how to tell if a circuit breker is "bad"
 

A friend had some other friends staying at their beach house, and there were
"problems" with the power. This is third hand, so who knows what the real
story is. I may take a short beach vacation to see for myself.

it MAY be something like:

with both washer and dryer on, power went out. Maybe the main tripped. Or
maybe one side of the main tripped. Or maybe one side of the dryer breaker
tripped.

There is a lot of power consumption and maybe the line voltage was a bit
low?

How does one tell if a breaker is acting funny, like only blowing one side?
Or if the main is tripping a bit too easily? Do you just buy a few new
breakers and give them a whirl?

how to tell if a circuit breker is "bad"
 

On Mon, 14 Jul 2014 15:25:59 -0700, "Pico Rico"
wrote:

A friend had some other friends staying at their beach house, and there were
"problems" with the power. This is third hand, so who knows what the real
story is. I may take a short beach vacation to see for myself.

it MAY be something like:

with both washer and dryer on, power went out. Maybe the main tripped. Or
maybe one side of the main tripped. Or maybe one side of the dryer breaker
tripped.

There is a lot of power consumption and maybe the line voltage was a bit
low?

How does one tell if a breaker is acting funny, like only blowing one side?
Or if the main is tripping a bit too easily? Do you just buy a few new
breakers and give them a whirl?


DO NOT take my electrical advice. I can make smoke :)

I have a known good, 50 AMP double breaker removed by the HVAC guy. I
think is was a youtube video that showed how to do a continuity test
on the breaker with a meter. The breaker is on the bench, of course.
Continuity was good, based on the testing - off/on on each side. It
'seems' to support what the video explained. But don't trust me on
this.
--
Definition of a camel: A horse designed by a committee

how to tell if a circuit breker is "bad"
 

On 7/14/2014 6:25 PM, Pico Rico wrote:
A friend had some other friends staying at their beach house, and there were
"problems" with the power. This is third hand, so who knows what the real
story is. I may take a short beach vacation to see for myself.

it MAY be something like:

with both washer and dryer on, power went out. Maybe the main tripped. Or
maybe one side of the main tripped. Or maybe one side of the dryer breaker
tripped.

There is a lot of power consumption and maybe the line voltage was a bit
low?

How does one tell if a breaker is acting funny, like only blowing one side?
Or if the main is tripping a bit too easily? Do you just buy a few new
breakers and give them a whirl?


Only way I know, is to put ammeter on the wire, and see
what the amp draw when the breaker trips. Usually they
are cheap enough to swap one in, and see if it works
better.

--
..
Christopher A. Young
Learn about Jesus
www.lds.org
..

how to tell if a circuit breker is "bad"
 

On Mon, 14 Jul 2014 15:25:59 -0700, "Pico Rico"
wrote:

A friend had some other friends staying at their beach house, and there were
"problems" with the power. This is third hand, so who knows what the real
story is. I may take a short beach vacation to see for myself.

it MAY be something like:

with both washer and dryer on, power went out. Maybe the main tripped. Or
maybe one side of the main tripped. Or maybe one side of the dryer breaker
tripped.

There is a lot of power consumption and maybe the line voltage was a bit
low?

How does one tell if a breaker is acting funny, like only blowing one side?
Or if the main is tripping a bit too easily? Do you just buy a few new
breakers and give them a whirl?

It could be something as simple as don't use the toaster and the
coffee pot at the same time.

how to tell if a circuit breker is "bad"
 

Oren wrote:
On Mon, 14 Jul 2014 15:25:59 -0700, "Pico Rico"
wrote:

A friend had some other friends staying at their beach house, and
there were "problems" with the power. This is third hand, so who
knows what the real story is. I may take a short beach vacation to
see for myself.

it MAY be something like:

with both washer and dryer on, power went out. Maybe the main
tripped. Or maybe one side of the main tripped. Or maybe one side
of the dryer breaker tripped.

There is a lot of power consumption and maybe the line voltage was a
bit low?

How does one tell if a breaker is acting funny, like only blowing
one side? Or if the main is tripping a bit too easily? Do you just
buy a few new breakers and give them a whirl?


DO NOT take my electrical advice. I can make smoke :)

I have a known good, 50 AMP double breaker removed by the HVAC guy. I
think is was a youtube video that showed how to do a continuity test
on the breaker with a meter. The breaker is on the bench, of course.
Continuity was good, based on the testing - off/on on each side. It
'seems' to support what the video explained. But don't trust me on
this.

If a double pole breaker only trips one side , it's bad , toss it there's a
mechanical link inside that trips the other side if one side overloads. If
a breaker trips repeatedly under normal loading , IE the usual devices
running but it won't hold the load , it's bad , toss it . Same thing for the
main , if it trips out under normal loads , it's bad , toss it . DO NOT
under any circumstances use a new breaker with a higher load rating !

--
Snag

how to tell if a circuit breker is "bad"
 

"Seymore4Head" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 14 Jul 2014 15:25:59 -0700, "Pico Rico"
wrote:

A friend had some other friends staying at their beach house, and there
were
"problems" with the power. This is third hand, so who knows what the real
story is. I may take a short beach vacation to see for myself.

it MAY be something like:

with both washer and dryer on, power went out. Maybe the main tripped.
Or
maybe one side of the main tripped. Or maybe one side of the dryer
breaker
tripped.

There is a lot of power consumption and maybe the line voltage was a bit
low?

How does one tell if a breaker is acting funny, like only blowing one
side?
Or if the main is tripping a bit too easily? Do you just buy a few new
breakers and give them a whirl?

It could be something as simple as don't use the toaster and the
coffee pot at the same time.


that is fine, but we will be having Eva Gabor staying at the house.

how to tell if a circuit breker is "bad"
 

On Mon, 14 Jul 2014 18:13:57 -0700, "Pico Rico"
wrote:


"Seymore4Head" wrote in message
.. .
On Mon, 14 Jul 2014 15:25:59 -0700, "Pico Rico"
wrote:

A friend had some other friends staying at their beach house, and there
were
"problems" with the power. This is third hand, so who knows what the real
story is. I may take a short beach vacation to see for myself.

it MAY be something like:

with both washer and dryer on, power went out. Maybe the main tripped.
Or
maybe one side of the main tripped. Or maybe one side of the dryer
breaker
tripped.

There is a lot of power consumption and maybe the line voltage was a bit
low?

How does one tell if a breaker is acting funny, like only blowing one
side?
Or if the main is tripping a bit too easily? Do you just buy a few new
breakers and give them a whirl?

It could be something as simple as don't use the toaster and the
coffee pot at the same time.


that is fine, but we will be having Eva Gabor staying at the house.

Have breakfast catered.

how to tell if a circuit breker is "bad"
 

Pico Rico wrote:
"Seymore4Head" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 14 Jul 2014 15:25:59 -0700, "Pico Rico"
wrote:

A friend had some other friends staying at their beach house, and there
were
"problems" with the power. This is third hand, so who knows what the real
story is. I may take a short beach vacation to see for myself.

it MAY be something like:

with both washer and dryer on, power went out. Maybe the main tripped.
Or
maybe one side of the main tripped. Or maybe one side of the dryer
breaker
tripped.

There is a lot of power consumption and maybe the line voltage was a bit
low?

How does one tell if a breaker is acting funny, like only blowing one
side?
Or if the main is tripping a bit too easily? Do you just buy a few new
breakers and give them a whirl?

It could be something as simple as don't use the toaster and the
coffee pot at the same time.


that is fine, but we will be having Eva Gabor staying at the house.


Hi,
I'd check to make sure all the connections are in good order on
breakers first.