Why Do Circuit Breakers Trip

If you’ve ever had a circuit breaker trip repeatedly, you probably thought it was broken. This would seem to make sense, and replacing it would be an easy way to stop the power in part of your home from going out frequently. However, there’s a good chance that the circuit breaker was not actually broken. It probably meant that it was working well and doing its job. In most cases, a breaker will last 25 years or more before needing to be replaced. However, you will need to have the breaker checked just to make sure it’s okay.

In order to give you a better idea of when a breaker might need to be replaced, we will discuss in this article the signs that you need a new breaker as well as the signs of what might be a more serious electrical issue.

Many people believe that if a circuit breaker keeps tripping, it is broken. This is actually often not true. It actually means that the circuit breakers are working by shutting off the power when it detects a problem. So, if a circuit breaker keeps tripping, you should contact an electrician and find out what is wrong.

What Does a Circuit Breaker Do?

A circuit breaker is intended to interrupt the supply of electricity from its source to your electrical panel and to any switches or outlets if there is a risk of a surge or of a large excess of electricity flowing through the wiring at one time.

This is not an unusual problem. It usually occurs when too many electrical devices are being used in the same room or plugged into one outlet. When this happens, it means too much electricity is coming through one circuit, and it could cause wires to heat up and possibly cause a fire. Or it could cause damage to your appliances.

Reasons Why Your Breakers May Keep Tripping

There are several reasons that a circuit breaker may trip repeatedly. The most likely reasons are a grounding issue, an overloaded circuit, or too many appliances on the circuit. We will now explain why these issues can cause a circuit to trip.

  • Grounding Issue: The breaker could be tripping because your home is no longer properly grounded. Every home is grounded in order to safely get rid of excess electricity by causing it to flow into the ground instead of going through the house. This could be done by using a grounding rod or another method. If the house is no longer adequately grounded, it could cause circuit breakers to trip or even cause you to receive electrical shocks from appliances or plumbing.
  • Overloaded Circuit: This could be caused by two wires being connected to a circuit instead of just one wire as it should be, thus causing it to draw too much electricity. It could also mean the current coming into your home is too powerful, and the circuit breaker is tripping in order to keep the wires from overheating or to keep your appliances from being damaged.
  • Excessive Appliances: It could also mean that you have too many appliances in one room using too much electricity on the same circuit. Or, it could be one of your appliances is not working correctly and drawing too much power.

Final Thoughts

When a circuit breaker trips, it may not be broken. But, it can be a serious problem. So, it is important to contact an electrician and have them determine what the problem is and fix it if necessary.

Contact Us

If you are having trouble with your circuit breakers and want to have them checked, call Clark Electric at 844-431-8050 or connect with us on Facebook and LinkedIn.