ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade General Discussion Area wiring problem

any ideas on this,I have a 220 volt single phase panel ,from it a wire runs through a couple of j-boxes down the line there is a j-box with #1 black from breaker #1white grounded conductor # 2 black { maybe on a breaker }From the other direction I have a red wire spliced onto the # 2 black .follow me here I TOOK THE BLACK AND RED APART TO MAKE SURE OF THIS PART with breaker to # 1 wire on the red wire is hot at same time turn breaker off # 1 is dead red wire is dead and # 2 black becomes hot any ideas on how to isolate this and solve problem IF iI turn every breaker off in panal then all wires are dead but I cannot understand how to wires tied together can be hot at different times from a breker in an on and off position

Doc,
when you take the black and red apart and #1 breaker is on, did you test the Black wire? Is #2 Black hot also?

sounds like you have a splice at some point, the splice is from a different breaker but is on the same phase, rip it out and start over.

let me expand on my last reply, it sounds like you have a "back feed" and it is on the same phase,so you don't get a short circuit from line to line. If you cannot trace it out completely and account for every splice I would rip it out and start over.