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Why Is My Circuit Breaker Tripping? 4 Potential Problems and Solutions

By Glenda Taylor , Bob Vila , Evelyn Auer

Updated on Dec 15, 2023 4:16 AM EST

6 minute read

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What You Need to Know

• A tripping circuit breaker could be a sign of an overloaded circuit, a short circuit, a ground fault, or a worn-out breaker.
• Homeowners will want to hire an electrician to determine the cause of the frequently tripping circuit breaker.
• Electricians may recommend replacing the circuit breaker, installing GFCI outlets, or rewiring part or all of the home.

Q: Every few hours—sometimes minutes!—my living room and one side of my kitchen lose electrical power. I’ll check the breaker panel and, sure enough, a circuit breaker has tripped…again. Should I call an electrician, or is there a simple DIY fix I can try first?

A: While it’s frustrating when a circuit breaker keeps tripping, they are important safety mechanisms. Designed to shut off the electrical current when something goes wrong, circuit breakers are one of the best ways of protecting a home from an electrical fire. “When a circuit breaker trips, typically it is because we use too much electricity, which causes it to overload and turn off,” says Christopher Haas, expert electrician and owner of Haas & Sons Electric in Millersville, Maryland. For those who need an electrical panels 101 refresher course or aren’t sure how to reset circuit breakers, each breaker has an on/off switch and controls a separate electrical circuit in the home. When a breaker trips, its switch automatically flips “off,” and it must be manually turned back on to restore electricity to the circuit. For those wondering, “Is it dangerous if a circuit breaker keeps tripping?” the answer is that it can be, depending on the source of the problem. An electrician can ultimately deal with the root issue, but a little sleuthing will reveal whether it’s something that’s easily remedied.

In many cases, the cause of a circuit breaking tripping is an overloaded circuit.

A circuit overloads when more electrical current is being drawn through the wires than they can handle, tripping the circuit breaker. If this happens, there may be a few additional signs:

• Buzzing noises coming from outlets
• Devices charging slowly
• Electrical outlets not working
• Flickering lights
• Scorch marks on outlets and light switches

If a circuit breaker keeps tripping in one room, homeowners can test for circuit overload by turning off all the switches in the affected area and unplugging all appliances and devices. After the breaker is flipped back on, the devices can be turned back on one at a time, with homeowners waiting a few minutes in between to see if the circuit remains on. If the breaker trips before all the appliances are turned on, the experiment can be repeated, this time turning them on in a different order. It may be necessary to do this several times to find out how many appliances can be operated at once before the circuit overloads.

“As a short-term solution, you can unplug unnecessary appliances to prevent tripping circuit breakers. You may still get some trips, but you can limit them by unplugging devices that you don’t need to use,” advises Dan Mock, vice president of operations at Mister Sparky , an electrical company with 90 locations in the U.S. The best long-term solution, however, is to pay an electrician for the cost to rewire the house and add additional circuits. The cost to replace an electrical panel is about $1,274 on average.

Other times, the issue may be caused by a short circuit.

A “short” circuit means that two wires that should not be coming into contact are inadvertently touching, triggering a sudden surge of electricity through the wires. A short can occur in an outlet, a switch, or within an appliance if wires are loose or have been chewed through by mice or pets. Some signs of a short circuit include:

• Popping sounds
• Discolored outlets or switches
• Burning smells

Testing to see if an appliance has a short is similar to testing for an overloaded circuit. When an appliance that has a short in its wiring is turned on, it will immediately trip the circuit. Homeowners can also try plugging it into an outlet in a different room. If the breaker for that room trips, there’s a short in the appliance (if it’s unclear what breaker goes to what room, the breaker can be identified with one of the best circuit breaker finders ). Electrical shorts can be a major fire hazard, so it’s a good idea to call a licensed electrician for this circuit breaker repair. It’s wise to stop using the outlet or appliance until a pro takes care of the problem.

Another potential cause of a circuit breaker tripping is a ground fault.

A ground fault occurs when the electricity running through a home’s wiring diverts from the wiring loop and travels to the ground, usually due to faulty wiring or water infiltration in an outlet or switch box. Water is a conductor, which is why walking through puddles is often listed as something not to do in a power outage in case of downed power lines. Once water makes contact with wires, electricity can jump from the wiring loop and follow the water trail. This creates a surge in electricity leading to a tripped circuit breaker. If a person comes in contact with the electricity that is on its way to the ground, this can result in electrocution. Homeowners may notice a few signs of a ground fault, including:

• Tripped GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupter) outlets;
• A burning smell coming from an outlet; and
• Lights flickering.

Newer electrical breakers have features designed to protect against the danger of ground faults. According to Haas, “Ground fault breakers sense electricity going to earth as opposed to going through the wires of the circuit. You’ll find [these] for bathrooms, kitchens, garages, exteriors, and basements.” GFCI outlets are another safety feature that shut off the electric current within a fraction of a second of sensing a ground fault.

If a ground fault is the problem, the cause of the errant water must be discovered and repaired, and any damaged wiring must also be replaced. It’s also a good idea to install GFCI outlets in rooms where water is commonly used. A GFCI outlet costs $210 on average.

Sometimes a bad or worn-out circuit breaker can be the culprit.

In some cases, the circuit breaker itself may be faulty. Breakers that are old, damaged, or were installed incorrectly may trip frequently for no apparent reason. Alternatively, faulty breakers may not trip when they are supposed to, leaving the home at risk of electrical fire. Some signs of a bad circuit breaker include:

• The circuit breaker getting hot and tripping frequently;
• The circuit breaker won’t reset;
• It has been over 10 years since the breaker was last serviced; and
• The breaker has scorch marks.

An important electrical safety tip to keep in mind is that resetting a breaker over and over again can cause what is called an arc flash, which is a small electrical explosion that can be deadly. If resetting the breaker once does not remedy the issue, it’s a good idea for the homeowner to hire an electrician near them who knows how to replace a circuit breaker safely. Mock warns, “Don’t take any chances with circuit breakers. Instead, call a licensed electrician who knows the safe ways to replace breaker boxes, upgrade circuits, and diagnose potential electrical problems in your home.” Wiring a breaker box is a job to leave to an experienced electrician.

A professional electrician can help determine the specific cause of a frequently tripping circuit breaker.

