Why is the circuit breaker blowing? (tripping)

[Twista]

Tripping/blow/whatever.

Ok, so we moved into a new house during the winter. Now than we brought our old plug in (non space heater) heaters to heat the house. Whenever we plugged up 1 the power would go out. We than brought another new plug in heater and that one also turned the power off for 3 rooms. Fast forward today i got my window A/c from storage and plugged it in. It ran for 15 minutes till it also turned off the power.

Now get this. The heater works fine when plugged into the garage circuit.

I just checked the breaker box and it goes like this:
Main Breaaker=100
A/C is switched to off which he dont have. Thats 30amps
Garage =20amp
BedRooms,hallway,half of front room 15amp :brokenheart:
Yes, mostly everything is runnning on the 15amp one.

My room has a computer, TV, computer montior that draws power.

The other room has a TV, cable box and fan that draws power

Other room has tv, vcr, cable box that draws power.


So, what do we do? Not like we can just up the fuse to higher rating (safely). Do we have to call an electrician to come check this out?

thanks

 

[RadiclDreamer]

Well, first of all you need to find out what is on the circuit. If everything combined does not overload the circuit (15 amps usually) then you could have a weak breaker. Try replacing it with one of the same rating. Also you can check your wiring to see if it supports a higher amp breaker than what you are using. Sometimes people put 15 amp on a 20 amp wire

 

[MikeyIs4Dcats]

it's drawing too much power over the circuit. you may need to install a dedicated circuit just for the AC/heater. With only a 100A service, you likely are maxed out on your circuit capacity with other devices.

 

[jupiter57]

IF, and only IF, you watch what else you plug into that circuit, you can replace the 15 Amp breaker with a 20 Amp.
Or, see just what else is connected to that breaker, a refrigerator, or another high draw appliance perhaps would cause it to trip when using the Heater/Air Cond.
Space Heaters and Window Air Conditioners, even the smallest ones, are designed for 20 Amp circuits anyway.

 

[mobobuff]

Check the rating of the breakers that it's tripping, also note anything else plugged into the circuits that could also be drawing a lot of power.

It might be working in your garage because garage circuits don't usually draw a lot of power. Garage circuits usually just provide lighting on the rafters and one or two garage door openers and a few recepticles. Rarely would it have much of a load.

I was never able to run 2 space heaters on the same circuit as my computer. It trips the 20A breakers. Figure out what else is running on those circuits.

 

[BigJ]

Wire a new circuit. That's really you're only option, UNLESS you have 12ga wire on the entire 15a circuit.

 

[Analog]

Originally posted by: jupiter57
IF, and only IF, you watch what else you plug into that circuit, you can replace the 15 Amp breaker with a 20 Amp.
Or, see just what else is connected to that breaker, a refrigerator, or another high draw appliance perhaps would cause it to trip when using the Heater/Air Cond.
Space Heaters and Window Air Conditioners, even the smallest ones, are designed for 20 Amp circuits anyway.

I would not recommend ever changing breakers unless you can verify that all the wiring downstream conforms to NEC standards. A 15A breaker protects #14 wire. A 20A breaker protects #12 wire. Putting a 20A breaker on a #14 wire is against code, common sense, and if anything happens to your house, a sure way that insurance won't cover it. Please don't do that.

 

[BigJ]

Originally posted by: Analog

Originally posted by: jupiter57
IF, and only IF, you watch what else you plug into that circuit, you can replace the 15 Amp breaker with a 20 Amp.
Or, see just what else is connected to that breaker, a refrigerator, or another high draw appliance perhaps would cause it to trip when using the Heater/Air Cond.
Space Heaters and Window Air Conditioners, even the smallest ones, are designed for 20 Amp circuits anyway.

I would not recommend ever changing breakers unless you can verify that all the wiring downstream conforms to NEC standards. A 15A breaker protects #14 wire. A 20A breaker protects #12 wire. Putting a 20A breaker on a #14 wire is against code, common sense, and if anything happens to your house, a sure way that insurance won't cover it. Please don't do that.

