Bad Circuit Breaker
 

The circuit breaker for my 2nd bedroom recently tripped. we had a
visitor and she was probably using her blow dryver, curling iron,
etc.....damn women. anyway, i reset it but it went off again and will
not go back on.

my computer, cable modem, printer, and a tiny TV were all plugged into
outlets on this circuit. i'm guessing the circuit was overloaded and
tripped but why isn't it going back on? seems like the entire ckt
breaker has gone bad.

i saw some other posts about making sure the breaker is not loose. i'll
check that, but if it needs replacing is this a safe job? how do i
check or replace this? i'm thinking i need to remoive the panel, shut
off the main, and remove the bad breaker...but i'm short on the
details. help me out if you can.
thanks.

fyi, it is a 15amp arc fault breaker with the test button.

mindbender wrote:
The circuit breaker for my 2nd bedroom recently tripped. we had a
visitor and she was probably using her blow dryver, curling iron,
etc.....damn women. anyway, i reset it but it went off again and will
not go back on.

my computer, cable modem, printer, and a tiny TV were all plugged into
outlets on this circuit. i'm guessing the circuit was overloaded and
tripped but why isn't it going back on? seems like the entire ckt
breaker has gone bad.

i saw some other posts about making sure the breaker is not loose. i'll
check that, but if it needs replacing is this a safe job? how do i
check or replace this? i'm thinking i need to remoive the panel, shut
off the main, and remove the bad breaker...but i'm short on the
details. help me out if you can.
thanks.

To reset the breaker, push the handle hard to the off position before the on
position, to reset it internally. Try unplugging everything on that dead
circuit and turn off all lights on it as well. If the breaker then resets,
as you turn things back on, you may find what's causing the problem. If it
is a defective Arc fault breaker, you probably should have an electrician
replace it








"mindbender" wrote in message
oups.com...
fyi, it is a 15amp arc fault breaker with the test button.

mindbender wrote:
The circuit breaker for my 2nd bedroom recently tripped. we had a
visitor and she was probably using her blow dryver, curling iron,
etc.....damn women. anyway, i reset it but it went off again and will
not go back on.

my computer, cable modem, printer, and a tiny TV were all plugged into
outlets on this circuit. i'm guessing the circuit was overloaded and
tripped but why isn't it going back on? seems like the entire ckt
breaker has gone bad.

i saw some other posts about making sure the breaker is not loose. i'll
check that, but if it needs replacing is this a safe job? how do i
check or replace this? i'm thinking i need to remoive the panel, shut
off the main, and remove the bad breaker...but i'm short on the
details. help me out if you can.
thanks.

mindbender wrote:
The circuit breaker for my 2nd bedroom recently tripped. we had a
visitor and she was probably using her blow dryver, curling iron,
etc.....damn women. anyway, i reset it but it went off again and will
not go back on.

my computer, cable modem, printer, and a tiny TV were all plugged into
outlets on this circuit. i'm guessing the circuit was overloaded and
tripped but why isn't it going back on? seems like the entire ckt
breaker has gone bad.

i saw some other posts about making sure the breaker is not loose.
i'll check that, but if it needs replacing is this a safe job? how do
i check or replace this? i'm thinking i need to remoive the panel,
shut off the main, and remove the bad breaker...but i'm short on the
details. help me out if you can.
thanks.

It is also possible that there is now a fault in the circuit.

Replacing a breaker is not all that difficult. While I kill the power
at the main breakers I also treat the job as if I had not.

The particular procedure depends on the box you have and I don't feel
qualified to give you instructions over the internet for a job that my have
variables that I might not think of. Maybe someone else will offer their
advice. Same goes for testing the circuit. Testing the breaker takes a
special tool and that runs $100 +.

--
Joseph Meehan

Dia duit

mindbender wrote:
The circuit breaker for my 2nd bedroom recently tripped.

i saw some other posts about making sure the breaker is not loose.

--
WARNING:

Do NOT under any circumstances take advice from an idiot named AMUN.

Regarding tile, electrical, HVAC, painting, drywall, plastering, lawn
mower repair and various other construction issues, AMUN is a clueless
moron. As things go AMUN will dissapear as his kind usually does when
confronted with their bad advice by those who are knowledgeable in their
respective fields. Until then - BEWARE

please stop posting these inflamatory and useless statements. All of
these posts are based on the best of our knowledge and anyone with a
brain will understand that it may or may not be right... safety
warnings not withstanding.

phil

Joseph Meehan wrote:
mindbender wrote:

The circuit breaker for my 2nd bedroom recently tripped. we had a
visitor and she was probably using her blow dryver, curling iron,
etc.....damn women. anyway, i reset it but it went off again and will
not go back on.

my computer, cable modem, printer, and a tiny TV were all plugged into
outlets on this circuit. i'm guessing the circuit was overloaded and
tripped but why isn't it going back on? seems like the entire ckt
breaker has gone bad.

i saw some other posts about making sure the breaker is not loose.
i'll check that, but if it needs replacing is this a safe job? how do
i check or replace this? i'm thinking i need to remoive the panel,
shut off the main, and remove the bad breaker...but i'm short on the
details. help me out if you can.
thanks.


It is also possible that there is now a fault in the circuit.

Replacing a breaker is not all that difficult. While I kill the power
at the main breakers I also treat the job as if I had not.

The particular procedure depends on the box you have and I don't feel
qualified to give you instructions over the internet for a job that my have
variables that I might not think of. Maybe someone else will offer their
advice. Same goes for testing the circuit. Testing the breaker takes a
special tool and that runs $100 +.