Most circuit breaker problems—aside from those explained in the sections above—will need to be inspected and addressed by a licensed electrician. According to the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) , each year “thousands of people in the United States are critically injured and electrocuted as a result of electrical fires, accidents, [or] electrocution in their own homes.” While homeowners may be tempted to save on electrician costs by attempting circuit breaker replacement or repair themselves, electrical work is not suitable for casual DIYers. “Yes, you have to pay, but you can save many hours of head-scratching by hiring an electrician. Electricians will also have all the right tools for diagnosing and repairing the circuit,” Haas adds. “Lastly, they will come with a warranty/guarantee should something arise, and they will typically return at no additional cost.”

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Why Does My Circuit Breaker Keep Tripping? – Easy Fixes –

The circuit breakers in your house or building are there to protect you from the dangers of electrical faults. Therefore, it can be pretty stressful when one of those breakers repeatedly trips, especially if it’s powering something important.

Unfortunately, troubleshooting a tripping circuit breaker isn’t always straightforward. Don’t worry, though. This guide will teach you how to find and fix the problem in an efficient manner.

When your circuit breaker keeps tripping, there’s likely either an electrical fault or an overload in the circuit it protects. In order to fix it, you must first identify the culprit. That involves a simple process of elimination. There are only two main places the issue can be: in a faulty (or misused) appliance, or in the circuit itself. After a few key checks, you can usually determine the problem, fix or replace it, and be back in business.

Note: The following article is primarily focused on a home system, but most of the principles equally apply to other structures.

Why Does My Circuit Breaker Keep Tripping?

Table of Contents

Finding the root cause behind your tripping circuit breaker will require a bit of detective work on your part. So grab your sleuthing hat and pipe, and let’s get cracking!

This is a standard process of elimination: narrow-down and rule-out . Otherwise, we run the risk of chasing our own tail and wasting precious time and energy. Here is a tried and true method to find the cause:

Step 1: Identify the Behavior Of The Breaker

First, determine which way your breaker is behaving:

A) The breaker will not reset at all

• B) The breaker resets and then trips within one or two seconds
• C) The breaker resets and holds for an inconsistent amount of time, possibly even hours or days.

We’ll take these one at a time, since they each require a different approach.

This is a direct short circuit (or possibly a “phase-to-phase” short, though unlikely). This could be in the circuit wiring or in an appliance. Leave the breaker off and proceed to step 2.

B) The breaker resets and trips within one or two seconds

This indicates a “soft” short. Typically, this is a result of water grounding out the circuit. Oftentimes, this will be found with an outside buried cable or outlet box that water has compromised. A soft short can also be caused by pinched insulation on a conductor, where the copper isn’t quite touching grounded metal, but leaks current through the ultra-thin insulation. Move on to step 2.

C) The breaker resets and holds for a while

Likely, this is an overload (technically, overcurrent) situation. There is too much power demand for the breaker rating. The breaker is doing its job by removing power from the circuit because, otherwise, there is a potential fire hazard downstream! DO NOT REPLACE WITH A LARGER BREAKER!! The breaker is sized according to the wire gauge and it is important to keep the proper rating (15A=14Awg, 20A=12Awg, 30A=10Awg, etc.).

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Another possibility with a breaker that trips every now and then is a faulty appliance that is used sporadically. Perhaps the breaker only trips when that appliance is turned on. This is hard to identify sometimes when the faulty appliance is controlled automatically by a timer or other sensor (think about recirculation fans or Christmas lights).

Turn the breaker on to make sure everything on your list is now working. If the breaker will not stay set, just go on to the next step.

Related: What Causes A Burning Smell From The Dryer?

Step 2: Identify The Affected Circuit

To start narrowing down your hunt, you must first identify the affected circuit which the tripping circuit breaker protects. This means that you’ve got to find EVERYTHING that is connected to that circuit.

Ideally, you’ll find that each circuit breaker has a clear label telling you what area(s) of the house it serves. If that’s the case, you’re off to a good start. But there is only so much room to write on the panel labels, so you’ll need to go a bit further than that.

Before you reset the circuit breaker, make a note of which appliances or parts of your house are not working. Make a detailed list of each outlet and light that doesn’t operate. Don’t forget to check fans, too!

If you have access to a plug-in tester , that is the best option to test each outlet for power. They are fairly inexpensive, and provide valuable (though basic) information about the health of the circuit.

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Otherwise, you can use a lamp or other convenient plug-in device to test each outlet for power. This will let you know exactly which outlets are on the affected circuit.

Important: While you are going around and checking the circuit, unplug anything that is on that circuit. Turn off all lights that may be on that circuit as well.

Once you have all of the appliances and devices written down, move on to the next step.

Related: Why Does My Stove Keep Tripping The Breaker?

Step 3: Disable All Electrical Components On That Circuit

As mentioned in the above step, it is important to make sure ALL of the circuit loads are off. Don’t overlook loads such as:

• Lights, bath fans, ceiling fans
• Lamps, portable heaters, portable fans
• Power strips, phone/tablet chargers, nightlights
• Computers, TVs, other electronics
• Outside lights, Christmas lights, security lights
• Attic lights, basement lights

I once had a customer with a tripped circuit breaker issue that really had me scratching my head. I thought I had identified and eliminated everything on the circuit, but couldn’t figure out why the breaker still wouldn’t reset. The problem turned out to be a bad surge protector that was hidden behind a dresser in their son’s bedroom. They didn’t even know it was there, as nothing was plugged into it. But it was internally defective and causing a short circuit. Such an easy fix, though it took me over an hour to find it. So be thorough in your process and don’t assume anything!

Once you are confident you have ALL electrical loads on the circuit disconnected or turned off, proceed to Step 4.

Turn The Breaker On

Try turning the breaker on. Make sure you first turn it all the way to the off position, and then back on.

If the breaker will not reset, then you have a circuit issue. Your best bet may be to call a qualified electrician.

If the breaker resets, great! That means the problem is likely in an appliance or light fixture.

