Circuit breaker

Last Edited By Krjb Donovan
Last Updated: Mar 11, 2014 05:23 PM GMT

Question

This morning I woke to the furnace off, the power including the lights off in my living room, the garage lights off, but the garage door opener still on, kitchen power except for the stove off. We reset the breaker, then the power came back on, but kept flickering and now just off. We are trying to troubeshoot. Is it possible to need new circuit breakers? Our house is 32 years old.

Answer

Most likely the main breaker is bad. There could also be loose wires, or other problems. But since resetting the breaker helped for a little while, it sounds like the breaker.

Turning the stove or dryer might cause some things to work. But that is not safe. SO, be sure to keep all 220 volt appliances off until the problem is fixed. This will also help with the troubleshooting.


Question

after power outage circuit breaker for the refrigerator keep tripping

Answer

Define "power outage" Was the whole neighborhood out?

...just YOUR house?  
...just the fridge?

Did the breaker trip during the outage?

...or after power was restored?
...or was it the cause of the outage?

Does the breaker trip if everything is unplugged from the circuit?

Why do you keep resetting the breaker if you haven't isolated the cause?


Question

My son was vacuuming today in the living room and when he turned the vacuum on all power was lost in the living room to include the ceiling fan. I've replaced the circuit breaker, but the living is still without power. Is there something else to check or am I missing something?

Answer

Take a voltmeter and check the power coming from each breaker to make sure you are getting the proper voltage. Put your voltmeter on A/C and if you have a choice put it on the range above 300 volts. Take one probe and put it on the neutral bar. Take the other probe and touch each screw on each breaker. You should get a reading of about 110 volts on each breaker.

If all the readings are good, check for a loose neutral while you are at the panel.

Then look for a gfci outlet that may have tripped. Even though it is not normal to have a living room fed from a gfci outlet it is possible. The gfci outlet may be located outside.

Then open up the switch to your fan. Look for burnt, loose, and broken wires. Check for voltage while you are there at the switch.

If you still cannot locate the problem, find the outlet on that circuit that does work and open it up and see if you have a problem there.

Other causes could be in a junction box in the attic, or the box the fan is connected to.


Question

in the kitchen i have a outlet and two gang switch the other controlled the light and the other is the garbage disposal the light is working but the garbage is not and they are in the same j/b. outside in the elec.panel one is triped so i turn on and one will trip off. then i went to the kitchen the garbage will work but the light is not. c/b should control only specific on that particular circuit.my mail concern is the two circuit breaker, why if i turn on the other will trip the other or vice versa

Answer

It sounds like two circuits are mixed together. The lighting and the disposal should be on separate circuits. The disposal should be on its own circuit. The lighting can be with other lighting in other rooms. It can have outlets on it, but should not have outlets in the kitchen and dining room.

I really can't tell you how it should be wired, because someone will have to investigate to see where the wires should go.


Question

Just bought a hot water heater require a 60 amp circuit Breaker with 6/2 wire. Can I Convert a 60 Amp circuit Breaker to two a 30 Amp circuit Breaker with 8/2 wire? Thanks!


Answer

Sorry to say you cannot.

The 8/2 wire would still be rated for only 40 amps...not 60. That is one huge water heater!



Question

I live in Florida. My house has 2 wings with separate hot water heaters. I want to turn off one when not in use. I tried to shut off at breaker box but my dryer is on the same circuit. In the closet with the hot water heater is a breaker box...I think. Inside the box is a bar....metallic.. long and narrow attached in the middle with wings on the ends....so looks like a handle...one wing seems to be broken off.....looks like you could pull it out...but I tried (not hard) and cannot. Is this some kind of fuse or breaker? Can I turn it off somehow?


Answer

disconnect switch


A dryer should not be on the same circuit as a water heater. All 220 volt appliances should be on their own circuits. I will try to attach a picture of a disconnect switch. If it looks like that, it can be turned off.

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