Why My Circuit Breaker Keeps Throwing My Lights

Circuit breakers protect a home's wiring from overheating and catching fire.

When a circuit breaker trips, it is typically an indication of a problem further down the circuit. While breakers can fail, the problem is more likely an excessive electrical load on the circuit or a short in the circuit's wiring. Determining which is at fault is not a difficult task.

Faulty Circuit Breaker

Circuit breakers protect wiring by tripping before an overload can damage it. To check a breaker, turn off everything it powers and reset it. Next, turn on something that worked before the breaker tripped. If the breaker holds, it is fine. Otherwise, call an electrician to replace the oversensitive breaker.

Circuit Overload

To isolate an overload, turn off everything on the breaker, reset it and then turn things back on until the breaker trips. Next, turn everything back off, reset the breaker and turn the last item back on. If the breaker trips, that item needs repair. Otherwise, too many items are on that circuit.

Faulty Wiring

Faulty wiring is a common cause of the repeated tripping of circuit breakers. To check for electrical shorts in the wiring, turn off everything powered by the breaker and reset it. If it trips instantly, a short exists somewhere in the wiring. Contact a qualified electrician for repairs.

References

• Ask The Electrician: All About Electrical Circuit Breakers
• Ask The Electrician: Why An Electrical Circuit May Trip Off
• Relectric Supply Company: How to Reset a Tripped Circuit Breaker
• Relectric Supply Company: Tripped Circuit Breaker: Circuit Overload
• Relectric Supply Company: Tripped Circuit Breaker: Short Circuit

Resources

• Ask The Electrician: Electrical Wiring Articles
• Relectric Supply Company: Common Circuit Breaker Problems