If the tool to test the breaker costs $100, forget
the tool and buy a new breaker, or several.
Actually, testing the breaker is as simple as
placing it in another operating circuit and
putting the breaker it replaces in the "bad"
circuit. Costs nothing. But of course a person
that knows nothing about electrical circuits and
is unwilling to buy a book and learn may fry
him/herself. Fortunately, anyone smart enough to
be able to own a house, or smart enough to operate
a car and change tires, can learn the basics quickly.

This is not a standard circuit breaker,it is an arc fault breaker, which
wires differently and is tested differently then a standard breaker. If the
OP has never seen the inside of a breaker panel, this is not where he should
start learning



"mindbender" wrote in message
oups.com...
The circuit breaker for my 2nd bedroom recently tripped. we had a
visitor and she was probably using her blow dryver, curling iron,
etc.....damn women. anyway, i reset it but it went off again and will
not go back on.

my computer, cable modem, printer, and a tiny TV were all plugged into
outlets on this circuit. i'm guessing the circuit was overloaded and
tripped but why isn't it going back on? seems like the entire ckt
breaker has gone bad.

i saw some other posts about making sure the breaker is not loose. i'll
check that, but if it needs replacing is this a safe job? how do i
check or replace this? i'm thinking i need to remoive the panel, shut
off the main, and remove the bad breaker...but i'm short on the
details. help me out if you can.
thanks.

George E. Cawthon wrote:
Joseph Meehan wrote:
...
Testing the breaker takes a special tool and that runs $100 +.


If the tool to test the breaker costs $100, forget
the tool and buy a new breaker, or several.
Actually, testing the breaker is as simple as
placing it in another operating circuit and
putting the breaker it replaces in the "bad"
circuit. Costs nothing. But of course a person
that knows nothing about electrical circuits and
is unwilling to buy a book and learn may fry
him/herself. Fortunately, anyone smart enough to
be able to own a house, or smart enough to operate
a car and change tires, can learn the basics quickly.

Would like likely be a good enough test for the case in point, but it
does not test if a "arc fault breaker" is providing the protection it is
designed to provide. That is why the tester is a little higher than might
be needed to see if the breaker is the cause of the lack of power on a given
circuit.


--
Joseph Meehan

Dia duit

Joseph Meehan wrote:
George E. Cawthon wrote:

Joseph Meehan wrote:

..

Testing the breaker takes a special tool and that runs $100 +.


If the tool to test the breaker costs $100, forget
the tool and buy a new breaker, or several.
Actually, testing the breaker is as simple as
placing it in another operating circuit and
putting the breaker it replaces in the "bad"
circuit. Costs nothing. But of course a person
that knows nothing about electrical circuits and
is unwilling to buy a book and learn may fry
him/herself. Fortunately, anyone smart enough to
be able to own a house, or smart enough to operate
a car and change tires, can learn the basics quickly.


Would like likely be a good enough test for the case in point, but it
does not test if a "arc fault breaker" is providing the protection it is
designed to provide. That is why the tester is a little higher than might
be needed to see if the breaker is the cause of the lack of power on a given
circuit.



Whoa! The breaker broke the connection twice, he
reset and it broke the connection again. His
problem is that it now won't reset.
The breaker is providing protection since it
allows no current. The question to be answered
is: 1, is there a fault (short) in the circuit or
2, is there a fault in the breaker. This isn't
complicated and there is no safety problem since
the breaker is either providing no current or
won't allow enough current. The simplest
solution as someone pointed out is to remove all
load from the circuits and try to reset the
breaker, and if that doesn't work, then remove
the breaker from the panel and try reset. If it
doesn't reset the breaker is bad and one buys a
new one. If it does work and putting it back into
the circuit (no load) makes it break, then the
breaker is working and the circuit has a fault in it.

George E. Cawthon wrote:
Joseph Meehan wrote:
George E. Cawthon wrote:

Joseph Meehan wrote:

..

Testing the breaker takes a special tool and that runs $100 +.


If the tool to test the breaker costs $100, forget
the tool and buy a new breaker, or several.
Actually, testing the breaker is as simple as
placing it in another operating circuit and
putting the breaker it replaces in the "bad"
circuit. Costs nothing. But of course a person
that knows nothing about electrical circuits and
is unwilling to buy a book and learn may fry
him/herself. Fortunately, anyone smart enough to
be able to own a house, or smart enough to operate
a car and change tires, can learn the basics quickly.


Would like likely be a good enough test for the case in point,
but it does not test if a "arc fault breaker" is providing the
protection it is designed to provide. That is why the tester is a
little higher than might be needed to see if the breaker is the
cause of the lack of power on a given circuit.



Whoa! The breaker broke the connection twice, he
reset and it broke the connection again. His
problem is that it now won't reset.

I agree it is providing protection, but the tester I am talking about,
as I understand it, test more than just a simple overload. However from the
description I can't tell if the breaker is now tripping early or if there is
some sort of load or wiring error causing the problem.


The breaker is providing protection since it
allows no current. The question to be answered
is: 1, is there a fault (short) in the circuit or
2, is there a fault in the breaker. This isn't
complicated and there is no safety problem since
the breaker is either providing no current or
won't allow enough current. The simplest
solution as someone pointed out is to remove all
load from the circuits and try to reset the
breaker, and if that doesn't work, then remove
the breaker from the panel and try reset. If it
doesn't reset the breaker is bad and one buys a
new one. If it does work and putting it back into
the circuit (no load) makes it break, then the
breaker is working and the circuit has a fault in it.

--
Joseph Meehan

Dia duit