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/diy/ - Do It Yourself

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70284 No.70284 [Reply] [Original]

The circuit breaker that covers the three bedrooms in my house just tripped this morning. I went to reset it in the basement but it would immediately trip again. Went around and unplugged everything in all the bedrooms and then was able to reset the circuit breaker.

The problem is, whenever i attempt to power on anything in one of the rooms it trips the breaker again. The other two rooms have no problems. Tried searching google but couldn't find anything covering my specific problem, hoping /diy/ can help.

>> No.70286

>>70284

Yeah, call an electrician.

If you have no idea what you're doing, playing around with live wires isn't the place to start learning.

>> No.70288

>>70286
Yeah, I was planning on calling one, just wanted to make sure I didn't mess anything up myself or did something wrong resetting it before I called an electrician.

>> No.70291

>>70288

Nope. So long as everything else in the house not operating off of that breaker is working, you're in the clear.

>> No.70295

>>70284
something has probably gotten loose on one of the plugs in the bedroom with the issue..
is there one or two plugs in there that get used a lot as far as plugging and unplugging stuff into them?
you could turn the breaker off and pull the plugs out and check the connections. If you find a loose one or one surrounded with black soot then that is where your problem is.
Also breakers get weak as they get older and trip a few times, you might just need a new breaker, but it sounds like a short like i said above.
good luck and dont be afraid as long as the breaker is off

>> No.70298

>>70295

Loose wires would not trip a fucking breaker. You should be shot for spewing this nonsense.

>> No.70299

>>70295

Also loose wires are not "shorts".

>> No.70301

>>70298

They would if they created a short or a ground fault.

>> No.70303

>>70299
>>70298
you are a moron .

>> No.70305

>>70301

Then it would be a short circuit caused by loose wires, not simply loose wires.

A wire that's unsecured or loose all together does not cause a breaker to trip.

If this is a nitpick, sorry, but I refuse to let such bullshit go unchecked.

>> No.70307

>>70303

And you have no concept of accepted terminology.

>> No.70310

>>70305
pay attention you might learn something
if a wire is loose and creates a spark..that is a short..which can cause a breaker to trip if it is weak.
I fix these types of problems every day.
I even do your job for you at a fraction of the cost
"locksmith" just another title i wear from time to time
you probably think your job is really hard too, and that not just anyone can to it amiright?

OP im not bullshitting you but i think this locksmith guy is trolling

>> No.70312

Could be a bad breaker. Swap the breaker out with another one of the same amperage and see it still trips.

>> No.70313

>>70310

Yeah and I do your job too. Low Voltage License for the win. I love the ad hominem attack too, it's lets me know that you're angry.

Seriously though, a loose wire does not cause a short on its own. I can have a million loose wires and not a single short circuit.

Wires do not spark, at least at residential voltage levels, spontaneously or alone. They have to come close enough with something else to create a path.

>> No.70315

>>70310
It would make sense since it only happens when I switch something on in that one room. I'll turn off the breaker and take a look at the wall sockets in that room.

>> No.70316

>>70312

It's this, all day long.

>> No.70321

>>70316
If it's the breaker, how come the other two rooms on the same breaker don't trip it? Not disagreeing with you, just trying to understand the problem as much as I can

>> No.70324

>>70321

Then go to that room and inspect each outlet. Report back when done. Let's make this a case study and we'll see who is right.

>> No.70327

>>70324
Okay will do, be back in a few minutes

>> No.70332

>>70313
you are just trying to over complicate something while trying to sound smart. the OP asked for help fixing the problem. if OP later requested an explanation of what the exactly correct terminology was, we could have gone there. i think OP is more worried about fixing it at this point.

OP just so we are clear, i have no licenses. that doesnt mean a cant build a home from the ground up and have it pass code. I know what i am doing from experience, not from an overpriced education. i rehab houses, it requires me to be knowledgeable in every aspect of a home.

>> No.70345

>>70332

Education? Lol. I didn't pay for the license application/test fee and all I used to study was NEC 2008. Shut the fuck up, OP is proving you wrong.

>> No.70348

>>70345
i guess we will see the outcome.
i feel sorry for you that you think you are so much better than everyone else that you need to go around trying to fix all their problems.
i just happened across a problem i have had experience with and have fixed before.
my bad for trying to help right?
you sir, are a douche.

