[xclaim]

Ohhh boy --- what a day
Here's how the day played out

First - my microwave and kettle were connected to the same three way plug which went into a 15amp circuit breaker

Second - it stopped working

Third - I connected the microwave to a second plug on the same circuit which fed off the first 3 way plug - then tha stopped working

Then I changed both the plugs and tested the circuit and it blew up on me - like a big bang and nearly fried my testing screw driver.

Then when I went down to the breaker panel the circuit breaker is in a middle position and cannot switch completely off - SEE PICTURE ATTACHED.

Please help!

[andrewcocke]

Sounds like you did have a day!

From what you described, I would say that you seem to have some sort of short circuit in one of those appliances. Although it is unusual, a dead short may throw a spark, but should trip the breaker, not take it out, unless the breaker was malfuntioning anyway.

Check to make sure the neutural wire is connected inside the breaker panel to the neutural bus bar. I once ran a circuit where I failed to make a good connection there and smoked up the corner of my circuit box. Although the result of that was immediate, as soon as I engergized the circuit, it kicked sparks out.

You may have to replace both of those outlets, the breaker, and definitely inspect the appliances.
By the way, how exacly are you using a screw driver to test?

[xclaim]

Thanks andrewcocke :

1. Testing screw driver is the one that lights up when you touch it to live and hold the scrw on top to ground it. Cost 3 bucks at home depot.

2. Appliances are fine - working onm other outlets - both of them

3. would you know if circuit breakers do have a centre position i.e go off on and middle? Or is this telling me sometihing

4. how much will a 15amp circuit breaker cost ?

Thanks again.

[andrewcocke]

Normally when a circuit breaker trips you need to push it to the off position and then to the on posistion, this will reset it.

In other words, when the breaker actually trips, the answer is yes, you will find it normally somewhere in the middle. Some breakers even have a red "display" but from your picture I can see that is not the case here.

Try resetting it first. You will not be able to just push it back to "on", you will first need to turn the breaker off, then on. This will reset it.
If the breaker will not reset this it probobly needs to be replaced.

Replacing breakers is pretty easy, however bear in mind there there is a lot of electricity in that box, its enough to knock you out, and possibly kill you. So don't touch anything conductive.

I see you have what they call "piggy back" breakers, these are a little more expensive than regular breakers. I have a murray box and I think a regular breaker is under $10. Your brand might vary. Being a piggy back, it will probobly cost at least $20. Breakers normally pop out pretty easily. By all rights, with new outlets in the circuit, and a new breaker, verifying the wiring, as long as everything is hooked up right, it should work.

Im glad to hear about your screwdriver tool. For a second I acutally thought you were just jambing a regular screwdriver in the socket. :)

Sorry if some of my advice seems somewhat elementary, I just don't want to see anyone get hurt. In cases like this, I always say: "If in doubt, call a professional".

[tkrussell]

Best to find the Main breaker feeding the panel, and shutting it off , before you open the panel to replace a circuit breaker.

If the Main breaker is in that panel, beware, that the two wires feeding the breaker are still very much alive with 240 volts.

The breaker that is still in the center position and still is on is definitely defective.

Also, you should only be able to run either the microwave or the kettle. I doubt the 15 amp circuit can handle both loads at the same time.

[bhayne]

If the kitchen receptacles are split (no such thing as a 3-way receptacle), then the top and bottom of the receptacle is on a different circuit. This is very common.

However, you say that you changed the receptacle. YOU MUST REMOVE THE JUMPER BETWEEN THE TOP AND BOTTOM PLUGS ON THE RECEPTACLE'S LINE SIDE.

This is causing your short. The breaker is NOT defective. It is not resetting because to reset it would close in on a short circuit!

Your tester blew because you were measuring across 240V, not 120V.

[tkrussell]

Xclaim clearly states:

then when i went down to the breaker panel the circuit breaker is in a middle position and cannot switch completely off

Before any breaker can be turned on and react to a short circuit condition, it must be set in the OFF position,then to ON.

Sounds as if the breaker did react to an overload condition, and got stuck with the handle in the center position, but the contacts remain closed either due to arcing and welding together, or the internal mechancial linkage jammed.

The three way plug is probably a triple tap device, allowing up to three appliances in one outlet. Now that I think of it, this triple tap may be melted inside, so if this is the case, then discard it, and do not use these with appliances.

I think by the description of the events, xclaim possibly changed the outlets live, and apparently did not realize it.

Scary thought, huh?

[bhayne]

In a kitchen, I have never seen a triple receptacle and I have almost always seen split receptacles. The breakers in the photo are standard breakers for split receptacles. To me this all points to dual circuit split receptacles.

I have also seen breakers that will spring back from the off position because they cannot be turned off until they are reset. Both breakers in the set may have to be 'on' to reset a tripped breaker.

I could easy see this as being a safety feature for split receptacles.

Either way, there is too little information given. Perhaps you should get an electrician!

[tkrussell]

Ahhh I see the 240 volt breaker with internal trip. So he does have the spilt duplexes, and the required handle tie is missing.

Residential code is that when a duplex is fed by two circuits, the jumper link needs to be removed between the brass terminals, and that the two breakers be tied togther , so that if one circuit needs to be worked on, both circuits are shut off, intentionally.

As bhayne stated, remove that link, but the breaker still needs to be replaced , since the breaker states it has "internal trip" and is apparently not working.

And the handle tie is missing.