Why Do Breakers Trip? | Ask This Old House

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In this video, This Old House master electrician Heath Eastman shows host Kevin O’Connor everything he needs to know about why and how breakers trip.
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Heath Eastman talks about circuit breakers. Heath shows Kevin O'Connor that while resetting these breakers is simple, these are actually complex devices that monitor and protect circuits. First, the two talk about the different sizes of breakers before moving on to the different types. Finally, Heath shows Kevin how to test certain breakers to ensure that they’re working properly.
Circuit breakers exist to protect people, appliances, and homes from dangerous electrical current. However, few people understand why the trip and how they operate. Master electrician Heath Eastman shows host Kevin O’Connor why this happens, and even explains a few different types of breakers.
Where to find it?
Heath explains what a circuit breaker [bit.ly/3G3s2G4] is, why they trip and how it protects a home. A circuit breaker is a device, installed in the electrical panel, that controls whether power can be sent from the panel through a circuit. Heath explains this ability is controlled by a switch that can be operated either manually-like when a person wants to interrupt power for service-or automatically, like a breaker trip.
He says power overloads, current “leaks”, and arcs are the three reasons that would cause a breaker to trip. A Power overload happens when a device is calling for more power than a receptacle [bit.ly/3YyNLwT] or a circuit is designed to provide. Current “leaks” are caused when current strays from the circuit for whatever reason, though it happens most commonly when moisture is present. Arcs can happen when the wire breaks down over time (due to overloads but also due to other factors, like animals chewing the wire and other decay) but what Heath sees the most is human error.
If a specific receptacle is consistently tripping the breaker, Heath advises to have a licensed electrician identify the problem to ensure the work is done safely.
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From the makers of This Old House, America’s first and most trusted home improvement show, Ask This Old House answers the steady stream of home improvement questions asked by viewers across the United States. Covering topics from landscaping to electrical to HVAC and plumbing to painting and more. Ask This Old House features the experts from This Old House, including general contractor Tom Silva, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, landscape contractor Jenn Nawada, master carpenter Norm Abram, and host Kevin O’Connor. ASK This Old House helps you protect and preserve your greatest investment-your home.
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Why Do Breakers Trip? | Ask This Old House
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Опубликовано:

7 янв 2023

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Комментарии : 91

@midwestengimaker8443 Год назад

The tester he is using is the Klein Tools RT310 in case you are wondering. The logo was covered by electrical tape.

@arosas267 Год назад

I really enjoy watching all of these videos. My dad passed a while back, and its hard to explain, but these make me feel closer to him. Such a great crew of professionals with great presentation skills.

@ailivac Год назад

Standard breakers actually have two different trip mechanisms to catch different faults. The time delay overload protection uses a bimetallic strip that sort of thermally integrates the current over a short period of time. But there's also a magnetic trip designed to instantly catch much larger overloads like you'd get from a short circuit.

@penguins9645 Год назад

You can actually look up the trip curve for most breakers - how long it will take to trip a specific loads. For example, that same breaker that took a bit at 24 amps will trip much faster at 50 amps, but much slower at 17 amps.

@amg863 Год назад

Thanks for the explanation. I was disappointed that the curly haired host didn't ask the electrician how it worked.

@warrenvalentino5763 Год назад

Great video! AWESOME topic! Thank You So Very Much for showing us why breakers trip. Lots of Great information! :)

@benb7727 Год назад

Thank you for providing current information.

@coolin44 Год назад

I just found out those AFCI breakers from Siemens are subject to a class action lawsuit in the US due to nuisance tripping. Luckily they make breakers that are both AFCI and GFCI and don't seem to have the same issue. They are more expensive though so if you have AFCI only in your new build, take a look at the lawsuit to see if you should join. Most annoying thing I have ever encountered with a new panel.

@twinkie27271 Год назад

So, are you saying, because of a defective breaker, the electrician is basically chasing his tale?

@robertmailhos8159 Год назад

Great tip there on this matter of electrical protection

@guidesosrs5026 Год назад

That was actually really funny at the end

@vince6829 Год назад

Nice demonstration. Thank you for sharing.

@flat-earther Год назад

Hi vince have you become a flat earther yet? If not I suggest watch a 13 part series called _What on earth happened_ by Ewaranon to learn that the earth is not a globe. I got it in my about tab.

@bradpaulp Год назад

Would be nice to talk about what happens when you have the wrong wire on the wrong breaker... AKA I had a 20amp breaker that was only using 14g wire. In that case, the breaker won't trip right away and will cause the wire to overheat longer.

