when this happens there is no electricity available in the entire house. we turn the mains switch back on but it happens again within half an hour
2007-12-26 22:28:46 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous in Home & Garden ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
If this only occurs every thirty minutes, you probably do not have a short in your wiring. You could have a problem with the grid voltage as another poster stated, or one of your appliances that cycles has a short.(i.e. refrigerator, freezer, heater, etc.) If a wire was shorted your beaker would trip instantly every time. Now with that said .... have you nailed or screwed anything into the wall recently.... if so you could have hit a wire and cause a intermittent short. This usually doesn't cause this type of problem, but it could happen. If you want to try to narrow it down... the next time it trips..... turn off half of your breakers in the main panel before you reset the main breaker. If it still trips try the other half and narrow it down this way. You may want to call the local electric provider and see if they are having problems before you go through all of this trouble. If you can't find it.... definitely call an electrician. Good Luck
2007-12-26 23:29:42 · answer #1 · answered by ffemt6347 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You have some good advice and some bad advice here.
Look, if you are tripping a MAIN breaker, that is a serious amount of current. Assuming that the main breaker is not defective, then you could have a serious short in a branch and a branch circuit breaker that is not tripping.
The real danger here is, if this is happening due to a short in a branch somewhere and it's individual breaker is not tripping. That will definitely lead to a fire.
If you add up the totals of your individual branch circuit breakers, you will likely see that their sum exceeds the value of the main breaker. That is common, as rarely is your home really using all the power that your main is capable of.
If however, you turn on every load in your home, plug in a vacuum in every room, you will pop your main, while never exceeding current in any individual branch.
You can turn off all the branch breakers, reset the main, then turn them on one at a time waiting some time to see if the main trips out. That would point you to a possible problem branch circuit. Start with ones for your water heater, furnace, oven, electric dryer, large loads in other words.
Ideally, a AC ammeter that you can put around your wires in your panel to isolate the problem and to measure what the actual current is will be needed to really troubleshoot this.
If you are not qualified to do this, I really think you should call a electrician. Do not keep resetting this main because if the worst case scenario is true, you are running a very real fire risk.
John
2007-12-27 00:04:31 · answer #2 · answered by John 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
The problem you are describing,could be caused by many different things.If iam understanding you correctly it is the main Breaker that is tripping. If there is a problem with an appliance or something in the house.The branch circuit Breaker should be tripping not the main. If the main is tripping it could be an over-load situation,or the main breaker might be getting weak.I have saw this happen,
You did not say what size service you have (100 amp/200amp etc.)I would advise you to get an electrician to check this problem out for you
2007-12-27 00:00:53 · answer #3 · answered by straight foward 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Is the out side of your house lit up like a Christmas tree fort not
Before you switch the lekky back on you must unplug some stuff you are not using first, washing machine, disk washer etc.
This time of year there is such a demand on the electric grid they turn the voltage down a little your lights will flicker more or in an older place trip out all together
2007-12-26 22:39:43 · answer #4 · answered by Pedro B 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you mean the Main Circuit Breaker then you must have a serious short circuit to draw 150 Amps from the Main C/B.
This not a job for a novice, serous injury and property damage may result.
I think that a smaller branch circuit breaker is defective causing it not open the circuit as it should.
I would expect to see melted insulation on the branch wires by now.
Please see a electrician soon.
2007-12-26 23:05:25 · answer #5 · answered by izzie 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
U may be using more amount of power compared to the capacity u are given or alloted. Contact ur local elec co & they will advise the best. In the meanwhile, don't use all heavy (esp.15 Amp Sockets) electrical appliances at the same time. & above all do install an electronic circuit breaker to avoid any mishap.
2007-12-26 22:41:20 · answer #6 · answered by bhumbowklee 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You need a qualified electrician to inspect your home's electrical system. It could be very simple or more complex. One thing for sure, sounds like you will need help getting it fix
THE RIGHT WAY.
As you already know, electricians can be pretty expensive, call your electrical power company, they may offer some free assistance and let you know if the house is safe to live in. Act quickly on this, your problem sounds serious.
2007-12-27 00:21:21 · answer #7 · answered by xman77 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You can only pull so many amps through a breaker.Sounds like a little too much consumin goin on round here.
2007-12-26 23:37:38 · answer #8 · answered by shazaamazam 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
you must be having a power surge which is tripping your electric, you may be running too many appliances from one outlet
2007-12-26 22:32:47 · answer #9 · answered by Stephen D 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
call an electrician
2007-12-26 22:33:09 · answer #10 · answered by deathdealerv187 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