Circuit Breaker Keeps Tripping

A circuit breaker is an electrical device which is fitted in the electronic panel of your home. It regulates the amount of amperes (amp) being sent out through electrical wiring. If you talk about normal homes, mostly 10, 15, 20 amp circuit breakers are used. There are many electronic devices in the house which will require more power and hence, circuit breaker with a bigger amp is required for them. The passage by which electricity enters in your house is through the circuit breaker box. It has various circuits fitted in it. Each of these circuits are protected by a fuse or a breaker. Rooms which have all high energy consuming electronics have larger amp circuits. Sometimes, when you use too much electricity the circuit breaker trips, to avoid a potential hazard. So you can say that a trip is actually a life saver, but if circuit breaker keeps tripping then it can be a problem and something should be done about it soon.

The term "trips" in this section means the circuit shuts off. The circuit breaker trips off, when it sees that the electronic device is consuming more electricity than it requires. By tripping it protects the device and the circuit box and all its wires from overheating which may or may not lead to electric fire.

Breaker Switch Keeps Tripping Causes

After the tripping incident, you go to the circuit breaker panel and once you turn the switch on, it again flips. Now, there's something wrong that's for sure. At this point you need to think what can be the main cause for this main problem.

Weak Circuit Breaker
Weak breakers are one of the most common causes of continuous circuit tripping. The circuit becomes weak over time and also due to the overloading of electricity from time to time.

Overload Circuit
The main reason why circuit breaker trips is due to overloading. All circuit breakers in the electric panel have different ratings. Now, if you insert heavy duty devices in a 15 amp then it is naturally going to consume more electricity which will cause it to trip. The circuit breaker shuts down due to overheating, and also to prevent a potential fire. Learn more about circuit breaker replacement.

Short Circuit
If the tripping is not caused due to overloading, it is time to think of another reason which could be the cause of the circuit failure. A short circuit can also be a potential cause for breaker tripping. A short circuit is caused when the hot wire (black in color) comes in contact with another hot wire or a neutral wire (white in color). Short circuits are usually caused when wires break.

Ground Fault
Ground fault can be another reason for the tripping of circuit breaker. Ground fault happens when the hot wire (black in color) touches the ground wire (bare copper in color). Ground fault can also happen when the hot wire comes in contact with the electric panel as the panel is connected to the ground wire.

Repairing the Circuit Breaker

So, what should be done if the breaker is tripped? If the circuit breaker won't reset, how to repair it? Keep a flash light with you because you might need a good vision to repair the circuit breaker.

• First, find out if the power has gone out in a single room or the whole house. The reason for the circuit failure may be because of the various electrical devices running in that room or in the whole house.
• For electrical safety turn off all the lights and electrical devices of the affected area, once you've done that there is a higher chance that electricity wouldn't trip again.
• Go towards the electric service panel with a flashlight. Check all the circuits and see if they all are off. Once you've located the breaker, move it all the way to the off position. Now take it back to the ON position.
• After turning it ON, wait for at least 20 seconds to see whether it will trip again. If it stays on, then you have repaired the circuit breaker.
• If it trips off again, then it can be an internal wiring fault, or the wire must be broken. I would advise you to call up a licensed electrician.

Follow the above given points and try to solve the problem, but if its still not manageable, it is better to leave it alone and call up a professional.