Circuits provide electricity to sections of your home, and breakers cut the power to each section when overloads and other issues arise. This automatic shutoff is crucial for safety, and you can usually just flip the breaker back on to restore power. However, this doesn’t always work, leaving you wondering why your breaker keeps tripping.
Fortunately, unexpected power loss doesn’t always signal something serious, even if the breaker keeps tripping, and it could just be a case of an overload, a loose appliance plug, or even a faulty breaker. However, you should always investigate why it’s happening.
This guide will help you understand:
- Common reasons your circuit breaker might be tripping
- Troubleshooting tips
- When to call a professional
Wondering whether it’s dangerous if a circuit breaker keeps tripping? Keep reading for essential electrical safety tips all homeowners should know.
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Common Reasons Your Circuit Breaker Might Be Tripping
What causes a circuit breaker to keep tripping, and when does it signal an urgent problem? Breakers might trip for many reasons, so diagnosis isn’t always straightforward. However, some of the most common causes include:
- Overloaded circuits. When too many appliances try to draw power at one time, this may exceed the circuit’s capacity. The breaker trips to prevent fires from overheating wires.
- Short circuits. A short circuit occurs when electricity follows an unexpected path along a circuit — most commonly between exposed live and neutral wires. Tripped breakers help prevent the unexpected current surge from causing arcs, fires, and electric shocks.
- Ground faults. If electricity flows from a live source to a grounded surface — either due to water intrusion or wiring faults — the breaker will trip continuously to prevent electric shocks. This is one of the most common electrical issues you should look for when buying a new house, and GFCIs are vital for safety.
- Arc faults. Damaged wires and connections can lead to arc faults, which trigger sparks, overheating, and fires. Circuit breaker trips help prevent these hazards.
- Loose components. If any part of a circuit experiences a loose connection, including outlets or the breaker itself, this can cause intermittent power fluctuations that trigger tripping.
- Faulty outlets/fixtures/appliances. Damaged outlets, fixtures, or even appliances connected to a circuit can cause repeated breaker trips if not repaired or removed before restoring power.
- Faulty circuit breakers. Finally, the circuit breaker itself may be faulty if it continues to trip. In this case, replacing the circuit breaker solves the issue.
Troubleshooting Tips
When troubleshooting why a circuit breaker keeps tripping, the first step is to assess the main panel for water leaks and other hazards. If everything is fine, open the panel and switch the breaker back on.
If it trips again immediately or after only a few seconds, check the maximum amperage of the breaker and calculate the power draw of all appliances on the circuit. If there’s an overload, redistribute some appliances onto other circuits before switching the breaker on again.
If there’s no overload, disconnect all appliances entirely. Try switching the tripped breaker back on.
If the breaker stays on, suspect a faulty appliance or outlet. The next step is to narrow down which is to blame by gradually adding appliances back.
Although it’s safe to perform minor troubleshooting, stop immediately if you notice sparks, burning smells, or buzzing sounds. Don’t touch any breakers that have singe marks or a warped shape, either, as this could be an electric shock risk.
When to Call a Professional
It’s never a good idea to perform major electrical work yourself or for anyone without professional training to use devices such as voltage detectors to test why a breaker keeps tripping with nothing plugged in.
Call an electrician immediately if you have any reason to suspect an electrical fault. Other electrical issues, such as intermittent light dimming, can occur alongside breaker trips, and these signs could indicate an underlying problem with your wiring.
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