:thumbsup:

To expand on this, not only NEC standards, but also local electrical and building code.

 

[bctbct]

Originally posted by: jupiter57
IF, and only IF, you watch what else you plug into that circuit, you can replace the 15 Amp breaker with a 20 Amp.
Or, see just what else is connected to that breaker, a refrigerator, or another high draw appliance perhaps would cause it to trip when using the Heater/Air Cond.
Space Heaters and Window Air Conditioners, even the smallest ones, are designed for 20 Amp circuits anyway.

I hear fire trucks

 

[*kjm]

Originally posted by: jupiter57
IF, and only IF, you watch what else you plug into that circuit, you can replace the 15 Amp breaker with a 20 Amp.
Or, see just what else is connected to that breaker, a refrigerator, or another high draw appliance perhaps would cause it to trip when using the Heater/Air Cond.
Space Heaters and Window Air Conditioners, even the smallest ones, are designed for 20 Amp circuits anyway.

NEVER do that! I will tell you that you are asking for big problems? can you say fire?

14AWG wire = 15amp
12AWG wire = 20amp

You could also have a bad breaker as someone has already mentioned. Also you could have a bad connection at the breaker or outlet that is overheating, bad ground connection in the main box or outside, too much of a load on the line.


Look to see what that fuse turns off in the house and figure out how many amps each of them use. If it?s over the breakers rating there is your problem. An electrician can pull bigger wire for you and it shouldn?t cost too much. If anything it will cost less than the problems you could face.



edit....\ darn you all are quick I get a call, hit reply and have 3 guys already answer for me

 

[BigJ]

Originally posted by: *kjm
An electrician can pull bigger wire for you and it shouldn?t cost too much. If anything it will cost less than the problems you could face.

I was going to tell him to pull heavier ga wire, but if he's calling an electrician, he might as well have the guy run a new circuit(s) for rooms in case he wants to add stuff on in the future.

 

[MikeyIs4Dcats]

Originally posted by: jupiter57
IF, and only IF, you watch what else you plug into that circuit, you can replace the 15 Amp breaker with a 20 Amp.
Or, see just what else is connected to that breaker, a refrigerator, or another high draw appliance perhaps would cause it to trip when using the Heater/Air Cond.
Space Heaters and Window Air Conditioners, even the smallest ones, are designed for 20 Amp circuits anyway.

you should NEVER, EVER replace a fuse or breaker with one larger than the wiring is rated for. Without knowing the wire gage, he should never use anything higher than what the original breaker is.

 

[*kjm]

Originally posted by: BigJ

Originally posted by: *kjm
An electrician can pull bigger wire for you and it shouldn?t cost too much. If anything it will cost less than the problems you could face.

I was going to tell him to pull heavier ga wire, but if he's calling an electrician, he might as well have the guy run a new circuit(s) for rooms in case he wants to add stuff on in the future.

True but if he has enough circuits now to hook new wire up to the old and pull it through should cost less... also depends if he plans on keeping this house for any amount of time.

 

[bctbct]

Chances are they are not going to be able pull a new wire since they are probably stapled to the studs.

 

[MrBlahh]

Originally posted by: bctbct
Chances are they are not going to be able pull a new wire since they are probably stapled to the studs.

Unless its in conduit.

Romex sucks. Why youd want your power unprotected in the walls is beyond me.

 

[MikeyIs4Dcats]

Originally posted by: MrBlahh

Originally posted by: bctbct
Chances are they are not going to be able pull a new wire since they are probably stapled to the studs.

Unless its in conduit.

Romex sucks. Why youd want your power unprotected in the walls is beyond me.

because it's immensely cheper and faster to install

 

[*kjm]

Originally posted by: MikeyIs4Dcats

Originally posted by: MrBlahh

Originally posted by: bctbct
Chances are they are not going to be able pull a new wire since they are probably stapled to the studs.

Unless its in conduit.

