Breaker randomly trips. Help!!!


  #1  
Old 10-11-15, 05:53 PM
P
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 6
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Breaker randomly trips. Help!!!

All,
I have a home that's 5 years old, the issue I'm having is that a breaker ( controls foyer chandelier, and upstairs hallway light) keeps getting tripped for some unknown reason. The builder decided to put 4 separate switches to control the upstairs hallway light, I'm wondering could that he the reason why the breaker trips? Any help is greatly appreciated.
 
  #2  
Old 10-11-15, 06:18 PM
PJmax's Avatar
Group Moderator
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Jersey
Posts: 64,939
Received 3,951 Upvotes on 3,544 Posts
Welcome to the forums.

Having many switches controlling a light won't cause the breaker to trip. You mentioned two lights that go dead when that breaker trips. Is there anything else that goes dead ?

Is that a regular type circuit breaker or does it have a push test button on it ?
 
  #3  
Old 10-12-15, 10:37 AM
P
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 6
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Thanks for the quick reply! Hm nothing else that I know of goes dead. I took a look at the breaker, it has a small white vertical rectangular button on it, I'm assuming that's the button?
 
  #4  
Old 10-12-15, 10:49 AM
PJmax's Avatar
Group Moderator
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Jersey
Posts: 64,939
Received 3,951 Upvotes on 3,544 Posts
A small white button on the breaker tells us it's a newer style arc fault breaker. These breakers trip with any type of fault be it a quick short or even a circuit fault where the neutral touches ground.

Arc fault problems are not always easy to find. It could be neutral touching ground at one of the lights or switches. Even a staple driven too hard into a romex cable can cause problems.

Does it seem to only trip when using one particular light or has it tripped and you find out when the light doesn't work. It could also trip the second you turn the light on. It will take some investigating to narrow down the problem.
 
  #5  
Old 10-12-15, 12:36 PM
P
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 6
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
I believe it happens on 2 of the four switches are used. I'll try to narrow it down further.

Thanks
 
  #6  
Old 10-13-15, 01:09 PM
M
Member
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: USA
Posts: 95
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
It could possibly be a loose bulb mimicking an arc.

I have also seen one trip when a ham radio operator keyed his transmitter inside the house.
 
 

Thread Tools
Search this Thread
 
Ask a Question
Question Title:
Description:
Your question will be posted in: