Hair dryer- blowing circuit breaker

When I use my hair dryer, all is fine. When I return to use it, the outlet is not working and I must reset the circuit breaker. An electrician replaced the outlet and the circuit breaker - the problem still persists. (Same problem with old hair dryer, this one is new -uses 13 amps) Any ideas?

 

What else is on the same circuit?

 

I'm assuming this is a GFCI?Or are you resetting the breaker at the breaker box?

Hair dryers have a heating element which is one of the heavier electrical draws just like a space heater etc plus it is drawn in a burst of use when you turn it on.

and if this is a 15 amp circuit and you're pulling 13 that doesn't leave much wiggle room.

 

And is it a 15a or 20a circuit?

 

The outlet is not a GFCI, although the hair dryer has its own button which does not trip. There is a toothbrush charger on the same socket. It is 15 amp. I am resetting the breaker at the box. Thanks.

 

Surprised the electrician didn't tell you that the bathroom must be a 20a circuit GFCI protected. You need to run a new circuit just for the receptacle. 12-2 NM-b on a 20a circuit. Use a GFCI receptacle (cheapest method) or GFCI breaker. Under grandfathering you may be able to leave the existing receptacle but it needs to be changed to GFCI. You could use the 15a for small loads like a radio or tooth brush.

 

Yes I'd change to a GFCI.I suspect this is an older home,sure sounds like it.More than likely if you keep using this circuit for the hair dryer this problem will continue and eventually wear out the breaker.At least a GFCI might trip right there and make it easier to deal with.That too would eventually wear out but be easier to replace.I don't really see this as a dangerous situation assuming there isn't anything else going on like a short,old damaged wiring etc but it will be an annoyance.Probably only a rewire of the circuit will eliminate it.

 

Thank you! I will see about upgrading the circuit.

 

Just to state the obvious you have to upgrade both the breaker and the wiring.

 

Guys, please understand that the requirement for 20 ampere circuits serving only bathrooms is less than 20 years old. My house was built in 1987 and has one 15 ampere circuit (#14 type NM cable) that originally served the garage outlet (which contained the only GFCI on the circuit) garage door opener, a single duplex receptacle in each of two bathrooms and the outside receptacle on the back deck.

There are probably hundreds of thousands of existing bathroom receptacle circuits that were wired BEFORE the requirement of dedicated 20 ampere circuits but after the requirement of GFCI on bathroom receptacle circuits. Unless a major renovation has taken place in the bathroom these circuits are still code compliant although I agree it is best to upgrade them to current code when possible.

 

Circuit breakers trip due to too much current flow. GFI receptacles and breakers trip because there is an imbalance in the current flowing out on the hot wire vs the current flow on the neutral wire. Two entirely different purposes and methodologies.

 

I would advise you to check the connections either at the receptacle just ahead of this one or where the hair dryer is plugged in. There may be an poor connection that is heating up and opening under load.

 

I have to deal with tenants on that very wiring here in same vintage housing. They are mystified at how there are outages in the bathrooms(both), and the garage door opener does not work, and yet no circuit breaker is tripped.