Why Does My Breaker Keep Tripping?
A circuit breaker is an electric device that protects and controls your home’s power system. When excessive electricity flows through the breaker, it trips. This protects it from overheating from the heavy electric load. As a result, electric fires can be prevented.
But when tripping occurs repeatedly, homeowners often think it happens because the breaker has gone “bad.” However, a bad breaker is not the cause most of the time. So, what causes circuit breakers to trip instead? Let’s find out.
3 Common Causes of Frequent Tripping in Circuit Breakers
Here is a list of all the common causes that might lead to your breaker tripping repeatedly:
Circuit Overload
Every circuit has a set capacity. Pushing the circuit to provide you with electricity that exceeds its capacity leads to an overload. As a result, the circuit starts heating up, which puts your home and all connected appliance at risk.
To ensure your circuit doesn’t get fried, the breaker trips. If it doesn’t, you may have to sustain damages that require costly repairs. But most of all, it reduces the risk of fires.
However, this doesn’t mean you can’t use electrical devices that consume more power. All you need to do is redistribute the load so that different devices are wired to different circuits. A professional electrician can help you out with the load distribution.
Short Circuits
Short circuits can be a result of loose connections or faulty wiring. It occurs when a heated wire comes in direct contact with a neutral wire. When these two wires meet in an electrical outlet, excessive current flows through the circuit, which is even riskier than a circuit overload. The heat buildup keeps increasing, which causes the breaker to trip.
In this case, the breaker that trips gives off a burning smell, and you might even find some form of discoloration around the circuit. While that may seem like a bad breaker, it’s actually a short circuit.
Ground Fault Surge
A ground fault surge is not all that different from a short circuit. In this case, the heated wire comes in contact with a ground wire, typically made of copper. As a result, the electricity higher than the circuit’s capacity passes through, causing the breaker to trip.
Reach Out to Ryan Electric to Get Your Circuit Breaker Inspected
If your circuit breaker keeps tripping repeatedly, it is important to get it checked by a professional electrician. Ryan Electric can inspect the breaker at your home to identify the root cause of the problem. Moreover, our trained staff will make the necessary fixes to keep your home’s safety intact. Call (913) 406-7700 for more details.