What Causes a Circuit Breaker To Keep Tripping?
There are several reasons breakers trip.
When a hot wire, or wire containing current, makes contact with the grounding wire or grounded part of the system, it is called a ground fault surge. People who come in contact with the path of least resistance, such as water or the ground, are in danger of shock.
Protection against ground fault surges can include:
Ground-fault circuit interrupter outlets where a ground fault surge is most likely, such as in bathrooms or outdoors
Circuit breakers that trip when electricity flow suddenly increases
A system of grounding wires that provide a direct path to the ground
When a wire that carries electrical flow goes outside its intended circuit with little to no resistance, a short circuit occurs. This can happen when wire connections have become loose or when bare wires touch each other. A sudden, large current begins to flow, causing the circuit breaker to trip and stop the flow. It is called a short circuit because the current bypasses the full circuit and flows back to the source by a shorter pathway.
The most common reason for breaker tripping is an overloaded circuit. Maybe you have experienced turning on an appliance only to have it shut off immediately. This happens when the appliance that was turned on is drawing more amps than the circuit can handle safely. Some appliances, like hair dryers, toasters or vacuums, use a lot of amps. Adding one of these to a circuit that's already near its amp limit will cause the circuit to overload.
If you have a breaker tripping frequently and aren't sure what the cause is, professionals specializing in electrical services in Tulsa, OK can help. Our experts at Empower Electric can help you fix the problem safely.