Circuit breaker keeps tripping all of a sudden
#1
Circuit breaker keeps tripping all of a sudden
In the last several weeks, the circuit breaker for my bathroom has begun to trip for no reason that I can see--no appliances or lights are on at the time, and the only thing plugged in is my electric toothbrush charger. Nothing new is happening in the bathroom, electric-wise. I keep resetting the switch, and a day or two later, it flips off again.
Is this a problem that will require an electrician to diagnose and fix, or are there things I should try on my own first? (I am a complete novice at anything electrical.)
Is this a problem that will require an electrician to diagnose and fix, or are there things I should try on my own first? (I am a complete novice at anything electrical.)
#2
Are you talking about a breaker in the main breaker panel? If so, does this breaker have a "test" button on it?
Or are you talking about a GFCI receptacle, a receptacle with "test" and "reset" buttons on it (which isn't a breaker at all)?
If you are talking about a real breaker, and if this breaker is a GFCI breaker with a test button, then it's probably tripping due to a ground fault rather than due to overload. A common cause of ground faults is water. Is it possible that you splashed water around a receptacle, either in one of your bathrooms, or outside on a porch, or in the garage or basement? Have you used a power washer recently? Or have you had a big storm?
Or are you talking about a GFCI receptacle, a receptacle with "test" and "reset" buttons on it (which isn't a breaker at all)?
If you are talking about a real breaker, and if this breaker is a GFCI breaker with a test button, then it's probably tripping due to a ground fault rather than due to overload. A common cause of ground faults is water. Is it possible that you splashed water around a receptacle, either in one of your bathrooms, or outside on a porch, or in the garage or basement? Have you used a power washer recently? Or have you had a big storm?
#3
Yes, I mean the main breaker panel--to reset it, I have to open up the box and flip the switch back to the right position. I'm not sure if there's a test button on the panel, but I'll check when I get home. (What am I checking for? Do I push this button and then wait for something to happen?)
Given that the problem is occurring in a bathroom, and I live in a place where it's been raining a lot this summer, there might be a water issue. Still, I don't recall any major splashing going on in there lately, and it's not SO rainy that there is water puddling throughout the place.
Do you think it's worth just giving it some time and waiting for things to dry out? Or, for safety's sake, should I get someone in to diagnose this more definitively?
Given that the problem is occurring in a bathroom, and I live in a place where it's been raining a lot this summer, there might be a water issue. Still, I don't recall any major splashing going on in there lately, and it's not SO rainy that there is water puddling throughout the place.
Do you think it's worth just giving it some time and waiting for things to dry out? Or, for safety's sake, should I get someone in to diagnose this more definitively?
#6
Originally Posted by John Nelson
If you are talking about a real breaker, and if this breaker is a GFCI breaker with a test button, then it's probably tripping due to a ground fault rather than due to overload.
#7
It means that the circuit is most likely tripping due to a ground fault rather than an overload. You could wait a week to see if things dry out, or you could go around and carefully take the cover off each box on the circuit. Shine a flashlight in there. If you see moisture, you can try to accelerate the process with a hair dryer. If you find a box with moisture, you might consider ways to prevent moisture infiltration in the future.
Depending on when and where your house was built, this circuit might include stuff all over your house. Look especially in the garage, basement, porches and other bathrooms.
Depending on when and where your house was built, this circuit might include stuff all over your house. Look especially in the garage, basement, porches and other bathrooms.
#8
Originally Posted by John Nelson
It means that the circuit is most likely tripping due to a ground fault rather than an overload. You could wait a week to see if things dry out, or you could go around and carefully take the cover off each box on the circuit. Shine a flashlight in there. If you see moisture, you can try to accelerate the process with a hair dryer. If you find a box with moisture, you might consider ways to prevent moisture infiltration in the future.
Depending on when and where your house was built, this circuit might include stuff all over your house. Look especially in the garage, basement, porches and other bathrooms.
Depending on when and where your house was built, this circuit might include stuff all over your house. Look especially in the garage, basement, porches and other bathrooms.
Thanks so much for your advice on this. I hope I don't need more, but if I do, I'll be back sometime soon!
#9
Another Possibility
Travelmad,
I could also be a defective Gfic breaker. It may trip at much lower than
8 milliamps. That breaker is crammed full of electronics and a capacitor or
solid state component could have changed tolerance. Breaker Gfics are
expensive. You may be able to use a regular breaker and a outlet Gfic with
feed thru for potection. Just a thought. Say goodbye, Homer. Goodbye
PS an after thought, after the drying out, and the problem persists, look for
another gfic breaker in the panel with the same rating and switch them.
Wiring bathrooms together on a 20 amp circult creates havoc when two
people try to use hairdryers and electric heaters, etc. But I guess that
you're having nuisance trips.
I could also be a defective Gfic breaker. It may trip at much lower than
8 milliamps. That breaker is crammed full of electronics and a capacitor or
solid state component could have changed tolerance. Breaker Gfics are
expensive. You may be able to use a regular breaker and a outlet Gfic with
feed thru for potection. Just a thought. Say goodbye, Homer. Goodbye
PS an after thought, after the drying out, and the problem persists, look for
another gfic breaker in the panel with the same rating and switch them.
Wiring bathrooms together on a 20 amp circult creates havoc when two
people try to use hairdryers and electric heaters, etc. But I guess that
you're having nuisance trips.
Last edited by Homer Simpson; 08-18-04 at 07:03 PM.
#10
We have 3 bathrooms on one 20 amp circuit with GFCI receptacle in the first bathroom. With 6 of us (3 males and 3 females), we've yet to trip the breaker or the GFCI in 6 years. Just luck that those prone to use of hairdryers all have different schedules. My money in Travelmad's case is on either the dog splashing water onto an outlet or an outside outlet that's gotten wet from the rain. Also check for ant invasions. If you live in an area of the country that has fire ants, they will come toward the surface of the soil when it rains and they love electricity. A chain of ants can easily provide enough current flow to trip a GFCI.
Doug M.
Doug M.
#11
Originally Posted by dougm
A chain of ants can easily provide enough current flow to trip a GFCI.
Thanks to all for the suggestions. Let us all keep our fingers crossed that I never have to come back for more!