Step 4: Test Individual Appliances And Look For Patterns

Now, we’ll test each component one by one. Follow these steps:

• Turn the breaker on.
• Start by turning on all lights and fans on the circuit. Leave them on throughout the test.
• Next, begin plugging in every appliance that you had previously unplugged, waiting a minute or so between each.
• If at any point, the breaker trips, stop. Turn off the last thing you turned on before the trip. Reset the breaker. Now try turning on the device again.
• If the breaker trips again, you’ve found your culprit. It’s either the device (likely) or the outlet (unlikely).
• To be sure, try the device in another outlet on a different circuit. If that circuit trips, the device is defective.
• If it doesn’t trip the other circuit, try the device on a different outlet on the original circuit. If it doesn’t trip, then the original outlet may have a problem. Or the device has an intermittent issue that only shorts out occasionally.
• Plug the device into any outlet and see how it behaves over time. If it’s bad, eventually, it will trip the breaker again and remove all doubt.

Related: 5 Reasons Why Dishwasher Keeps Tripping Breaker

Is It Dangerous If A Circuit Breaker Keeps Tripping?

Yes, it should be considered dangerous if you have a circuit breaker that keeps tripping.

To know why, you must first understand the purpose of that circuit breaker. It’s very dangerous when too much electrical current flows through a circuit. So, a circuit breaker is installed at the front end of every circuit to prevent that from happening.

A properly functioning circuit breaker will sense excessive current in the circuit and will trip, stopping current flow. Effectively, it behaves as the “weak link” in the circuit. Without it, some other part of the circuit will inevitably fail and a fire may ensue.

Sometimes a breaker will trip from a fluke occurrence – perhaps a surge in the current flow from the utility or a lightning strike. However, if the same circuit breaker trips multiple times for unknown reasons, that means there’s either an ongoing electrical fault somewhere on that circuit, or it’s an overloaded circuit. 

Note: It is also possible that the breaker is faulty. But unless it is a really old breaker, this is actually fairly rare. Usually, the reason a breaker goes bad is because there is another problem on the circuit (or has been in the past).

Excessive breaker tripping and resetting can eventually wear out the breaker, causing it to become weak and fail to hold. Check out this helpful article on how to tell if a circuit breaker is bad.

If you don’t fix the fault and stop the circuit breaker from tripping, you run the risk of:

• Wearing out the breaker until it no longer functions as it should.
• Electrical fires starting and spreading throughout the house or building.
• Damage to any appliance on that circuit, potentially requiring expensive replacements and repairs.

So, when you have a repeatedly tripping circuit breaker, don’t just reset it and forget it. Be sure to identify what is causing the tripping. You should only fix it yourself if you have the necessary skills and tools. If not, call an electrician or other qualified individual.

Related: Circuit Breaker Is ON But No Power To The Outlet?

How To Reset A Tripped Circuit Breaker

Resetting a tripped circuit breaker is very straightforward.

A standard circuit breaker has 3 positions:

• ON : On one side, you have the ON position (usually oriented toward the center of the panel). That means the electrical current will flow through the breaker and the circuit.
• OFF : You also have the OFF position (oriented toward the outside). That will stop any electricity from flowing in the circuit.
• Center : Most relevant to this article, you have the center position. When your circuit breaker trips, it will not go to the OFF position. Instead, it’ll go to the center to indicate that it tripped and was not shut off on purpose. In this position, no electricity will flow in the circuit.

Don’t push the switch from the center to the ON position to reset a tripped breaker. Instead, do this:

• First, move the switch fully to the fully position.
• Second, move the switch all the way to the ON position.

Related: What To Check If Your Dryer Keeps Tripping Breaker?

Why Does My Breaker Keep Tripping With Nothing Plugged In?

Sometimes, it’s not an appliance that causes your circuit breaker to keep tripping. So once you rule out any problems with your devices, there are a few other things to consider.

Once you’re sure that none of your appliances are on, you’ll have to troubleshoot for:

• Short circuits: caused by problems with your electrical wiring.
• Excessive currents or voltages: from power surges during thunderstorms .
• Ground faults: when a live part of the circuit comes into contact with a grounded component.
• Faulty circuit breaker: if you have an old or defective circuit breaker at the end of its useful lifespan.

Troubleshooting the above can be pretty risky if you’re not sure what you’re doing. So, again, don’t be afraid to contact an electrician to do it for you.

Related: Top Reasons Why A Washing Machine Keeps Tripping The Breaker

Why Does My Circuit Breaker Trip Only At Night?

As you’ve seen in earlier parts of this guide, troubleshooting a tripping circuit breaker involves trial and error, as well as spotting patterns.

So, if your circuit breaker keeps tripping at night, focus your attention on appliances that only run during that time.

For example:

• Do you have automatic lights that only turn on at night?
• Do you have a HVAC (heating, ventilation, air conditioning) system that runs at night?
• Do you have computer systems or similar equipment that run at night?
• What about security lights that are motion triggered?

Once you narrow down the appliances that might cause the circuit breaker to trip only at night, troubleshoot them one at a time using the same steps described above.

For example, you can plug the appliances into different circuits in your house to see if they trip other circuit breakers instead.

Why Does My Circuit Breaker Trip After 30 Minutes?

After resetting a tripped circuit breaker, you might find that there’s a slight delay before it trips again. That delay could be 30 minutes or even a few hours before the breaker randomly trips again.

There are a couple of reasons that can cause this:

• Overload: If a circuit is only slightly overloaded, the beaker might not trip immediately. Typically, there are a variety of loads on a circuit, and the draw of those loads can fluctuate regularly as they are being utilized.
• Intermittent Use: Many of the loads on a circuit are not being used at all times. So, if there is a defective appliance or device, the circuit only trips when that particular device is utilized. For example, a refrigerator motor automatically turns on via an internal thermostat. You won’t necessarily know when that happens and therefore not suspect it.

In short, you must check for electrical faults in:

• All appliances plugged into that circuit, like lights, TVs, kitchen equipment, and anything else.
• All power sockets and switches on that circuit, including wall switches and wall outlets that you plug appliances into.
• Last of all, check electrical wiring for that circuit, which might have been chewed on by pests or otherwise damaged.

How To Fix A Tripped Breaker That Won’t Reset

When you try to reset your circuit breaker, but it trips instantly, that’s usually a telltale sign that there’s a short circuit. However, it could also be a worn-out breaker .

Do not try to force the circuit breaker to stay on. Instead, you must troubleshoot the circuit and fix the root cause first. Refer to the Step 3 above.

Why Does My Breaker Trip After A Few Seconds?

Suppose you successfully reset the circuit breaker, but it trips after a few seconds of delay. In that case, you likely have a ground fault in the circuit caused by water intrusion.

