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mikeveli20 · Jul 17, 2009, 12:00 PM

Hello. This is my first post and I have become frustrated with the amount of times that certain breakers trip in my house. Let me give you a bit of background first. I have been living in my house for over a year and a half (2 years in November). It was a brand new house when I moved in. I lived in my previous house for 19 years and it was also brand new when I moved in. I can't even really count the number of times on one hand in the 19 years that I lived there where breakers were tripped because they were overloaded. In less than 2 years in my new house, certain breakers have probably tripped 20+ times.

The one that trips the most is a 15amp breaker that controls 4 outlets between 2 bedrooms. The breaker usually trips when there are several things running and then a blow dryer is used. A typical load that would cause the breaker to trip would be as follows: clock radio, plasma television, rear-projection television, xbox 360, cable box, dvd player and then blow dryer. It's always the blow dryer that pushes it over the edge too. Without the blow dryer, the breaker can withstand the above mentioned as well as another cable box, playstation 3, 3 computer monitors, 3 desktop computers, 2 laptops running off external power and a lamp.

I am not sure what to about this. I know codes have probably changed in the past 20 years between when each house was built, but with today's use of technology I would think that the new house would have be built to withstand that. We can't keep living on the idea that someone needs to make sure nothing else is on if they want to blow dry their hair. I am unsure if the original electrician used 12 gauge wire or not so I don't even know if a 20amp would be able to be replace the 15amp that's currently there.

Another instances of a breaker constantly tripping is in the kitchen. The oven is a double oven, but if you pre-heat both the top and bottom oven at the same time, the breaker trips. I believe the oven is on the same breaker as the fridge which is right beside it but I'm not 100%. In the old house, there was a double oven as well and not once did the breaker trip when pre-heating both ovens. Also, if a vacuum is being using the upstairs hallway, all of the bedroom lights dim when it's turned on.

My electrical experience is limited, so I seek out others with more knowledge that can assist and guide me in the right direction to remedy this situation if possible. Thank you.

Mike

hkstroud · Jul 17, 2009, 01:23 PM

You need an electrician to run a bunch of new circuits for you. You are appliance overloaded. A 1200 watt hair drier pulls 10 amps. A 1500 watt dryer pulls 12.5. Neither leaves much for other devices on a 15 amp circuit..

mikeveli20 · Jul 17, 2009, 01:58 PM

Originally Posted by hkstroud

You need an electrician to run a bunch of new circuits for you. You are appliance overloaded. A 1200 watt hair drier pulls 10 amps. A 1500 watt dryer pulls 12.5. Neither leaves much for other devices on a 15 amp circuit..

What is involved in running a bunch of new circuits? (ie. Does the electrician have to get into the walls, just replace the breakers, etc.? I really have no idea.)

The majority of breakers on the panel are 15amp, with a few 20 and a few 30 thrown in there. Why would there be so many 15amp circuits if they are so easy to trip simply with a hair dryer? Especially in the upstairs bedrooms/bathrooms where one would most likely use a hair dryer.

Thanks for your reply.

mikeveli20 · Jul 17, 2009, 02:09 PM

In addition to what I said above, there are several circuits which are doubled up meaning two 15s on the same breaker, two 20s on the same breaker, and two 30s on the same breaker so I'm guessing this would equate to a 30amp, 40amp and 60amp circuit respectively.

However, there are still 13 single circuits that are 15amps.

KISS · Jul 17, 2009, 02:35 PM

There can be two ways that there can be what you called "doubled up". In one case, it's for 240 V circuits like the airconditioner and possibly the range. These breakers will have a bar connecting them. Both will have the same rating and two 30's is a 30 amp circuit.

In the other case, they will be operated independently and they will be considered two dfferent 120V circuits. These breakers are used because the panel doesn't have enough spaces available.

Fishing is wat's done to place cables down existing walls. The walls don't usually have to be removed.

The bathroom should have it's own circuit and you should use the hair dryer in the bathrrom.

The oven should have it's own too, so the fridge doesn't affect the circuit at random times.

We had to label certain outlets with green circles so that the janitor could use them for his fllor polisher witout disrupting laboratory experiments.

