Overhead Lights ot working - fuse problem?

[BrianSWFC]

A couple of times this week my overhead lights have stopped working. To fix this I went down to the basement and flipped the fuse breaker switch back to ON from OFF.

Now the lights have gone off and the breaker switch is set to ON. I have toggled it between ON and OFF numerous times, made sure all lights were off before doing this and generally done everything the 'layman' would think to do.

Does anyone have any ideas on how to fix this or what might be causing the problem?

[HayZee518]

what kind of fixtures?

[BrianSWFC]

I have 2 ceiling fans/lights, 4 overhead lights and one bathroom fixture of 4 lights (above a mirror) and a combination ceiling light/extract fan.

[HayZee518]

go to the first box that the cable from the panelbox goes to. check the neutral connections. the wirenut may have come loose. ok I'm thinking - 4 overhead lights - 75 watts each = 2.5 amps. bathroom fixture 4 lamps 60 watts each = 2 amps. 2.5+2=4.5 amps. now add the amps from the three fans and lights and you're coming awfully close to the trip of the breaker IF it's a 20 amp breaker. Could be the breaker has tripped but the internals are worn out.

[BrianSWFC]

Inaccessible short circuit - options?

So I got an electrician to look at my lights problem. He charged me $250 to replace a circuit breaker, which didn't work, and then he pulled the offending cable down from the space between my floorboards and the basement (I live on the 1st floor). Moving the cable cleared the short circuit.

Now the short circuit is back! My lights don't work.

What are my options here? Clearly I need to fix the short circuit. The location of the circuit is inaccessible. Will I necessarily have to rip up floorboards and tear holes in walls? Or is there a clever way of detecting and fixing these things?

[HayZee518]

unfortunately there is no easy way. you say the cable is between the floor boards. could someone have inadvertently put a nail through it? crazy place to put a wire! a pigtail socket with a 100 watt lamp in it will help troubleshooting. one wire of the pigtail goes to the circuit wire, other end goes in the breaker. with the breaker on, a definite short will light up the bulb. wiggling on the wire might dislodge the sort and the lamp will go out. and you'll have found your circuit.