Since water is not a great conductor (as compared to most metals), it can take some time for the electricity to short out. A ground fault occurs when the electricity flows straight to the ground instead of going through the circuit normally.

Again, you must resolve the root cause of this issue before you can turn your circuit breaker back on again.

Final Thoughts

If your circuit breaker keeps tripping, it’s critical that you figure out why. Continuing to reset the breaker without addressing the problem will eventually result in a worse situation, including:

• A worn-out breaker that will stop tripping when it should, greatly increasing the chance of fire.
• A worn-out breaker that will no longer reset and hold.
• Permanent damage to the device or appliance that has a fault issue.
• Electric shock to the user of the device or appliance that has a fault.

To be on the safe side, when you experience a breaker tripping occasionally, get the problem taken care of ASAP. That way, you can have peace of mind that everything is functioning properly.

Also Read: Why Is My Outdoor Power Outlet Not Working?

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5 Reasons Your Circuit Breaker Keeps Tripping and What You Can Do About It

Keep losing power, and aren't sure why here are five of the most common reasons why a circuit breaker keeps tripping, and what you can do to fix the problem..

1. Ground Fault

2. short circuit, 3. circuit overload, 4. arc fault, 5. damaged breakers, circuit breaker keeps tripping.

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5+ Reasons Why Your Breaker Keeps Tripping – And How to Fix It

Your breaker may trip due to circuit overload, short circuits, ground faults, outdated wiring, or a faulty breaker. Follow tips to fix each issue and ensure safety.

Your circuit breaker will trip once in a while if it detects an electrical fault. After all, that’s what it’s designed to do. Without the breaker, you could be putting yourself, loved ones, and property at risk of electrocutions and fires. But what if the breaker keeps tripping and leaves you in pitch darkness?

Before you call an electrician, consider implementing the tips below. You’ll discover the root causes and what to do if your breaker keeps tripping.

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Why Does My Breaker Keep Tripping?

If your breaker frequently trips, examine your electric power system to determine if the issue results from one of the following causes.

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Circuit Overload

Have you checked whether you’re dealing with an overloaded circuit? A circuit overload occurs when the wires receive more electrical current than they can handle.

Each circuit has a maximum current it can handle. The breaker will trip if it detects that the current exceeds the circuit’s capacity.

Often, a circuit overload happens if you’ve plugged multiple appliances, including high-power devices, into the circuit. You might notice that power goes out in your kitchen or living room when the breaker trips. That’s a telltale that a single circuit in either of the rooms is powering multiple appliances.

• Disconnect all the devices and reset the breaker.
• Before connecting an appliance, allow your electric power system to rest for a few minutes. Plug in your devices one at a time.
• If it trips again as you plug in the devices, relocate the appliances to other outlets.
• If the breaker continues to trip, call an electrician to troubleshoot the problem.

Short Circuit

A short circuit might be another reason why your breaker keeps tripping. Unlike circuit overloads, short circuits have more potential to cause fires.

A short circuit happens when a live or “hot” wire touches a neutral wire. When the two wires touch, they cause a sudden surge of current through the wires. This surge leads to a circuit overload, which causes the breaker to trip. If your circuit breaker fails to trip, it can put your property at risk of fire.

To know whether the culprit is a short circuit, you can look for sparks, smoke, burning smells, or popping sounds. A short circuit will occur in a switch, outlet, or within the circuit breaker due to the following reasons:

• Slipped wires
• Damaged wires
• Loose connections

Do you know what to do if your breaker keeps tripping? Unless you have professional experience, avoid trying to fix a short circuit in your electric power system. The affected cables can instigate fire and further damage. You may also get electrocuted. Call your electrician to fix the problem.

Ground Faults

When it comes to ground faults, a live or “hot” wire touches a ground wire or the breaker’s outer casing. This contact causes a sudden surge of current passing through the breaker. The breaker will trip if it detects more electricity than it can handle.

Ground faults occur when water enters the appliance or an outlet. If it touches the hot wire, the current changes its route and follows the water path. This might cause electrocution if you touch the water with bare hands or feet.

Thankfully, the National Electrical Code (NEC) requires buildings to install Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) outlets . These outlets can detect ground faults and cut off the current.

• Find where the water is coming from and fix it. If it’s damaged roofing directing rainwater into the box, call a roofer to fix it.
• Replace damaged wiring. Call your electrician to replace the damaged wiring to avoid causing further damage.
• If you’ve not installed GFCI outlets, call a licensed electrician to install them for you.

Outdated Wiring

Outdated wiring is prevalent in older homes. If you live in an old house, you’re likely to have a breaker that keeps tripping. The electric power system in that home can only handle low-power devices. If you plug in modern appliances, you might experience frequent breaker trips due to circuit overload.

Old aluminum wires might melt when the circuit overloads. The melting cables might burn the plastic casing, causing a fire.

If you check the insulation in one of your outdated wires, you might find it deteriorating. When this insulation touches a conductor, it can cause a ground fault.

According to the National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA), faulty wiring leading to electrical failure is one of the main causes of fires in residential areas. The wiring can be outdated if you live in a house over 40 years old. Outdated and faulty wiring will likely cause a fire during overloads or short circuits.

The only way to fix outdated wiring is to have it replaced. Find a professional who’ll inspect the wiring and upgrade it.

A Bad Circuit Breaker

If your breaker doesn’t stop tripping even after fixing some or all of the above causes, then your breaker might be faulty. Sometimes, a breaker will trip even when it’s newly installed. This might be due to an undersized breaker, manufacturer’s defect, or loss of efficiency. If one of these is the case, your breaker will trip even if there are no overloading, short circuits, or ground faults.

When inspecting your old wiring, check whether you’re working with an old breaker. It may no longer produce electricity for your modern appliances if it’s old. You should also check whether the breaker is tripping due to a lack of maintenance.

Avoid tampering with your faulty breaker, especially if you don’t have the necessary skills. Call a certified electrician to diagnose the problem and fix it. If your breaker is old or beyond repair, they can replace it.

How To Reset a Tripped Breaker

If your breaker won’t stop tripping, resetting it is the first thing you might consider. Resetting the circuit breaker is a great way to determine what causes the tripping.

To reset your breaker:

• Locate the appliance’s handle or switch and move it to the “OFF” position.
• Before this, ensure you’ve unplugged all the devices.
• Move the switch to the “ON” position.

