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-   -   Circuit Breaker trips because two bathrooms and master bedroom on same circuit (https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/showthread.php?t=401398)

  • Sep 30, 2009, 02:06 PM
    bctmst
    Circuit Breaker trips because two bathrooms and master bedroom on same circuit
    Some electrician committed a blunder in my opinion about 17 years ago. The master bedroom and two full bathrooms are all on the same circuit. If two hair dryers are used at the same time, it will trip the breaker every time. In figuring out what amperage would be required for two hair dryers and 20 40-watt bulbs (there's 10 bulbs in each bathroom), I figured it would require a 40 am breaker, well the wiring ain't going to take that much current. I thought that maybe the best solution would be to change the outlet in each of the bathrooms to a GFI outlet, then if it does trip, no need to walk down two floors, reset the breaker, and walk up two floors, just reset it at the outlet. Apart from rewiring and tearing out the sheetrock on three different levels, I think this would be the best solution. Heaven forbid we ever get a TV in the master bedroom.
  • Sep 30, 2009, 02:13 PM
    ballengerb1

    Your ideas sounds great but I do not think it is going to solve the issue. If you make each bathroom feed through its own GFCI receptacle they individually will not blow because each room is not using too much power, it will still be the basement breaker that gets the full brunt of the load when all 3 lines come together. A lot depends on how the power gets to the 3 baths. If they each have a home run down to the panel you're stuck. If they are wired in a row first coming to one bath then to bath#2 and then bath #3 your idea may work. The true fix is the one you dread.
  • Sep 30, 2009, 02:20 PM
    hkstroud

    Yep, 20 forty watt lights is 800 watts. Two 1200 watt hair driers is 2400 watts. That's a total of 3200 watts. That's 26.66 amps. Breaker will trip every time. GFI outlets will not help. GFIs do not protect against overload. They do something else entirely. Just two 1200 hair dryers will trip breaker. Only way is to pull new circuit to one bath or the other or not use both hair driers at same time. Probably should pull new circuit to each bath and get off bedroom circuit.
  • Feb 20, 2011, 05:39 AM
    HDHITTER101
    Had the master Bedroom Breaker Trip ,went to the main breaker trip it and nothing ,its in line with to bathrooms and a hall plug and master bedroom ,there's only one GFI in the first Bath But nothing past that first bath GFI, but only the bottom plug of the GFI has current so I think that's where the problem is after testing it with the tester , my wife had a heater running in the hall wall plug ,so first I will replace the first bath GFI and go from there ,and hope to get things up and running, what do you think..?
  • Feb 20, 2011, 06:33 AM
    tkrussell
    Did you rest the breaker for the bedroom, or the Main Breaker?

    Could be a defective breaker, or a GFI, or could be a loose wire connection someplace, or any combination of either.
  • Feb 21, 2011, 09:35 AM
    HDHITTER101
    Comment on tkrussell's post
    Hey thank you for your response , but things didn't work out I replaced the outlet that the heater was plug into and nothing there was sign of over heating on the back of the plug some melting ,so I allso replaced the GFI in bath it had in the top plug a low voltage reading and that didn't work so I allso replaced the breaker to the Master in breaker box to the Master bedroom and still the same out come, no power , so I plan to go over all that was replaced to see if there's something I missed , will get back to you thanks...
  • Feb 21, 2011, 12:36 PM
    HDHITTER101
    Comment on tkrussell's post
    Yes I have reset the main breaker at the breaker box allso replaced the GFI in the bath like I said ,but it sounds like I have missed something some where and its over my head,after replaceing the main Breaker for the Master bedroom andchecking all I can come up with is no power

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