Electrical gremlins-Looking for advice

[TFOGGER]

Tonight when I got home, no lights in the kitchen. They worked fine this morning. They are wired through a 15 amp AFCI breaker, which was tripped. I tried to reset it, after waiting a few minutes. It immediately trips. Knowing that AFCI breakers are persnickety, I went ahead and replaced it(pretty much the limit of my electrical abilities), no change. It acts like a dead short. All loads on the circuit are turned off. What's my next step?

Thanks in advance,

Jim

[ChickNorris]

Wish I had something good to say but it may be as bad as you're thinking. Sorry, that sucks.

I might try turning off all the other breakers except the AFCI you just replaced. Turn it back on & reintroduce loads one circuit at a time. That may help you find the fault. This is not my specialty however, so there could be a better way.

[ChickNorris]

Might be what is plugged in, even if its turned off, including light bulbs or a toaster. Anything plugged in.

Start there

[TFOGGER]

Might be what is plugged in, even if its turned off, including light bulbs or a toaster. Anything plugged in.

Start there

Nothing plugged in, only lights on this circuit, all turned off at the moment. may try disconnecting one switch at a time until the breaker doesn't trip.

[ChickNorris]

Right, you said lights in the kitchen. Yep I'd try the switches.

Silly, dumb idea I'll mention anyway: Anyone recently hang a picture or something similar in the vacinity?

[jslo]

Not an electrician, hopefully one chimes in, but most I've dealt with had a light that blinks an error code. Had one that gave us fits in a new home. Ended up cutting out all the push connectors in the recessed cans and replaced with wire nuts. Persnickety is not the word I used for 1st generation POS.

[BushMasterBoy]

Check for a short circuit with an ohm meter if you have one. Make sure there is no voltage with a volt meter first. I just use a digital multi meter. Do you have a garbage disposal ? Could have corroded through, mine did that a few years ago. You most likely have a short or an arcing somewhere. I hope it isn't a rodent problem. Somebody thought it would be "green" to make insulation plastic from soy beans.
Sometimes it helps to draw a wiring diagram or schematic.

[TFOGGER]

Yeah, the only thing on that circuit is lights. Dishwasher, appliance sockets, garbage disposal are all on different breakers and all work. I'm probably capable of tracking this down, but not with my wife looking over my shoulder. F@xk it, I'm gonna have to call an electrician. Any recommendation for an honest residential electrician on the east side of the metro area that doesn't charge a mint?

[TFOGGER]

To add: Based on the way the breaker trips, and the little diagnostic LED on it, the breaker is tripping on load, not an arc fault. Definitely a short, probably between the breaker and the first switch on the circuit. Double f@ck!!!

[Erni]

Silly question. What kind of light? Can you unscrew them all and check if it still trips?