When turning the switch on, the breaker might produce sparks that might cause a fire or electrocution. To be safe, avoid standing near and directly facing the panel. You can stand at the side or a few steps back. After resetting, allow the breaker to rest for a few minutes before plugging in your devices. Now you know what to do if your breaker keeps tripping.

The following are some of the most common questions people have asked about circuit breakers.

How can you tell if your circuit breaker has gone bad?

The following symptoms should help you know that your circuit breaker has gone bad:

• Frequent tripping
• Unable to reset
• Burnt smell
• Scorch marks on its box
• Visibly damaged breaker
• Worn-out breaker
• Hot circuit breaker

What causes the breaker not to reset?

A breaker might fail to reset if it has gone bad. The breaker won’t reset if you’ve plugged in too many devices that consume a lot of power.

What is the average life of a circuit breaker?

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) states that the lifespan of breakers is between 30-40 years . Factors such as fluctuating voltages and poor power ratings can affect the life of your breaker.

Jeff (pen name for privacy) is our primary contributor. Previously, he has worked at 84 Lumber as a manager trainee and contractor sales rep. Before that, he worked for a local plumbing firm doing everything from rough-ins to septic repair and more.

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10 Steps to Take When Your Circuit Breaker Keeps Tripping

What is a Circuit Breaker?

Take these 10 steps if your circuit breaker keeps tripping..

• Step 1: Identify the cause
• Step 2: Unplug appliances and devices
• Step 3: Reset the circuit breaker
• Step 4: Observe for immediate re-tripping
• Step 5: Determine the load
• Step 6: Assess the electrical load
• Step 7: Divide the load
• Step 8: Address wiring issues
• Step 9: Consider professional assistance
• Step 10: Maintain regular electrical inspections

Who should I call for an electrical repair service?

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What to Do when a Circuit Breaker Trips Intermittently

A circuit breaker that trips open intermittently may be indicative of a circuit overload or an intermittent short circuits. Two reasons a circuit breaker trips open are circuit overloads and short circuits. Circuit breakers, like the older, Edison-based fuses, are designed to protect electrical writing against circuit overloads and short circuits.

Short circuits occur when a hot wire comes into contact with the circuit's neutral conductors or when it comes into contact with some grounded surface. Short circuits are relatively easy to diagnose because the circuit breaker will not hold after resetting until the short circuit is located and repaired. Circuit overloads, on the other hand, are not so easy to diagnose because, depending on the amount of the overload current, the circuit may hold after being reset until the heat building up from the overload current causes the thermally operated circuit breaker to trip open once again.

A third possible cause for a circuit breaker to trip open is that the circuit breaker itself has become defective. Circuit breakers becoming defective is not a common problem with residential wiring systems, but it can happen. There might have been a manufacturing defect with the circuit breaker that the QC inspections did not catch. This kind of problem usually makes itself known relatively soon after the CB is newly installed. Another cause for a CB to become defective is a power surge that causes so much heat in such a short period of time that the bi-metal strip in the CB is weakened or damaged in some other way.

How much circuit current constitutes a circuit overload?

Residential 120-volt branch circuits are either protected by circuit breakers rated at 15-amperes or 20-amperes but that does not mean that these circuits can be loaded down at constant 15 or 20-amperes current. The reason for that is that most circuit breakers are designed to only carry a continuous current of up to 80 percent of their rated current. In other words, a circuit protected by a 15-ampere CB has a load rating of 1,440-Watts or 12-Amperes.

A circuit protected by a 20-Ampere CB should be loaded to 1,920-Watts or 16-Amperes. These maximum safe loads are not only required by the CB's design, they are requirements of the National Electric Code (NEC). There is one exception to this rule, some circuit breakers are designed to carry 100-percent of their rated current and those CB's are so marked on their cases.

Troubleshooting and Isolating circuit overloads

If you do not already own a clamping ammeter, now is the time to procure. There are many quality clamping meters on the market today at very reasonable prices but one of the best sources of tools for the do-it-yourself person is Harbor Freight. You could spend hundreds of dollars for a clamping meter but the Cen-Tech 7—Function, clamp—on multimeter sold by Harbor Freight for less than $30 will be all the meter the average do-it-yourself person will ever need for residential electrical work. This meter tests resistance and AC and DC voltage without splicing wires or puncturing insulation. The meters 17-test ranges include

• DC Voltage—4 ranges 200mV/20V/200V/1000V
• AC CurrentAC Voltage—2 ranges 200V/750V—3 ranges 20A/200A/1000A
• Resistance—5 Ranges 200Ω/2kΩ/20kΩ/200kΩ/2MΩ
• And a Continuity Test.

The actual product/operating manual is available in pdf format here .

Safety First

One of the very first rules that every do-it-yourself person is taught when doing an electrical project is to always turn the electricity off first by switching the circuit breaker to the off position. But, as James Thurber (1894-1961), the writer and cartoonist once said, “There is no exception to the rule that every rule has an exception.” This is one of those exceptions for electrical safety rules. When performing an electrical circuit load test, just as when performing circuit voltage tests, the power must be left on.

Performing the load test

Ido not believe in reinventing the wheel. I have already published a step by step guide called “ How to Tell If You Have a Faulty Breaker in Your Breaker Box ” on e-How.

Circuit overloaded

If the circuit is actually overloaded, the meter indicates a load of more than 12-Amperes on a 15-Ampere circuit or a 16-Ampere load on a 20-Ampere circuit, you will need to reduce the load by moving some of the plugged in loadsto a different branch circuit.

Replacing a defective circuit breaker

If the load current is 80 percent or less of the circuit breaker rated amperes and the breaker continues to trip open, you will need to replace the circuit breaker. For a good step-by-step guide for removing and replacing a defective branch circuit CB, go to Replacing a Breaker in Your Panel .

Circuit Breaker Tripping: Troubleshooting Guide

Hubert Miles | Licensed Home Inspector, CMI, CPI

Updated on January 5, 2024

A circuit breaker tripping results from short circuits, overloaded circuits, and ground faults. In each case, an unintended excessive flow of current triggers the trip. You must reset the circuit breaker by flipping it back on to restore power.

Circuit breakers trip because they cannot handle the amount of current running through them. Tripping the circuit breaker interrupts the flow of electricity and protects your devices or appliances from damage.

