K so I just got my new house, and my dad keeps telling me "not to overload the electrical circuit. and i dont wanna ask him because he will say oh my gosh i always thought u were a woman and this proves it, like he always says. so what is "overloading a circuit?" i have no idea what it is so i havent done anything in my house with electricity but flip on the lights because im afraid ill "overload the circuit.. " thanks guys

I'm a girl... I feel for you. When the overhead lights in my living room, the big screen televison w/ cable box, and electric fireplace are on everything is fine... when I plug in the vacuum cleaner and turn it on, the fuse flips off. I can't run the vacuum cleaner on the same power supply that the fuse operates because it pulls more volts than the breaker can handle and it shuts off. I have to use a different room's electrical plug. Does that help? Good luck and congrats on your new house!

Yeah thanks for your help


I'm a girl...I feel for you. When the overhead lights in my living room, the big screen televison w/ cable box, and electric fireplace are on everything is fine...when I plug in the vacuum cleaner and turn it on, the fuse flips off. I can't run the vacuum cleaner on the same power supply that the fuse operates because it pulls more volts than the breaker can handle and it shuts off. I have to use a different room's electrical plug. Does that help? Good luck and congrats on your new house!

Good answer

Each circuit in the home will be protected by a fuse or a circuit breaker. Each is rated in amperes, amps. Look at each fuse/circuit breaker, you will see either a 15 or a 20. 15 amp is very popular in homes. A 15 amp fuse/breaker will trip if the circuit draws more current(amps not volts) than 15 amps.

So, in the example with the vacuum cleaner, with the lamps and TV on the current draw may be 5 amps. A vacuum draws 12 amps. A 15 amp breaker cannot handle the 17 amps, so it trips.

The breaker/fuse is there to protect the wires from overheating, which could cause a fire. The breaker is doing it's job, because people do not know what appliance draws what amps, so the breaker/fuse is a safety device to help people when a circuit does overload.

Don't be afraid to use electricity in the home for fear of overloading. Do learn that when something does trip a breaker that that appliance can overload a circuit, either because it is too large for the circuit, or because of what else is running on the circuit.

Assuming this is an older home, what you should do, or should have been done before you bought the home, is to have the electrical system checked, make sure the fuses/breakers match the wire size it protects, check and tighten all connections to eliminate flickering or overheating, check for any covers missing from any junction boxes, check all smoke detectors for proper operation, with and with out batteries, and change the batteries.

If there is a garage in the home, or if there is a gas or oil furnace consider installing a CO carbon monoxide detector.

Change as many incandescent lamps to compact fluorescent lamps as you can.

Also, have your heating and cooling system checked.

If the home is new, then most, really none, of this should not be a worry.

Happy home owning!

You got an answer sooner in electronics, but the above was worth waiting another 12 hours. It is why I said you should post here. Our best people can't be online all the time. Others maybe more eager to help than able. Post electrical questions here, Heating and air conditioning in H&AC, an plumbing in plumbing. Give the better people time to answer before following any suggestions.

Let me add a little more on the compact fluorescent lights. The newer ones have come down in price (6/$10 at Home Depot), light almost instantly, don't flicker, fit in most fixtures, make less heat (important when you are running the A/C), and last a long time - maybe 2 years.