What causes a circuit breaker to trip !

In my previous blog, I have discussed possible reasons behind circuit breaker tripping. Here, I will be covering those reasons in-depth and discuss the reasons and most appropriate solutions.

circuit-breaker

The 5 most possible reasons that cause a circuit breaker to trip are below mentioned, I have seen these as electricians Sacramento area at every second client's home -
  • Short Circuit
  • Ground Fault
  • Overloading
  • Arc Fault
  • Faulty Circuit breaker

Short Circuits

After handling hundreds of projects as being electrician sacramento, I would say this may cost you the most.

The most common reason for short circuits is when a “hot” wire and a “neutral wire" in one of your electrical outlets come into contact. When this occurs, a lot of current flows through the circuit and generates more heat than the circuit can tolerate. In situations like this, the breaker will continue to trip, cutting off the circuit to stop potentially dangerous situations such as electrical fire.

The reason for short can be anything from loose connections to faulty wire in your home wiring. The best way to identify short circuits is by burning smell.

Ground Fault

When a hot wire comes into contact with a ground wire that is made of naked copper or sides of the metal outlet box that is attached with ground wire. It may seem like a short circuit but both are different. Because of this, the circuit will have to manage more electricity flowing through it and breaker trips to prevent overheating and electrical fire to safeguard the circuit and your electric appliances. 

You can identify the ground fault surges by looking for discoloration near the outlets. Calling a professional electrician would be safe because these carry a high risk of surges.

Overloading

Circuit breakers that trip repeatedly are typically caused by a circuit overload. When you need a circuit to deliver more power than it is capable of, this happens. This will cause the circuit to overheat, threatening all the electrical devices attached to it. Being an electrical service provider, I would recommend you must try redistributing your electrical appliances and keeping them off the same circuits to solve this problem. Even some gadgets can be turned off to minimize the electrical strain on the circuit breaker.

Arc Fault

Arc faults happen when loose wire connections or corroded wires cause sparking(sparking). This creates heat and electrical fire if not taken care of.

Some most common reasons for it are overheated wires, loose terminal connections, or wires pinched by furniture.

To safeguard your house from any electrical dangers, you can install thermal breakers or arc fault circuit interrupters (AFCI).

Faulty Circuit Breaker

Often, frequent tripping compromises the circuit breaker and causes instant tripping. It's not a huge deal; you may take care of it yourself or have your sacramento electricians to change the breaker for you.

When a circuit breaker trips promptly, you shouldn't ignore it, usually you can identify the source right away, but there are occasions when it doesn't, and later creates major problems. Alertness on early indications will assure the safety of you and your loved ones.

These are some possible reasons that cause a circuit breaker to trip. Never ignore the tripping of circuit breakers because they can save you possible hazards.

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