Get FREE estimates from licensed electricians in your area today. Whether you need to replace an outlet, hang a ceiling fan, a new electrical panel, or repair wiring, We Can Help!

Without electrical circuit breakers , the possibility of electrical fires would be much higher.  

This guide looks at what causes circuit breakers to trip, what you can do, and how to identify a bad breaker.

What Would Cause a Circuit Breaker to Trip

There are three leading causes of circuit breaker trips:

• circuit overload
• electrical faults (i.e., ground faults and arc faults)
• short circuits

Below are factors that can cause circuit breaker trips. 

Circuit Overload

A circuit overload happens when the flow of electric current running through the circuit exceeds the amperage of the devices it serves. 

For example, if your microwave is a 12.5 amp appliance, you can run it on a 15 amp circuit. That means your microwave is safe as long as the amperage running through the circuit is 15 amps .

However, if the circuit receives an excessive electrical load over 15 amps , it will automatically trip to protect your device from damage. If the circuit doesn’t trip, the excess current will fry the circuit in your microwave. 

Also, if you operate too many appliances and devices on one circuit, its internal mechanism heats up, causing the breaker to trip. 

Circuit overload is the most common reason for breakers tripping. 

Ground Faults

A ground fault occurs when the active wire comes into contact with a ground wire made of bare copper. Sometimes, this fault may happen when the hot wire touches the metal box connected to the ground wire.

Excessive current flows once the active wire touches the ground wire, flowing into the earth. If you step on the affected area, ground faults can cause shock and even electrocution. The uncontrolled flow of electricity will cause the circuit breaker to trip.

Arc Faults 

An arc fault happens when exposed faulty wiring touches, causing the electric current to arc at the meeting point. As a result, sparks occur, which can ignite an electric fire.

A corroded or loose connection is the main culprit for arc faults. Circuit overloads, ground faults, or short circuits trip an AFCI (Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter) circuit breaker.

Arc faults result from damaged, loose, or corroded terminals and wires. The arc fault builds up over time as the heat due to the cable damage and terminals build up to the point of ignition.

Short Circuits

A short circuit occurs when an active wire touches a neutral wire, and the electrical current takes an unintended path of least resistance. 

The common cause of short circuits is frayed wires coming into contact when the wires touch. The electrical current flow increases significantly, causing the circuit breaker to trip to stop the electricity from damaging appliances.

It is a short circuit because the current bypasses the proper circuit wiring channels and flows through a shorter, unplanned pathway.

Short circuits occur 

• When insulation melts and wires are exposed
• Within appliances with damaged internal wiring
• Due to damaged and frayed extension or appliance cords

How do You Fix a Breaker that Keeps Tripping?

A dedicated circuit breaker tripping indicates too much current flowing through the wiring or connection to the outlet.

Here is a step-by-step guide to follow when you notice the first trip:

• Begin by turning off all the appliances and unplug electrical devices from the outlet. Also, switch off light fixtures and unplug those that you can. This prevents any appliances from damaged when the breaker is reset and a sudden surge of power comes through.
• Open the circuit panel or box and locate the on and off buttons of the circuit breaker. You may notice an orange or red color on the breaker when it is off. 
• Flip the switch from off to on to reset the circuit breaker. Once the breaker is reset, you can switch and test the appliances to see if the electrical power is flowing.
• Keep safe as you reset the breaker by working from the side of the electrical box instead of the front. That way, you will avoid any sparks (should there be any) when you switch the breaker back on.
• Some people prefer to switch the main electrical switch when working on the circuit breaker for added safety. 

Types of Circuit Breakers

Standard circuit breaker.

Standard circuit breakers monitor the modulation of the electric current coming into your devices and appliances. 

This circuit breaker stops the current from flowing when it detects the excessive flow of electricity. 

Standard circuit breakers come in two forms:

• Single-pole circuit breakers
• Double pole circuit breakers

Single-Pole Circuit Breakers

Single-pole circuit breakers are the most common breakers in homes and buildings. They monitor the electric current’s flow in one wire and trip if that wire experiences a very high influx of electricity.

These breakers deliver only 120 volts and work well for 15 to 30 amp circuits. Single-pole circuit breakers come with one switch in the back. 

Double-Pole Circuit Breakers

The double-pole circuit breakers monitor the current in two wires simultaneously. You will notice two switches on the back of these breakers.

The double-pole circuit breakers will trip even if only one of the wires receives too much current. They can accommodate between 15 to 200 amps while delivering 240 volts. 

Single-pole breakers are a good fit for lighting fixtures and other standard home outlets. On the other hand, double-pole breakers work for larger appliances like dryers and washing machines. 

Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI)

The GFCI circuit breaker interrupts the line due to ground faults. They trip when the current starts to follow an uncharted path into the ground. These ground fault surges occur when a foreign conductor, like water, comes in contact with a receptacle .

At the same time, they offer protection against circuit overloads and short circuits. 

GFCI circuit breakers come built into specialized outlets required for wet areas in the home, including :

• Outdoor areas like the balcony, patio, porches, and decks
• Laundry rooms
• Swimming pools
• Six feet from a sink
• Six feet from the bathroom

These breakers help prevent shock or electrocution should the electrical outlet contact water. 

Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter (AFCI) 

The AFCI circuit breaker detects normal and abnormal arc faults, so it will trip when it detects a dangerous arc fault that can cause a fire. 

The AFCI circuit breaker doesn’t work to protect devices and appliances plugged into an outlet. It works to prevent electrical fires due to faulty connections and wiring. The internal sensing mechanism in the circuit breaker senses the conditions of an electric arc, and the circuit trips to avoid an electric fire.

AFCI protection can also be built into an outlet. The National Electrical Code (NEC) requires these types of breakers to feature in :

• Common rooms
• Laundry areas

AFCI and GFCI circuit breakers can co-exist and complement each other for the best protection.

Combination All Fault Circuit Interrupter (CAFCI)

The CAFCI breaker senses and reacts to any electrical fault, including ground and arc faults.

CAFCI is a relatively new technology that meets new NEC requirements for circuits requiring arc and ground fault protection.

Do Circuit Breakers Get Weak?

A circuit breaker can wear out and become weak. If a breaker trips frequently, the thermal or magnetic element can lose calibration, causing it to trip at lower amp loads than intended. A breaker constantly under thermal stress caused by overloading the circuit will eventually trip more frequently.