I can't use microwave and vacuum at the same time on the same circuit. Yep, the microwave should be on a separate one.

hkstroud · Jul 17, 2009, 02:39 PM

The electrician will have to run cable from the circuit breaker panel to the bedrooms. What he has to do will depend on where the panel is. Some holes would probably have to be made in walls. He would most likely try to get cable to the attic and then down the wall to the bedrooms

If two breakers tied together they are for a 240V circuit, i.e for the water heater or other such appliances. If they are not tied together they are the slim line type breaker which are used to conserve space in the breaker panel. Why 15 amp circuits were run instead of 20 I don't know. Probably because 14 gauge wire is cheaper and easier to work with. Most electricians put outlets on 20 amp circuits. Sounds like everything was done at the very minimum. The bathroom circuit must, by code, be a 20 amp circuit and serve that bath or another bath room only. Your hair dryer is the very reason for that requirement.

You would want the electrican to look at your oven and possibly upgrade the wiring. You should be able to preheat both at the same time.

mikeveli20 · Jul 17, 2009, 03:00 PM

I just discovered that an outlet in another bedroom is also connected to the ones that were tripping with the hair dryer.

Also, the outlet in the bathroom is only connected to a 15amp circuit. I live in Canada, is the code different here than the US? I can't imagine it being different since we use the same standards for electricity.

The circuit that is shared between the 3 bedrooms is on a breaker that has a test button next to it. There is another breaker like this right above it (15amps) but I haven't checked what it does yet since I don't think it's been tripped before. Then the one above that is another 15amp which is the bathroom one like I stated above with no test button. The rest of the circuits on the panel don't have a test button either. Not sure what this means or if it even matters.

hkstroud · Jul 17, 2009, 03:31 PM

The circuits with the test buttons are the GFI circuits to bath outlets,kitchen outlets, garage and exterior outlets. Your are correct that codes may differ. A 15amp circuit serving 3 baths in a house occupied by members of the fairer sex is certianly going to be subject to overload.

mikeveli20 · Jul 17, 2009, 03:35 PM

Is it bad then that the upstairs bathroom circuit isn't a GFI circuit? And why would they use a GFI circuit for the bedrooms?

Do you know the answer to the question I had above about there being any differences between Canadian and US electrical code? Since my bathroom outlet is only connected to a 15amp circuit this has me concerned.

hkstroud · Jul 17, 2009, 03:40 PM

From what you indicated the bathroom circuit is GFI protected. GFI is required where contact with moisture, water or the earth is possible. Bedrooms not required to be GFI.

mikeveli20 · Jul 17, 2009, 04:24 PM

Originally Posted by hkstroud

From what you indicated the bathroom circuit is GFI protected. GFI is required where contact with moisture, water or the earth is possible. Bedrooms not required to be GFI.

Even though the bathroom circuit doesn't have a test button it's still GFI protected?

hkstroud · Jul 17, 2009, 04:35 PM

Yes the test button is on the circuit breaker in the panel.

mikeveli20 · Jul 18, 2009, 12:01 AM

Sorry if I'm not being clear. The circuit breaker on the panel that controls the outlet in the bathroom does not have any test button and is also rated at 15amps, not 20. This is why I'm wondering if this is a problem since you said above that the bathroom circuit has to be 20amps and be GFI protected.

hkstroud · Jul 18, 2009, 03:52 AM

Originally Posted by mikeveli20

The circuit that is shared between the 3 bedrooms is on a breaker that has a test button next to it.

I assume that this circuit serves the outlets.

Originally Posted by mikeveli20

Then the one above that is another 15amp which is the bathroom one like I stated above with no test button.

If this circuit serves the lights and not the outlet it does not need to be GFI

mikeveli20 · Jul 18, 2009, 09:42 AM

Originally Posted by hkstroud

If this circuit serves the lights and not the outlet it does not need to be GFI

As stated above, it does in fact serve the outlet and is only a 15amp circuit.

hkstroud · Jul 18, 2009, 04:07 PM

Sorry. I missed the bedroom part, was reading bathroom. Someone made a mistake and connected the bedroom circuit to GFI instead of bath.
Easy enough to correct. Turn breakers off and switch wires. While you are switching, check the size of the wires. Both breakers are 15amp, correct? Where is circuit panel in relationship to bath?

mikeveli20 · Jul 18, 2009, 04:18 PM

Originally Posted by hkstroud

Sorry. I missed the bedroom part, was reading bathroom. Someone made a mistake and connected the bedroom circuit to GFI instead of bath.
Easy enough to correct. Turn breakers off and switch wires. While you are switching, check the size of the wires. Both breakers are 15amp, correct? Where is circuit panel in relationship to bath?

I will do that. Both breakers are 15amp. The circuit panel is in the basement and the bathroom is two floors up on the 2nd floor of the house. You had said before that the bathroom circuit needs to be 20amps. Mine is only 15.