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re: OT electricians, why does a 15A breaker keep tripping?
Posted on 8/2/18 at 8:30 am to Jake88
Posted on 8/2/18 at 8:30 am to Jake88
Plug in a hair dryer and see if it trips it, they are usually higher amp.
Likely a bad breaker though, like anything they simply fail sometimes. Could also be you have something on the line you don't know about? Like in the garage or something as garages are often on the same line as your outdoor outlets.
Could also very easily be a bad outdoor outlet. The elements cause them to have issues.
Likely a bad breaker though, like anything they simply fail sometimes. Could also be you have something on the line you don't know about? Like in the garage or something as garages are often on the same line as your outdoor outlets.
Could also very easily be a bad outdoor outlet. The elements cause them to have issues.
0
Posted on 8/2/18 at 8:32 am to Boudreaux35
It tripped overnight without the smoker plugged in and all lights off.
Posted on 8/2/18 at 8:34 am to Boudreaux35
quote:I just had to have an Arc Fault breaker replaced in our 2 year old house. It tripped, I reset it, it tripped a few days later. Reset it a final time and it tripped in the middle of the night with no load. Ours are Eaton breakers and they run self tests every so often and this one was failing the internal self test and tripping.
If the circuit is common to a bedroom, the breaker SHOULD be an arc fault breaker, not simply a GFCI circuit.
Posted on 8/2/18 at 8:34 am to Jake88
Plug something lower amperage into the GFCI outlets. If all work fine, it is either the breaker or the line. If one of the outlets doesn't work, replace that GFCI.
Posted on 8/2/18 at 8:35 am to Boudreaux35
Just thought about it.
If a gfci then it was the smoker. Calrod heating elements work the same principle as an incandescent light bulb. The element is between neutral and hot and it's resistance keeps it from simply shorting out but the current flow makes it get really hot.
Gfci's read this as a fault. Generally a toaster won't trip, but larger calrods like found in toaster ovens, fridges and smokers will.
If a gfci then it was the smoker. Calrod heating elements work the same principle as an incandescent light bulb. The element is between neutral and hot and it's resistance keeps it from simply shorting out but the current flow makes it get really hot.
Gfci's read this as a fault. Generally a toaster won't trip, but larger calrods like found in toaster ovens, fridges and smokers will.
Posted on 8/2/18 at 8:37 am to PrivatePublic
I plugged a lamp into the two outdoor outlets and they worked fine. A nail gun was used in one of the outlets all day without problem as well.
Posted on 8/2/18 at 8:40 am to Napoleon
I've used the smoker in the outdoor outlets for over a year with no problem. But, yes as soon as I plugged it in, the outlet clicked. The outlet it worked on was a standard outlet. But, why would the breaker trip overnight with no real load? Smoker was unplugged.
This post was edited on 8/2/18 at 8:42 am
Posted on 8/2/18 at 8:45 am to Jake88
Are you using an extension cord by chance?
Any critters crawling around in your attic?
15A breakers are relatively cheap. Buy a new one and change it out.
If it continues to trip, it's likely a short in a wire somewhere. Critters occasionally snack on wires. At that point, it's a little detective work to find the problem wire.
Any critters crawling around in your attic?
15A breakers are relatively cheap. Buy a new one and change it out.
If it continues to trip, it's likely a short in a wire somewhere. Critters occasionally snack on wires. At that point, it's a little detective work to find the problem wire.
Posted on 8/2/18 at 8:51 am to Jake88
quote:
Jake88
What brand smoker? How many amps does the smoker pull? Sounds like the other outlet was a dedicated outlet. Is the tripping breaker loose at all?
Posted on 8/2/18 at 8:51 am to WhiskeyThrottle
No extention cord. No sound of rodents lately, though several years ago during winter I suspect we had a few.
Posted on 8/2/18 at 8:52 am to wickowick
quote:
How old is the home? Is there is GFI outlet or breaker on this leg with there being outside outlets?
This is my guess. I had a short in my smoker's element that kept throwing the GFCI circuit.
Posted on 8/2/18 at 8:53 am to Jake88
Not trying to be a jerk, but you are acting like its something that is not there OP. You have one of 4 options basically that are causing it:
1.) Something plugged in to an outlet pulling over 15 amps
2.) Bad outlet
3.) Bad wiring
4.) Bad Breaker
1.) Something plugged in to an outlet pulling over 15 amps
2.) Bad outlet
3.) Bad wiring
4.) Bad Breaker
Posted on 8/2/18 at 8:57 am to Jake88
quote:
It tripped overnight without the smoker plugged in and all lights off.
Well, seems like that eliminates the outlet, unless there is something else on that circuit drawing current. I'm still betting on a bad breaker.
Not sure why someone downvoted my previous comment on the arc fault breaker.
If it is one, there is a test button on it.
Posted on 8/2/18 at 9:12 am to Boudreaux35
He said it tripped overnight with no lights on and the smoker unplugged. That's either a bad breaker, or bad wiring.
He could just swap another breaker in there to test it. Takes all of 10 minutes for a complete beginner.
I had a breaker go bad after a year
He could just swap another breaker in there to test it. Takes all of 10 minutes for a complete beginner.
I had a breaker go bad after a year
This post was edited on 8/2/18 at 9:13 am
Posted on 8/2/18 at 9:13 am to baldona
No problem. Thanks to everyone's answers I've learned those are my choices. I'll start with the arc fault breaker and move on from there.
All answers in this thread, even the jokes are greatly appreciated. The OT is a humorous and damn helpful community. Thanks baws!
All answers in this thread, even the jokes are greatly appreciated. The OT is a humorous and damn helpful community. Thanks baws!
Posted on 8/2/18 at 9:15 am to Hammertime
quote:
Well, seems like that eliminates the outlet, unless there is something else on that circuit drawing current. I'm still betting on a bad breaker.
quote:
He said it tripped overnight with no lights on and the smoker unplugged. That's either a bad breaker, or bad wiring.
Kinda what I said, right?
Posted on 8/2/18 at 9:17 am to Jake88
Again though OP, just because you "think" you know all of the outlets on a breaker doesn't mean you absolutely do. My master bedroom has a single outlet in the garage on the same breaker.
Outdoor outlets are routinely tied into breakers in other rooms and random places.
It very easily could be that you have something plugged in to the breaker that you didn't realize was on that same breaker.
Outdoor outlets are routinely tied into breakers in other rooms and random places.
It very easily could be that you have something plugged in to the breaker that you didn't realize was on that same breaker.
Posted on 8/2/18 at 9:23 am to MardiGrasCajun
Masterbuilt smoker. Don't know amps drawn but it's always worked on this circuit till now. Breaker isn't loose. I'm gonna go with replacing breaker and if needed move down the list mentioned in this thread.
Posted on 8/2/18 at 9:30 am to baldona
Thanks. I'll do more searching for what's on the circuit.
Posted on 8/2/18 at 10:02 am to Jake88
so if your breaker tripped but not the GFI ( both should be 15A) then you probably have a bad breaker.
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