@anthonyesposito7 Год назад

A fire is what happen haha

@Sparky-ww5re Год назад

Same thing could happen in an older system served by a fuse panel, which is rarely encountered today. Sometimes the fuse, if it's a screw in type, can be bypassed by inserting a penny or aluminum foil in the socket then screwing the fuse back in. Or if it's a cartridge type fuse, they can also be bypassed, by driving a nail through the fuse, by wrapping it with aluminum foil or chewing gun wrappers, or my inserting a piece of copper pipe or metal conduit. In the unlikely event you found a fuse panel still in service, it would be a good idea to check for these dangerous band aid repairs, and it would be a good idea and probably a requirement for insurance purposes, to replace it with a modern breaker panel, because virtually all fuse panels were 60 amp services, which will not comfortably serve a modern household, although a few larger fuse panels in the late 50s and early 60s were 100 amps, which is the smallest residential service allowed in the US. In Canada, I believe they will still allow a 60 amp service if the house is 860 square feet or smaller and where major appliances are gas instead of electrically heated.

@JohnDoe-pv2iu Год назад

@Sparky1500 In America (I live in the south), most of the old fuse boxes I encounter are of the 100 amp variety. I also encounter 100 amp breaker boxes from time to time. I have seen 60 amp fuse boxes but they're mostly in out buildings or well pump houses. Honestly, if the wire is modern and in good condition, a 100 amp fuse box doesn't bother me in an out building or a small house (that mostly has gas appliances). Fuses are still commonly available at hardware stores. As long as no one has done any of the 'redneck bandaids' you refer to, fuses are a tried and true technology. In some cases, maybe better than breakers. If a breaker keeps tripping, a lot of people will just keep resetting it. If a particular fuse 'pops' a couple of times, most folks will take action to get it fixed correctly. Ya'll Take Care and be safe, John

@aurvaroy6670 10 месяцев назад

That's why it's a code violation to use 14 awg on 20 A circuits. The easiest fix to your problem is to replace that breaker with a 15 A one.

@invisiblerevolution Год назад

Very informative 💯

@webbgroup Год назад

Great information!

@adamguymon7096 Год назад

I would love it if This Old House would make a full-length episode on how not just the American version of this is done but the differences between America and the UK, please? This would be nice if you could not only do this on electrical but plumbing and other home repair and how homes work?

@fearofchicke Год назад

Their information is strictly Northeast United States. Hell, a lot of time their information doesn’t translate well, to even, Texas.

@fearofchicke Год назад

Great Scott might be the channel you’re looking to as far as European electrical goes.

@ailivac Год назад

@@fearofchicke Regulations are an entirely alien concept to anything on the Texas electric grid

@nonyafkinbznes1420 Год назад

Sure, just as soon as European content creators start providing measurement conversions to US Custom units.

@greganderson2932 Год назад

What would be more fun would be a myth-busters-like actual test of arcing. Or wrong breaker and see the 14 gauge wires get charred. Or stick a hot lead into a grounded bucket of water. All of course with proper safety measures.

@chadrowland5234 Год назад

For the most part, 14 guage wire is on the 15 amp breaker and 12 guage wire is on 20. 10 guage wire on 30 amp breaker and so on. However, if the wire run exceeds a certain length, then, the 12 guage on 15 amp breaker and 10 guage on 20.

@steventucker4724 Год назад

Thanks for this information, because I’ve had a breaker that flips and didn’t know why

@glasshalffull2930 3 месяца назад

Breakers can also go bad over time and if they flip multiple times that can also degrade the breaker and cause it to trip prematurely.

@ImConstantlyConfused Год назад

My dad just recently had a small outdoor fire where the Traeger smoker was plugged into an extension cord plugged into a GFCI outlet. The cords were just laying on the ground in wet weather and a couple feet of insulation on the smoker's power cord burned away! I have no idea why the GFCI didn't trip and we were lucky that the fire was noticed before too much was burned besides part of a shed!

@fattyz1 Год назад

I’m looking at a snow blower corded potentially and I have to go down and look In the box !

@ryansoo4000 Год назад

Great video! A couple of questions: When you are wiring your house, can you request that all the wiring be suitable for 20 amps instead of 15? If you do have a 15 amp circuit and it keeps tripping, can a homeowner switch out the breaker from a 15 to a 20 amp one safely? With electrical codes changing, where do you have to install ground fault and arc fault outlets? What outlets or circuits might require greater than 20 amps?

