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4 Reasons Why Circuit Breakers Trip and Fuses Blow

The electrical system in every home features a system of circuits controlled and protected either by circuit breakers or fuses. Most of today's homes now use circuit breakers to offer this control and protection to individual circuits, but older homes that have not had their electrical systems upgraded may use fuses.<br>The slide talks about the four common reasons why circuit breakers trip and fuses blow.

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4 Reasons Why Circuit Breakers Trip and Fuses Blow

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  1. 4 Reasons Why Circuit Breakers Trip and Fuses Blow

  2. The Function of Circuit Breakers and Fuses • You probably also know that when all the lights and fixtures in a portion of the house go dark or dead at the same time, it's because one of those circuit breakers has "tripped" or one of those fuses as blown. • These devices are designed to automatically shut off power to the circuit when problems occur. • The "fix" is to reset the breaker lever to the ON position or replace the blown fuse.  • In the case of circuit breakers, the immediate answer is to find the breaker that has tripped and reset the lever to the ON position. • When a fuse blows, a metal filament inside the fuse has burned through, meaning that you'll need to replace the fuse with a new one. 

  3. Overloaded Circuit • The circuit breaker or fuse is sized to match the load-carrying capacity of the wires in that circuit. • Hence, the breaker or fuse is intended to trip or blow before the circuit wires can heat to a dangerous level. • When a circuit breaker regularly trips or a fuse repeatedly blows, it is a sign that you are making excessive demands on the circuit and need to move some appliances and devices to other circuits. • Or, it may indicate that your house has too few circuits and is in need of a service upgrade. 

  4. Short Circuit • In terms of the physics involved, a short circuit allows for a sudden unimpeded flow of electricity due to lowered resistance, and this sudden increase in current flow within the breaker causes the tripping mechanism to activate.  • But sometimes a short circuit occurs not because of the circuit wiring at all, but because of a wiring problem in an appliance or device plugged into an outlet along the circuit. • Short circuits, therefore, can be a bit difficult to diagnose and fix, and may call for the help of a professional electrician. • The presence of a short circuit can be indicated when a circuit breaker trips again instantly after you reset it. 

  5. Ground Fault • A particular type of short circuit, a "ground-fault," occurs if a hot wire comes in contact with a ground wire or a metal wall box or touches wood framing members. • Ground faults can be especially dangerous when they occur in areas with high levels of moisture, such as kitchens or bathrooms, or in outdoor locations. • A ground fault carries a definite risk of shock. • As with hard shorts, a ground fault causes an instant reduction in resistance and immediate increase in electrical flow. • This causes the internal mechanism of the circuit breaker to heat up and trip.

  6. Thanks for Watching Hope this helped Wish to get a quote? Visit us at: http://www.hi-liteelectricinc.ca/services/installations/

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