Let’s not forget breakers are not impervious to damage. As the internal mechanical parts wear out, they become very sensitive and may not hold under normal load amperage and temperatures.

Electricians refer to this as a bad breaker .

Will a Bad Breaker Keep Tripping

By definition, bad breaker malfunctions, so it will keep tripping until it is either replaced or rectified .

A licensed electrician performs this simple test to see if a breaker will keep tripping and determine if it can be repaired or replaced in the following steps.

• The electrician will switch off all the fixtures and appliances in the house. Also, unplug everything.
• Find the malfunctioning circuit breaker . The electrician will go to the electrical box and locate the breaker lighting orange or red or the one with the switch off.
• They will ascertain that it is the correct circuit breaker. After that, the electrician puts the breaker off.
• With the switch on, the breaker is back on as well. The electrician will plug the appliances into the outlet with the problem circuit breaker. Now, they will turn the devices and appliances on. 

If the breaker trips, the electrician will investigate the circuit’s current amount. The breaker is bad if the current is according to the appliance’s rating.

How You know if a Circuit Breaker is Bad

Breakers do wear out after a while. It has a problem if the breaker doesn’t stay on after resetting it.

Since the circuit breaker controls the electric flow in the house, it is essential to monitor it and catch signs that it has gone bad early.

Here are key signs that denote a bad circuit breaker :

It Frequently Trips

Frequent tripping could be because of a bad breaker. After tripping and resetting, your circuit breaker should stay on unless it detects high current flow. 

To ensure that the issue is not the electricity but the circuit breaker, call an electrician to examine your electricity’s flow and determine whether it is the cause of the constant tripping.

If it is not, then the circuit breaker is the problem. 

The Breaker Overheats

Electrical systems will heat up when active. Typically a breaker can heat to about 60°C (140°F) before problems arise.

Terminations for standard rated breakers: UL 489 Paragraph 7.1.4.2.2 says the temperature rise on a wiring terminal at a point to which the insulation of a wire is brought up as in actual service shall not exceed 50°C (122°F). Terminations for 100% rated breakers: UL489 Paragraph 7.1.4.3.3 says the temperature rise on the termination shall not exceed 60°C (140°F). Handles, knobs, and other user surfaces: UL489 Paragraph 7.1.4.1.6 says the maximum temperature on handles, knobs, and other surfaces subject to user contact during normal operation shall not exceed 60°C (140°F) on metallic and 85°C (185°F) on nonmetallic surfaces. Source: https://www.clipsal.com/faq/fa173839

Call an electrician immediately if the breaker becomes too hot.

There are Scorch Marks

Scorch marks around receptacles, appliances, and the electrical box should tell you your circuit breaker has gone bad.

The burn marks indicate that wiring insulation has melted off and the circuit wires are now sparking and emanating heat or fire. That means that the circuit breaker did not interrupt the excess current and reached the wires and burned them. 

You may see melted wire sheathing on the wire where it connects to the breaker.

Professional electricians can use a  thermal imaging infrared camera to locate the heat source. The infrared camera allows them to pinpoint the problem area through the walls and other construction material.

A Burning Smell

Sometimes you may smell the insulation burning, but no scorch marks are present to denote which outlet is the problem. 

With the help of the infrared camera, an electrician can help locate electrical issues. 

If you encounter a burning odor, shut off the main power and call for emergency service from an electrician. 

The electrical wires burn because power surges through the circuit, melting the wire insulation.

What is Nuisance Tripping

Nuisance tripping is when a breaker trips without a fault to warrant the interruption to the electric current flow.

Nuisance tripping occurs due to several reasons:

Stringent Protection on Circuits 

Sometimes the circuit is protected by stringent conditions that detect any variance as a fault and cause a trip. 

Such stringent conditions can be tuned to accommodate the home’s or building’s electric needs.

A Highly Sensitive Circuit Breaker

In some cases, the circuit breaker has been set to susceptible settings so that they can detect even the slightest fault, even a minor average variance.

For example, the manufacturer can set an AFCI circuit breaker to sensitive standards to detect another circuit’s arc. This common issue may occur in a daisy chain where the circuit breakers connect in a linear series. There may be a faulty electrical outlet you are unaware of on the circuit. It is common for multiple rooms to share a breaker in older houses.

The Breaker Encounters Power Under Different Conditions

The variation in the current is normal, but the breaker responds to it by tripping because the flow is outside the breaker’s regular operation.

Your circuit breaker is tripping because the voltage it is encountering is not within the standard operation. You will need to adjust the circuit breaker or the voltage to eliminate nuisance tripping.

The Breaker Trips with Nothing Plugged in

A breaker tripping with nothing plugged in occurs when a hot, neutral wire is touching somewhere in the circuit. The common causes include frayed or damaged electrical wires, loose connections, faulty electrical receptacles, light switches , or dimmers.

Electrical wire damage happens when:

• wiring is chewed by animals such as rats, squirrels , raccoons, etc
• wire sheathing and insulation ages and become frayed
• wires rub against sharp edges such as punch-outs with missing grommets or wire clamps

Loose connections often occur when electrical wire nuts come loose or electrical tape wears out causing wires to touch.

Defective wiring can be anywhere along the circuit, so it’s best to contact a licensed electrician to troubleshoot why the breaker is tripping.

Replacing a Bad Circuit Breaker

• Check the electrical panel to see the compatible approved circuit breaker brands. Also, make a note of the brand of the electric panel . This is to help you determine if there are upgrades they could recommend for the hardware.
• Order online or go to the hardware store and purchase the breaker of the same voltage as the one you are replacing.
• Go and open the electrical box and switch off the bad breaker. Loosen the terminals and remove the wires using a pair of needle-nosed pliers. Ensure the pliers have rubber insulated handles to avoid shock or electrocution since you will use the pliers to grab the live wires from the terminal. That is a safety measure.
• Remove the bad breaker. Replace it with the new breaker and slip its clips into place. Remember to switch off the replacement breaker.
• Next, using the pliers, hold the wiring and tighten the screws on the terminal. It is crucial to ensure that the wires and screws in the terminals are in the right place.
• Turn the breaker on and replace the electrical panel cover.