@joe3276865536 Год назад

You should not swap out the breaker without also ensuring that the correct wire is used. 15 amp circuits require 14 gauge wire or larger and 20 amp circuits require 12 gauge or larger. Note that the lower the gauge, the bigger the wire. Circuits that have whole-house A/C units, electric clothes driers, tankless electric water heaters, and electric ranges typically will all need more than 20 amps.

@Sparky-ww5re Год назад

@@joe3276865536 also worth noting that in rare cases 12 or sometimes even 10 gauge wiring is used on 15 amp circuits. You would only ever see this in very large homes where the circuit runs are far away from the panel, typically more than 100 feet, to help control voltage drop at the far end to acceptable levels, although if there are several long circuits such as in a large addition, it will often be more economical in terms of labor and material, to install a subpanel near the remote area instead of having to oversize all of the circuits.

@joe3276865536 Год назад

@@Sparky-ww5re Agreed. I previously tried to use 12 gauge for all of the 15 amp circuits I wired as this was recommended by a book I read. However, I gave this up for shorter circuits because 14 gauge is just easier to work with.

@jayneela3077 Год назад

What is the current limit for GFCI breakers to trip? Is it fixed or available in various limits?

@EricWalstrom Год назад

The regulations call for between 4-6 milliamps, most manufacturers settle around 5.

@heroknaderi 11 месяцев назад

Cool

@phuongle6016 Год назад

So when do you want to have GFCI vs. AFCI? Can you have AFCI breaker and combine it with GFCI outlets?

@kaseyc5078 Год назад

GFCI is where moisture can be an issue - so bathrooms, kitchens and exterior. AFCI are becoming the new standard in lieu of regular breakers due to many jurisdictions requiring them in new builds/change of service. Unfortunately AFCI breakers do cost more than regular breakers.

@fnhwk Год назад

@@kaseyc5078 don't forget basements and laundry areas as well per the 2020 NEC

@PaulHenreid Год назад

Great ending - "don't have one" lol

@nusermane1076 Год назад

I think one of the tools on the table is Heaths Gun 😁

@fillmorehillmore8239 Год назад

Was learning about this the other day (Timely). - A 20A receptacle and a 15A receptacle are the same with the exception of the T-slot. - The purpose of the breaker is to protect the wire...the receptacle has no real bearing on the safety (not GF/AFCI) when it comes to amperage. So if you have a 15A breaker, 12/2 wire and a regular 15A receptacle, all you need to do is exchange the 15A breaker with a 20A breaker and the service is now safe for 20A service from breaker to receptacle. If Im wrong someone correct me.

@CoolerQ Год назад

The danger is that you can't see what's inside the wall... just because you see 12/2 at the breaker panel doesn't mean that the entire circuit is wired in 12/2. There might be some 14 gauge lurking between outlets three and four in the circuit, for instance.

@fillmorehillmore8239 Год назад

@@CoolerQ I wired the home myself with the exception of the breakers (was not allowed to). All wire is exposed inside of a crawlspace. I was not aware that the guts of a 15A/20A receptacle were not different from one another. It was more of a thought that if my T-slots wear out in the kitchen and I need to replace then a regular 15A receptacle would suffice.

@fillmorehillmore8239 Год назад

@@Kevin-mp5of I agree with you, but the comment seems to imply that I have no common sense.

@surferdude642 Год назад

@@fillmorehillmore8239Be aware that the 15 and 20 amp receptacles may not be the same internally when comparing "residential grade" receptacles. If you want a more robust receptacle, then choose a "spec grade" receptacle, the 15 and 20 amp receptacles are the same internally.

@strorandompage Год назад

Will I fail if master bathroom gfci is located down stairs in powder room..

@LouddnPraisie 10 месяцев назад

If the 15 amp keeps shutting off electricity, should you replace the breaker or take it up to higher amp?

@LouddnPraisie 9 месяцев назад

none @@eloquent-nuance

@LouddnPraisie 9 месяцев назад

Thank you for responding.

@mondavou9408 Год назад

Did not really explain why breakers trip (except on a kindergartens level). Clean presentation though and I did learn something - I've never seen an ARC breaker.

@larsonfamilyhouse 6 месяцев назад

But I need to plug more thing in!

@Immobiliermarrakech5933 Год назад

Nice video 👍👍👍💪👉👷‍♂️

@richiegrey5377 Год назад

I have problems with breakers 20 years is it normal to cramp out?