>> No.70352

>>70348

You flexed nuts first, faggot.

>> No.70356

>>70352
actually you attacked my opinion to start it all off.
but wait let me guess..you think you own the thread because you were the first to reply, right?
get over yourself.

>> No.70357

>>70356

Attacked your opinion? You mean debate? What a novel idea....

>> No.70361

Alright I switched off the circuit breaker and opened up the wall socket in that room and didn't find anything that looked out of the ordinary, just a whole lot of dust that I cleaned out.

Went back into the basement, reset he breaker and powered on the television in that room and it worked fine, switched on the light and it tripped the breaker. So it looks like it is only the light in that room and nothing else, we actually had a problem with that light earlier when we had the room redone and the new light installed so I guess the problem has come back.

Thanks for the help from both of you, didn't mean to start an argument. I'll be calling an electrician to take a look at the light and for now, time for some television and video games in the dark.

>> No.70363

>>70361
dont be afraid of the electricity, just turn that breaker off and check behind the light fixture and the switch the same way you did the plugs

>> No.70364

>>70361

Good call.

>> No.70369

>>70363

Aka do more work to salvage my argument.

>> No.70371

>>70369
still a douche.

>> No.70373

>>70361
the installer probably did something wrong that is making this happen

>> No.70378 [DELETED] 

If there was a problem in the wall it would most likely be tripping with nothing plugged in.

It's highly unlikely that a wiring fault is drawing exactly 14.9999 amps, needing you to plug in an alarm clock to push it over 15 and trip the breaker (assuming a 15a breaker).

Most likely it is a failed breaker. Replace the breaker with a new one from the hardware store (or simply swap it for a known-good breaker off of a different circuit), and see if that fixes the problem.

If the problem still exists with a known good breaker, then you can call in the cavalry.

>> No.70379

>>70371

See

>>70378

This is the 3rd person suggesting this in this thread.

>> No.70380

If there was a problem in the wall it would most likely be tripping with nothing plugged in.

It's highly unlikely that a wiring fault is drawing exactly 14.9999 amps, needing you to plug in an alarm clock to push it over 15 and trip the breaker (assuming a 15a breaker).

Most likely it is a failed breaker. Replace the breaker with a new one from the hardware store (or simply swap it for a known-good breaker off of a different circuit), and see if that fixes the problem.

If the problem still exists with a known good breaker, then you can call in the cavalry.

>> No.70384

>>70380
>>70378
my point was that if there was a loose wire, the action of pushing the cord into the plug could create enough movement to cause the loose wire to arc which could trip the breaker. the problem most likely is a bad breaker, made worse by a loose connection.
why do you all have to go into attack mode if i dont word what im saying the way you would expect me to? shit

>> No.71618

>>70361
ok you have safely narrowed down your problem. now, the problem is either the SWITCH or the LIGHT. I would start with the switch make sure the wires are tight on the terminals. (with the power off of course) then take the light apart and remove it from the ceiling inspect the wires inside the box make sure the wirenuts are ON and tight, you might have a wire making contact with ground and as soon as you switch it on. it trips. check wires for abrasion, as one of them coul dhave had insulation nicked when being reinserted into the box (ive seen this happen, and its not fun tracking down a tiny ass nick in a wire in a junction box)

also check the fixture itself, inspect the wires going to the fixture for damage and also check the socket. check the wires going to the socket. replace the bulb also. the bulb could have burned out and the result could have fused the tiny wires inside where the element connects, causing the short.

ive done electrical work, and troubleshooting every possible scenario is the only way to safely determine the cause.

>> No.72103

Sparky here
I have never seen such a bunch of faggots who don't know what they are talking about.

>>70361
Im in Oz don't know where you are, if you have a mixed circuit (power with lights) and you turn a light on, it trips, it's a faulty light, first of all what type of light is it? if it is a flurosent light, sometimes there are capacitors in them and can be Faulty and test "down to earth", if it does remove the capacitor and test, fluros also have a ballast in them and can be faulty, recommend getting a new light if so. If it is another type of light remove bulb or trasformer and switch the light on to see if faulty.