First step, the panel. Took a torque screwdriver through the panel tightening every ground and neutral with a wire on it. 

I know you think you have a calibrated arm, YOU DO NOT. It is a wonder this is my only problem. I'm going to change shoes and do the hot wires later after what I just saw. I probably should have worn my insulated boots for the entire panel now that I think about it.

All tight now including confirming the specific ground for the faulty circuit. Tested, still voltage on ground at the outlet where I found the problem.

I guess that means I'll be opening up outlets and light fixtures. <s>Yay</s>

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 Plot twist. I had the wrong breaker. I used a breaker finder and it was confident, only a single breaker beeped. I went over the entire panel multiple times and it always beeped on the same breaker.

I figured it out because after that last test I turned the breaker back off, walked back over to my meter and it still showed voltage.

I guess I'm back to step find the problem breaker. I had that false positive issue with the breaker finder before and the cause was the circuit being on a subpanel. 

I'm done for now. More on this developing story tomorrow.

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 I'm realizing now this means I have no idea what all is on the affected circuit right now. Could be better than 2 lights and 3 outlets, could be far worse.

If my sump pumps are on it I won't be able to just leave it off for ages while I figure it out.

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 I couldn't help myself, officially nerd sniped. New breaker identified. This one also has 1 of 2 sump pumps, all of my basement ceiling lights, and my ONT on it.

The ONT and sump are non negotiable, I guess I need to work quick.

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 The circuit with the fault is on an extended ground. It was in a wire nut but corroded and loose looking. I took that apart, shined all 3 wires in the bundle, and put it back together with a wago.

No improvement.

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 Is it a partially open ground or a partial short to hot? I shut off the breaker and tested continuity in an affected outlet, no continuity between any leads.

In that case, I could just run a new ground into the circuit and call it a day. I think I want to be sure I found the issue though. That might leave some things unfixed.

nostr:nevent1qqs2erp0k3ywkz29j2qrm2h842dvwtszzklgncvdujr22rdwwr79zhgpz3mhxw309ucnydewxqhrqt338g6rsd3e9upzqqgd7ry53l56k4xjedl2gg8l5zx409vfsxmw568g8248avka8uz6qvzqqqqqqylm6dlf 

 https://image.nostr.build/4506f3bd90c5cea0d4c64db35bcb32568b137ca445a41c079c5724ee83a04cdc.jpg

Ok, but hear me out. It isn't a real deathplug. Despite the red wire it is simply a ground link that allows me to extend ground from a good circuit into the bad circuit. The other prongs are not connected.

That will let me confirm my weak ground theory and make it safer to use the in ceiling lights that are on the faulty circuit while I work on finding the problem. They are the only lights in the office where I work from home.

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 I'm still alive and my theory is confirmed. Now I just need to go outlet by outlet in the circuit and find the problem.

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 Maybe 2 breakers connected to the same circuit? 

 Nah, just a cheap ass circuit finder being worth what I paid for it. The new breaker I found more closely matches my memory of what was on the one breaker and it matches another mapping of some of my breakers I forgot I had done.