My Grandpa always has to replace one of his houses circuit breakers like once week.?

Question

For some reason the electricity messes up at night. Why does it do this? Why at night?

Answer 1

Circuit breakers should last the lifetime of a house. He should be resetting the breaker instead of replacing it.

It sounds like there is an excessive load on the breaker, causing it to trip. If the breaker is tripping at night, perhaps it is due to something that comes on at night that adds just enough extra load to the circuit to cause the breaker to trip. Perhaps it's several light bulbs. More likely it's a portable heater. When your grandpa tries to reset his breaker, it will continue to trip if the excessive load is still on the circuit. That may be why he thinks he needs to replace the breaker.

This will take a little detective work. Find out which outlets are on that circuit. You can do this by turning the circuit breaker off and then going through the house to find out which outlets and wall switches don't work. Don't forget the electrical appliances like a washing machine, although these will probably be on another circuit. Also consider things that are plugged in only for a short time, like a hair dryer. Now add up the maximum power for everything that is plugged into the circuit that is a problem, assuming that everything is turned on at the same time. If there is a portable heater, use the maximum power.

Most circuits in the US are rated at 20 amps, which is 2400 watts (watts = volts times amps). If the total load exceeds the rating of the breaker, the breaker may trip. There is an overload margin built into the breaker so it won't trip exactly at its rating.

If the total load you've calculated is less than the rating of the breaker, there must be a fault in the circuit that occurs at night. Look for frayed wiring on everything plugged into the outlets. Perhaps he moves a floor lamp around at night that has an intermittant short.

If you can't find the problem, the next step would be to put a current probe on the wire attached to the circuit breaker. Most homeowners don't own a current probe because they're not cheap. You should call an electrician.

Answer 2

One possibility is that he is replacing a circuit breaker when all he has to do is to reset it. Often confusing is the need to fiddle with the switch. You need to rurn it off completely before you turn it back on. Circuit breakers are hardier than replacing them weekly would indicate. There may indeed be someone wrong with the home's electricity; otherwise, why would the circuit braker be tripping. But, I doubt there is a need to replace the whole device so frequently.

Answer 3

I agree with Tech Dude, most likely too many things on one circuit, and this time of year heat and lights are to be suspected. In older homes, some aren't even 100 amp services, a friend of mine has a 60 amp service, jeez you can barely do anything with that. Just find out whats on the circuit, and if you dont' live close enough to witness it, spring for an electrician for him.

Answer 4

If it ain't broke, do no longer restoration it! A fuse is a skinny piece of twine that's housed in a pitcher, screw-in fuse holder. The fuse protects your place by applying applying melting while sufficient recent is passing with the aid of it for an prolonged sufficient time for the twine-fuse to soften, the sturdy judgment being that that's bigger to soften the fuse--which isn't touching besides the fact that flammable--than to soften your house of residing's electric powered wiring, that's touching paper-sponsored insulation, wood joists and framing cloth, and paper-sponsored gypsum board (aka drywall, or sheetrock). A on the instant's circuit breaker works by applying applying the two an electromagnet or a bi-metallic strip to break the circuit while too much currect passes by applying potential of it. in basic terms like a fuse, it, too, interupts the electrical powered circuit. in assessment to a fuse, a well-liked circuit breaker is resetable. A fuse, as quickly because it quite is burnt, should not be; it is going to get replaced. for the explanation that maximum modern properties are stepped forward with modern electric powered panels designed to function with well-liked circuit breakers, the reality that your place has a fuse field means that your residing's wiring is historic--generally very historic! in all danger what your ex-aspects proprietor's insurance employer was once aggravating approximately is that, could be, STATISTICALLY older properties with older wiring seize hearth greater beneficial than on the instant's properties with recent wiring do. Having suggested all of that, right that's what i could propose you do: in case you nonetheless desire aspects proprietor's insurance, come across a provider which will insure your residing in spite of the shown fact that which you have the older fuse field. in case you won't be able to locate a service as the thank you to insure your place as-is, make a kind in case you want to pay the fee to change your fuse field. for people who do, difficulty solved. once you %. to no longer get the abode proprietor's insurance, then i could now no longer concern approximately changing the fuse field for protection aspects. (there is likewise different motives, e.G., you want as a fashion to function extra branch circuits, or upload very severe-currect branch circuits which don't have in life the fuses required for them). Capeesh?

Answer 5

If his home is aged about 30 years or older it could be that his wiring isn't up to code. But that's just a guess. I'd have to know what appliances he has hooked up and how much draw he has on the system. But the best thing to do is to get him to call a qualified electrician.