Q: My breaker tripped what does it mean?
Chances are we’ve all experienced a tripped breaker at some point. You plug in the vacuum cleaner, start the coffee pot and cut on the space heater and “click” no power! Most likely you have tripped a breaker.
Circuit breakers are a safety feature designed to protect against overload and short circuits. They are basically a switch inside your panel box that senses when too much electrical current is being pulled or used by the circuit, the mechanism inside the breaker sense this and pulls the circuit apart, effectively turning the switch to “off” and stopping the flow of electricity.
Types of Breakers:
The most common breaker for residential use is a single pole 15amp or 20amp breaker. These are commonly lighting and outlets throughout the home. Most homes have multiple circuits like this (often grouped by room or general areas of the house) with each circuit having a breaker.
Items like EV Chargers, kitchen circuits, some large computer equipment etc., can require a higher amperage breaker. These are commonly 30amp -50amp rated and allow for more power to higher use circuits or for dedicated pieces of equipment/appliances. They look almost identical to a 15a-20a breaker and take only a single “slot” in the panel.
Large appliances requiring 240v power will have a dedicated two-pole breaker. This means they have 2 “hot” wires and allow for the increase to 240v power. These breakers are larger, take more space in the panel and often have a larger “bridged” switch. These are most commonly water heaters, dryers and electric ranges.
In addition to these standard types of breakers there are now have options to include additional protection like GFCI or AFCI on a breaker level. There are even specialty breakers to provide combined protection AFCI/GFCI or surge protection for the entire home. For example if your bathroom outlets and lights are on a circuit that is GFCI protected on a breaker level then you do not require individual GFCI protection on the outlets themselves.
Resetting a Breaker:
If you know which things are run on the circuit turn them off. (i.e.: if the breaker tripped when you plugged in the vacuum cleaner, unplug it before resetting the breaker.)
Open your electrical panel
Take a good look at the breaker and panel itself for any visible issues like charring or melting
Look for any breakers in the “off” position (a clearly labeled panel is helpful to know which circuit may be the culprit) – note: a tripped breaker may also appear to be in a mid-position, look for the one that isn’t fully “on” or is out of line with the others.
Push the breaker fully to off position
Click it back to the on position (it should “click” back into the on position)
Close your panel
When to call an electrician:
Resetting a breaker is fairly simple but if you see any of the following, you should call an electrician for help. Generally if the breaker will not reset after 1-2 attempts, it may be time to call for assistance.
The breaker feels warm or is hot to touch
Any smells of burning or smoke
If the breaker or surrounding panel looks melted or charred
There are sparks or “sizzling” sounds
If the breaker immediately “trips” again
Breaker feels “mushy” and does not click into position
Breaker is seized and will not move (do not force the breaker or attempt to “hold it on”)
Replacing a Breaker:
Circuit breakers have a fairly long lifespan, up to 30-40 years under normal conditions but it is still good to evaluate them. Most commonly a breaker needs to be replaced because it has been damaged while preventing a surge or short circuit. Always make sure that new breakers are compatible with your electrical panel and size of the wires in your circuit. Some of the most common breaker brands are Eaton, Square D, Siemens, and GE.
Fuses:
Some older homes have a fuse box instead of a breaker box for their main electrical panel, commonly if your home was built before the 1960’s and you have lower overall power service coming to your home. Fuses protect against current overload similar to a breaker but cannot be reset, if a fuse blows it will need to be replaced.
What’s Next:
Most often a homeowner can reset the occasional tripped breaker but if a breaker is tripping repeatedly or showing any of the causes for concern, just give us a call. Our service trucks are stocked with the most common household breakers (and fuses) and we can check for any other issues and replace the breaker if needed.
Ask the Electrician is a column we publish with our advertising partner WCHL/Chapelboro. In “Ask The Electrician,” Scott answers common questions about electrical work, from switches and outlets to safety issues and preventative maintenance. If you have a suggested question for us to answer – or need an electrician – please reach out to our office.