Romex sucks. Why youd want your power unprotected in the walls is beyond me.

because it's immensely cheper and faster to install

True but if anyone.... no if I were having it done I would pay the price in a home I was going to keep. I have had this home I'm in for 8years and made some short cuts but if I was going to stay in it 15 to 20+ I would spend the money in a heartbeat. That is the home you/I will make our money off of.

 

[richardycc]

did you say 3rooms get no power if the breaker tripped? thats your answer, you have too many stuff plugged into one circuit. one 15A circuit can do 1500-1800watts MAX. a heater probably draw around 1000-1500watts, so you dont really have much headroom to run that computer/monitor, etc. you will need to add a new circuit. I hope your lights don't go out if the breaker tripped, if so, they are in the same circuit, I think that's against codes too. good luck!

 

[Twista]

Thanks for the replies!!!

Well, this doesnt seem like a good idea. But what if we get a heavy duty extension cord and drill a hole into the floor. Than slip the cord through the floor and plug it into the outlet in the basement? How does that sound?

 

[cker]

Uh... that extension cord idea... probably not such a good one as a permanent fix. You might be able to find an extension cord rated for that power, but they're really not meant to be so... permanent.

Space heaters are normally going to be in the 850 - 1500 watt range.
Window unit air conditioners vary, most I've noticed are 500 - 1250 watts.

I am also in a house with old wiring -- most of the power in here is a single 20 amp ungrounded (2-wire) circuit. I have a separate line in for my coffee pot and computer stuff, which is a grounded 20 amp line. Slowly, I'm hoping to add in more lines.

Getting an additional circuit run isn't that big of a deal, depending on the construction. My house is on a crawlspace, so all the wiring runs are in the crawlspace or the attic. The only real hassle is fishing romex through the walls, but that's basically straight up or down runs.

 

[cker]

Also, regarding the wiring codes - if you have an older property then there's no telling what's in there. Existing wiring is 'grandfathered' in and can be in violation of code. You can't ADD to it without bringing the wiring up to code but it can remain in place. Getting an electrician to look it over and make some recommendations probably isn't that expensive. (Cost me about $50 for almost an hour of a guy telling me all about what I could and couldn't do)

 

[Squisher]

Originally posted by: *kjm

Originally posted by: MikeyIs4Dcats

Originally posted by: MrBlahh

Originally posted by: bctbct
Chances are they are not going to be able pull a new wire since they are probably stapled to the studs.

Unless its in conduit.

Romex sucks. Why youd want your power unprotected in the walls is beyond me.

because it's immensely cheper and faster to install

True but if anyone.... no if I were having it done I would pay the price in a home I was going to keep. I have had this home I'm in for 8years and made some short cuts but if I was going to stay in it 15 to 20+ I would spend the money in a heartbeat. That is the home you/I will make our money off of.

How the hell could you put conduit inside a wall?

 

[*kjm]

Originally posted by: Squisher

Originally posted by: *kjm

Originally posted by: MikeyIs4Dcats

Originally posted by: MrBlahh

Originally posted by: bctbct
Chances are they are not going to be able pull a new wire since they are probably stapled to the studs.

Unless its in conduit.

Romex sucks. Why youd want your power unprotected in the walls is beyond me.

because it's immensely cheper and faster to install

True but if anyone.... no if I were having it done I would pay the price in a home I was going to keep. I have had this home I'm in for 8years and made some short cuts but if I was going to stay in it 15 to 20+ I would spend the money in a heartbeat. That is the home you/I will make our money off of.

How the hell could you put conduit inside a wall?

Remove the wall put in conduit and replace the wall.

 

[Linux23]

Dude, just throw in a 30a circuit breaker. Problem solved.

/thread.

 

[darkstar974]

As a registerd electrician I would nix the extension cord idea is a very bad one I've been to many homes where homeowners wired things up and they ended up going up in smoke. By rights all bedrooms should be on there own afci breaker 100 amps seems ok but i don't know how many square feet your house is or how old your service is If it was fused with fuses you could get away with time delay fuses for your ac. I would contact a electrician in your area. I hope this helped

Dark