On this page 3 sections
Breaker keeps tripping because it is doing its job
A breaker that keeps tripping in Sacramento is protecting the circuit, not failing for sport. Swapping it first is how the same trip gets bought twice. This job is the symptom. The repair after the cause is named is a different page.
The same appliance trips it every time
A load the circuit cannot carry. Not a bigger breaker on the same wire.
It trips with nothing obvious on
Or instantly on reset. Something is already connected that the breaker will not live with. Leave it off.
Should I keep resetting it?
No. If it will not hold, leave it off. Repeated resets will not fix the cause.
Breaker keeps tripping: overload, a fault on the run, or heat at the panel
A breaker that keeps tripping is doing its job. The cause is an overload, a fault on the circuit, or heat at the panel. A larger breaker on the same conductors is how a fault becomes a fire.
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Overload
The same two loads together. The wire is sized to the breaker. A bigger breaker is not the answer.
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A fault on the run
Instant trip, or a trip with nothing on. Isolate. Do not keep resetting it to confirm.
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What we need on the call
Which breaker, and what is running. That is enough to put you on the right repair page.
When tripping isn’t the right job
The symptom is here. The work is often somewhere else. Tell us which breaker and what is running — that is enough to put you on the right page.
The repair after the cause is named
Circuit breaker repair — find the cause, then replace what actually failed.
The house needs more capacity
Several large loads on a service that is close is the panel upgrade question. A bigger breaker on the existing wire is not the answer.
The whole house is dark
That is power loss, not a branch-circuit trip. Check the neighbors first.
Breaker tripping questions
Should I keep resetting it?
No. If it will not hold, leave it off. The breaker is doing its job; repeated resets will not fix the cause.
Can I just put in a bigger breaker?
No. The breaker is sized to the wire. A larger breaker on the same conductors is how a fault becomes a fire. The repair is circuit breaker repair, or a new circuit if the load is real.
It only trips when the AC and the microwave run.
That is an overload, not a broken breaker. Whether the service can carry both is the panel upgrade question.
There is a burning smell at the panel.
Stop. Call emergency electrical. Do not reset it again.
Still not sure it is the right job? Call (279) 972-9272 — available 24 hours.Want the detail? Breaker keeps tripping
Serving 19 communities across the Sacramento area
Litel Electric serves homeowners throughout all 19 communities in our service area — from Davis and Woodland to Roseville, Folsom, and Elk Grove.
Get estimate
Tell us what is happening, or what you are planning. We read the details, tell you what else we need to know, and explain the next step before anything is scheduled.
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You send the problem or the plan, with the address if you have it.
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We reply with what it involves and what has to be seen in person.
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Nothing is scheduled, and nothing is priced, until the equipment has been looked at.
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- CSLB #1115460 · C-10 electrical