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Message
Electrical breaker help needed
Posted on 6/13/21 at 10:16 pm
Posted on 6/13/21 at 10:16 pm
Lightning struck VERY close to the house (if not hit it). Too dark to look outside right now but it tripped a breaker inside and now I can’t flip it back. Each time I try, it flips back off instantly. Only one breaker in the box is like this. All others seem to be fine. Am I screwed?? What to do/troubleshoot? Tia.
7
Posted on 6/13/21 at 10:30 pm to Odinson
Try to flip it to the off position first, then back on. Once tripped, it won’t go back on until turned off first
If it still trips, likely something is shorted to ground. Could be a fried device or appliance plugged into a receptacle on that circuit. Could be a bad breaker too. Try unplugging things on that circuit first.
If it still trips, likely something is shorted to ground. Could be a fried device or appliance plugged into a receptacle on that circuit. Could be a bad breaker too. Try unplugging things on that circuit first.
This post was edited on 6/13/21 at 10:34 pm
Posted on 6/13/21 at 10:32 pm to Tiger-Striped-Bass
Tried multiple times, no luck.
This breaker is to room lights so nothing I can unplug to not over load it.
This breaker is to room lights so nothing I can unplug to not over load it.
Posted on 6/13/21 at 10:34 pm to Odinson
What is on the circuit? The surge may have created a short that is tripping the circuit.
Posted on 6/13/21 at 10:41 pm to Odinson
Maybe try removing the bulbs and see if that works. I’ve seen incandescent bulbs trip breakers. After that, if you don’t have a meter and some troubleshooting knowledge, might have to get someone who does. Changing a breaker is fairly simple as a last resort before going further. Just unsnap the breaker from the buss before removing the wire, then reconnect the wire to the new breaker before re-installing the breaker, to be safe. If you’re comfortable with that, and can’t run out and get a new breaker, you could swap breakers with another circuit that is working and see if the problem moves(breaker is bad) or stays on that circuit (not a breaker issue).
Posted on 6/13/21 at 10:41 pm to LSUtigerME
Just room lights
Posted on 6/13/21 at 10:49 pm to Odinson
It's possible the breaker is bad.
You would have to take the cover off the breaker panel and disconnect the wire coming off of it. Then try to reset. If it doesn't reset without a load, the breaker is bad.
Just be careful. You could flip off the main breaker to remove the electricity before you troubleshoot.
You would have to take the cover off the breaker panel and disconnect the wire coming off of it. Then try to reset. If it doesn't reset without a load, the breaker is bad.
Just be careful. You could flip off the main breaker to remove the electricity before you troubleshoot.
Posted on 6/13/21 at 10:56 pm to Odinson
The breaker hooks onto a retainer clip on the wire/terminal side, and rocks towards the center of the panel to stab onto the buss bar, pivoting on that retainer. So to remove it, you would rock the end in the center, away from the center and towards the side with the terminal. If you can do that first, that would be the safest way to handle it and then remove the wire after the breaker is removed . Then do the reverse of that with a new breaker. If you take a breaker from another circuit that is good, or a new breaker, and it still trips on the problem circuit, you’re going to need someone with electrical knowledge on site to track down what’s shorted.
1972 - good point. Just make sure the breaker is in the off position before removing that wire. Don’t trust it being tripped
1972 - good point. Just make sure the breaker is in the off position before removing that wire. Don’t trust it being tripped
This post was edited on 6/13/21 at 10:59 pm
Posted on 6/13/21 at 10:57 pm to ItzMe1972
So y’all don’t think any harm to the actual wiring itself? Just the switch? Even with this lightning situation?
Posted on 6/13/21 at 11:00 pm to Tiger-Striped-Bass
To be honest, all of that is over my head lol. I’m hoping it’s not a short but have a feeling that it is.
Posted on 6/13/21 at 11:01 pm to Odinson
1972’s suggestion removes the wire from the equation just to prove the breaker is good or bad. If the breaker is good, punt to someone with knowledge.
Posted on 6/13/21 at 11:03 pm to Tiger-Striped-Bass
I may give that a try (without the wire method).
Posted on 6/13/21 at 11:07 pm to Tiger-Striped-Bass
The whole point of a breaker is to protect the wire from burning due to over current. It’s not to protect devices. The breaker is sized to trip before the wire reaches it’s max allowable current. So the chances are, whatever is shorted, is most likely something lighter than your circuit wire. That’s if something is indeed shorted. Could be the bulb, the lighter gauge wiring of the fixture, etc. But with a lightening strike, I guess anything is possible.
Posted on 6/13/21 at 11:27 pm to Odinson
If it keeps flipping stop. You have a short. Don’t burn your house down.
Posted on 6/13/21 at 11:36 pm to Odinson
Had a similar incident happen to me awhile back. Called the electrician out and it ended up being a fried receptacle. We were fortunate that house hadn’t burnt down. Wiring and receptacle were toast.
If it’s an older house could be something like that.
If it’s an older house could be something like that.
Posted on 6/14/21 at 6:50 am to Odinson
quote:
So y’all don’t think any harm to the actual wiring itself?
Possible? Yes, but less likely.
You could do some trouble shooting with a meter reading resistance between conductors/ground but it would be too difficult to explain here.
I agree with others, start with the breaker and bulbs. If no luck, then I would start considering switches/wiring.
Posted on 6/14/21 at 8:16 am to southern686
Looks like lightning struck a tree about 25ft away from the house. Not sure why it would fry my breaker or wires. House is only 4 years old.
Now finding that my garage door is not operational either. Pretty sure it’s on a different breaker but don’t see any other breaker tripped.
Now finding that my garage door is not operational either. Pretty sure it’s on a different breaker but don’t see any other breaker tripped.
Posted on 6/14/21 at 8:19 am to Odinson
Lightning does some weird things sometimes. Call your homeowners and they may pay for someone to come check it out.
Posted on 6/14/21 at 8:53 am to Odinson
quote:
Looks like lightning struck a tree about 25ft away from the house. Not sure why it would fry my breaker or wires. House is only 4 years old.
If lightning struck 25 ft away, you should be thankful it’s just the 1 circuit giving you issues
Posted on 6/14/21 at 9:56 am to Odinson
Call insurance company
If lightning hit a tree that close could it be possible to have a surge on the grounded cable and killed the breaker?
If lightning hit a tree that close could it be possible to have a surge on the grounded cable and killed the breaker?
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