@volvo09 Год назад

20 years is old, but shouldn't cause breakers to start failing. Do you have water leakage or rust around your panel box? Sometimes the power wire leading into a house is improperly laid out (inadequate weather head or drop loops) and the wire channels water through the protective jacket, into the the meter box, and into the breaker panel, rusting and corroding breakers from behind. I've seen it 2x on a home a friend bought that had a bunch of dead breakers, and one I looked at with a visible water stain.

@richiegrey5377 Год назад

@@volvo09 we have water leaks in a little bit….. right now dry air stops any mildew … some play act up…! My breaker stop 15 amps os 20 amps .. play craps out. In Massachusetts I’m not allowed to put my old breakers how…. I had I could be sued if this is done correctly.

@jackmyhre8759 Год назад

@@brianglade848 Ha reminds me of the 3 stooges where Curly says "Oh no wonder the pipes dont work! They're full of wires." and yanks out the wires then connects it into water pipes. So, when the chef upstairs turns on the lights, he gets soaked.

@JoseHernandez-wj2ud Год назад

My wife is always tripping the outlet in the bathroom with the blower dryer and the t.v. is on and the lights in the bathroom light and bathroom lights is on and it always we have to goes to the basement to reset the outlet. Need help.

@danielcarroll3358 Год назад

Electrician or divorce lawyer?

@biggiedickson Год назад

@@danielcarroll3358 Divorced Lawyer 2: Electric Boogaloo

@lucky1206 Год назад

That power would be trippin lol

@HAMRADIOJOE4178 Год назад

THAT WAS FUNNY KEVIN, DONT HAVE ONE.

@Bremend Год назад

Electrifying

@DirtyBottomsPottery Год назад

Buy the cheap extension cords and you might live to regret it. They can heat up to the point of starting a fire and not trip the breaker.

@jbraMoVal Год назад

Umm... I may need to replace my breaker because it trips but lever doesn't move to the off position 🤔

@twinkie27271 Год назад

No, it moves to the neutral position. My mom had the same issue. I drove 100 miles to reset a breaker.

@danielcarroll3358 Год назад

@@twinkie27271 Yes. To reset you move it to the off position. Then you can move it to the on position.

@richiegrey5377 Год назад

Yeah, I’m allowed to put my old break this by myself…. Oh, I have to pay for it.

@xploration1437 Год назад

So I shouldn’t put tweezers in my outlets?

@Draugluin999 Год назад

unless you enjoy electrocution no

@HermanVonPetri Год назад

That's a shocking idea.

@danielcarroll3358 Год назад

When I was two I did just that while standing in the bathtub. I must have hit the neutral side first (because I am still here) but I vaporized a quarter of the tweezers. It must have had some effect as I worked all of my life as an electrical engineer. My last project was a 10kV 5A dc power supply.

@xploration1437 Год назад

@@danielcarroll3358 I did it as well when I was about 8 or so. That was not fun. It definitely melted the tips.

@b.n.c.v5792 Год назад

Anyone in the comment section know how long it takes for the circuit breaker to trip when it's overloaded.

@MikeHoughtonasUnit8720 Год назад

because they're clumsy

@samsngdevice5103 Год назад

If you overload my back I will trip as well.

@elowell85 Год назад

I wish the AFCI breakers weren’t so expensive.

@elowell85 Год назад

@@Kevin-mp5of …ok?

@samsquires2877 Год назад

Why promote junk like Siemens and not a quality product like Square D? I’m a service electrician and I see more problems with Siemens breakers then any other brand. You also missed Dual Function breakers and 2 pole breakers.

@flat-earther Год назад

Hi samsquires have you become a flat earther yet? If not I suggest watch a 13 part series called _What on earth happened_ by Ewaranon to learn that the earth is not a globe. I got it in my about tab.

@Miguel195211 Год назад

Why not have it be 20W instead of 15W for a better support for the homeowners.

@glasshalffull2930 3 месяца назад

Some circuits (such as lights) don’t need a 20 amp circuit. A 20 amp circuit requires a more expensive wire and because it’s thicker, it is more difficult to work with.

@nusermane1076 Год назад

Because they need to leave the place they got stuck in and see something else 😎

@brianromo2153 Год назад

✨COOL✨ 😁👍

@rogerdevero8726 Год назад

Great Work. I can ALWAYS RELY ON YOU! Thank You John 3:16

@flat-earther Год назад

Hi rogerdevero have you become a flat earther yet? If not I suggest watch a 13 part series called _What on earth happened_ by Ewaranon to learn that the earth is not a globe. I got it in my about tab.