree it sounds like a problem with the pump itself not the outlets or breakers.

 

[trompet3]

When I do plug the pump in, there is an initial spark at the site and then the circuit blows.
The pump is only a few weeks old.
If it is indeed the pump, what could have caused the pump to short?

 

[trompet3]

Also, is it 15amps maximum going into each plug or 15amps going to all the plugs/outlets that are running off that circuit? (I don't know if I'm using the term "circuit" correctly, but I'm talking about all the outlets going to that one switch in my box).

 

[trompet3]

Ok, for kicks, I tried plugging it into another room and the same thing happened, so it's definitely the pump. Still, any ideas on how this could have happened? I'm finding out my warranty options now, I'm not sure how long I'm going to have to go without a return pump.
One more question. When it in per above, the circuit blew to that outlet. Now I can't get that outlet back on. They are poorly labeled, so the switches are a guessing game. I did end up trying all of them though. So if none of the switches worked, what's the problem?
Thanks again.

 

[scotts]

Just couild be a bad pump. That is why they have warranties. Most thing that fail break in the first 10% of their life. Also I saw on a website that it said this is "new". Not sure how old the website is but it could be a bad design.
Not quite sure what the send part of your post said. Are you saying that now your circuit breaker will now not stay in the on position?
Scott

 

[trompet3]

It will stay in the on position, I just can't get any one of them to deliver electricity to that outlet.

 

[sammystingray]

You say it is a few weeks old.....did it work at one time? If it did, and it won't work now.....got to be the pump. Whatever you do, don't dismantle it to look at it....this could void a return. Take it back if it worked at one point. The breakers didn't change, so it has to be the pump.

 

[zibnata]

when you reset a breaker you have to turn it to the off position first and then to the on position.Try again.

 

[trompet3]

zibnata, that's what I did, which is why I can't figure out what the problem is.

 

[zibnata]

is the outlet that you had the equipment plugged into a gfi outlet,ifso see if it needs to be reset at the outlet

 

[trompet3]

nope

 

[zibnata]

how many outlets are not working ?

 

[zibnata]

do any circuit breakers feel loose when you try to reset them ? does the on-off handle on the circuit breaker fell loose ?It could have been damaged internaly due to the constant blowing caused by the short.

 

[javatech]

maybe when the pump went bad it burned out the outlet too

 

[trompet3]

nope, nothings loose. From what i can tell, it's just the two outlets on that one wall plate that are not working.
I would like to figure it out, but if not, I'll call maintenance on tues.
Thanks for everyone's help. If anyone can still figure it out, still let me know.

 

[zibnata]

possible Java. In my experience I have found in condos and apartments that the way receptacles are installed is to stick the wires in the back of the receptacles instead of putting the wires under the screw terminals because it is a lot faster when doing a large amount. Time is $ . its called back stabbing. However the wires become loose over time and can short out,or maybe with all that shorting out it burnt a wire off.

 

[shep]

here is the rundown...any breaker will take only what it is rated at. not all breakers will do 15 amps. your pump is toast. I have 2 60w bulbs in the ceiling, my computer, desk lamp, tank with 1200 gph utility pump, one 1700 rio for skimmer, 1 cap 1200, 1 maxijet 1200, 2 maxi jet 600's, 2 maxijet 404's, and a maxi 800 powerhead. then we add in an ice cap 660 pushing 4 48"vho bulbs, an icecap 660 pushing 4 24"vhos. This is all in one room wired for 25 amps. I can even run the shopvac without the breaker tripping. but never tried shop vac and puter at same time.