i have an old distribution board, dorman smith and the lights are all off one circuit, when i flicked the outside light on it knocked off all the lights but didnt trip the 6amp circuit breaker?? Has the circuit breaker had it? its at least 10 years old?
2006-12-23 09:37:45 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Home & Garden ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
Car dude and Berl W are correct. I have been dealing with electrical equipment for for 23 years and have never heard of a 6 amp circuit in general home wiring, like lights and outlets. Turn off the main power and inspect the wiring going to this breaker, check to see if it is at least 14 gauge. If it is, your breaker or fuse is undersized. The sheathing on the wire should be stamped or black labeled with the gauge. If the wire is cloth coated you probably won't be able to read any ratings. If it is solid copper wire chances are good that it is at least 14 gauge, but have somebody qualified in electronics verify that it is. If this is the case you MAY be able to increase to a larger breaker.
2006-12-23 14:56:51 · answer #1 · answered by LoneWolf 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm not familiar with you system however it can't be as old as the fuse system.
In the US people who don't have much experience run into this problem and find that when a breaker is tripped, it looks exactly like one that is not.
1- To see if the breaker is really tripped, try pushing it to the on position and see if moves at all.
2- If it does, turn it off as far as it will go, then turn it back on.
3- Doing this will reset a tripped breaker.
4- If this is not the problem, you need to see if there is electricity coming out of the breaker into the circuit. You should really get an electrician to do this. (have a small screwdriver that lights up when it touches a live wire) there are other testers that have two wires with metal tips that are used to test for live wires. They are not expensive and even a multitester runs less than 10 Euros here in Spain. I use one because I want to know the numbers. The screwdriver cost 60 cents.
Again you better get an electrician if you don't know much about electricity and especially if the breaker is ok and that sudden surge you had just happened to blow apart a connection that was loose somewhere in the beginning of you lighting circuit. Good Luck.
2006-12-23 10:14:18 · answer #2 · answered by norman8012003 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sounds like a fire waiting to happen. You should update. If you cant do this you might want to look into adding more circuits to you system but not a 6amp lights on a normal run should be 15amp if you are not good with this and do not know about electrical systems you might want to have some one come in and look. Home owners love to do it them selves but please think safe and with your older systems it wouldn't hurt to ask for a free Quote and then you would know what needs done. Good luck.
2006-12-23 11:37:55 · answer #3 · answered by Berl W 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
something doesn't sound right. all the lights on one circuit? and also only a 6 amp breaker? i would think it should be at least a 15 amp breaker. get an electrician in to check it out for you.
2006-12-23 10:26:24 · answer #4 · answered by car dude 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Use an amp meter on this circuit,see if its drawing more than 6 amps under full load.
2006-12-23 09:41:34 · answer #5 · answered by J.B.1972 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Are you sure it didn't trip? Did you switch it to the off position and then back?
Some breakers are not really obvious when they trip.
2006-12-23 10:01:58 · answer #6 · answered by Gaspode 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
i don't honestly know but i would have an electrician look at it
2006-12-23 09:46:08 · answer #7 · answered by ken s 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