Can a Breaker Fail Without Tipping

If you have a newer electrical panel , it’s not likely for a breaker to fail and not trip. However, in older breaker boxes like Federal Pacific , the breaker failing to trip is common.

The main reason Federal Pacific was investigated by the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) was widespread structure fires involving breakers failing to trip when an electrical overload was present. They found that the circuit breaker contacts would fuse to the bus bar.

Modern breakers will trip when a failure occurs as an added layer of safety. Most older breakers did not have these safeguards.

With AFCI breakers, if the Internal sensing mechanism fails, the breaker reverts to a standard breaker. The AFCI sensor mechanism will no longer work, but the breaker would still trip from overcurrent protection. Therefore, you should test the AFCI breaker regularly.

Conclusion 

Listen to your circuit breaker . It’s alerting you of a problem when it trips. That communication could be a problem with the breaker itself, the circuit, or the amount of electric current coming into your home.

Hubert Miles is a licensed home inspector (RBI# 2556) with more than two decades of experience in inspection and construction. Since 2008, he has been serving South Carolina through his company, Patriot Home Inspections LLC. As a Certified Master Inspector, Hubert is dedicated to providing his expertise in home inspections, repairs, maintenance, and DIY projects.

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Circuit Breaker Keeps Tripping: Causes, Troubleshooting and Solutions

• 27 Jun, 2023
• Posted by: Circuit Breaker Wholesale

Dealing with a circuit breaker that keeps tripping without any load can be frustrating and worrisome.

If you find yourself constantly resetting the breaker without a resolution, it is crucial to understand the underlying causes and discover effective solutions.

In this comprehensive guide, we will explore common wiring problems that lead to breaker trips and provide expert guidance on how to address them.

By understanding and rectifying these issues, you can ensure a safe and reliable electrical system in your home or building.

Let's dive into the reasons behind circuit breaker trips without load and learn how to resolve them.

Understanding Why Your Circuit Breaker Keeps Tripping Without Load

To effectively address the issue, it is important to understand why your circuit breaker keeps tripping.

Although it may seem like there is no load present , there is always some electrical load in the system. This is because components such as capacitors, diodes, and transistors continuously conduct small amounts of current, even when devices are turned off.

Therefore, the notion of tripping without load is actually inaccurate. The key question is, what is causing the circuit breaker to trip despite minimal or no additional load?

Wiring Problems Leading to Circuit Breaker Tripping:

Several wiring problems can contribute to circuit breaker trips without load. Let's explore the three most common issues and their solutions:

Current Leakage:

One potential cause is current leakage, where one or more input wires experience small amounts of current flow. Although this can be frustrating, it is actually a safety precaution to protect against electrical hazards.

To address current leakage , it is crucial to identify the source of the leakage. This may involve inspecting the insulation, wire jackets, and connections for any signs of damage.

Seeking assistance from an electrician can help diagnose and rectify current leakage issues, ensuring a safe electrical system. 

Damaged Wires:

Damage to the wiring can also result in circuit breaker trips without load.

Insects or other pests may have caused significant damage by chewing on the wires. Even under low loads, such damage can disrupt the electrical flow and trigger the breaker.

Resolving this issue requires a thorough inspection of the wiring system. Identifying any areas with frayed, exposed, or damaged sections and repairing or replacing the affected wires will help restore proper functionality and prevent future trips.

Loose Wire in an Outlet:

A loose wire in an outlet is another frustrating wiring problem that can cause frequent breaker trips. This issue is particularly common in outlets equipped with a GFCI Outlet .

A loose wire disrupts the electrical connection and prompts the breaker to trip repeatedly.

Resolving this problem requires replacing the outlet or repairing the wiring connection. It is crucial to seek the expertise of a qualified electrician to ensure the task is performed safely and accurately.

Seeking Professional Assistance

While the provided solutions are applicable to a circuit breaker tripping without load, it is important to seek professional assistance if the problem persists.

A certified electrician can conduct a thorough inspection of your electrical system to identify any underlying issues.

They may recommend load balancing techniques, upgrading the electrical infrastructure, or addressing other potential causes of breaker trips. By relying on their expertise, you can prevent future disruptions and ensure a stable electrical system.

Preventing Circuit Breaker Tripping

Implementing preventive measures can significantly reduce the likelihood of circuit breaker trips without load. Consider the following steps: 

Regular Maintenance:

Schedule periodic inspections and maintenance of your electrical system by a certified electrician. They can identify potential wiring problems, loose connections, and other issues before they escalate. Regular maintenance helps keep your electrical system in optimal condition, minimizing the risk of breaker trips. 

Proper Grounding:

Ensure your electrical system is properly grounded. Grounding provides a safe path for electrical current in the event of a fault, reducing the likelihood of circuit overloads and breaker trips. A professional electrician can verify and enhance the grounding system if needed. 

Evaluate Electrical Appliances:

 Periodically assess the electrical appliances and devices connected to your circuits. Older appliances may draw excessive power, leading to breaker trips. Consider upgrading outdated or energy-inefficient appliances with newer, more energy-efficient models. This not only reduces the risk of breaker trips but also lowers energy consumption and utility costs.

Install Dedicated Circuits: 

If you have high-demand appliances or equipment that consistently cause breaker trips, consider installing dedicated circuits. Dedicated circuits provide exclusive power sources for specific appliances, minimizing the chances of overloading and tripping the breaker. Common examples include refrigerators, air conditioners, and washing machines. Checking your breakers and circuits using a circuit breaker finder can be helpful.

Educate Household Members: 

Promote awareness and responsible electricity usage among household members. Encourage them to evenly distribute electrical loads, avoid overloading circuits, and promptly report any electrical issues. By practicing safe electrical habits collectively, you can prevent unnecessary breaker trips and maintain a stable electrical system.

Dealing with a circuit breaker that keeps tripping can be frustrating. However, by understanding the underlying causes, such as current leakage, damaged wires, and loose connections, you can take appropriate steps to effectively resolve the issue.

Remember, electrical repairs should always be entrusted to experienced professionals to ensure safety and prevent potential hazards. Once the necessary repairs are completed, you can enjoy a stable electrical system, free from the inconvenience of frequent breaker trips.

Proactive maintenance, periodic inspections, and timely repairs will help ensure the smooth functioning of your circuit breakers, promoting a safe and reliable electrical environment in your home or building.

By addressing wiring problems promptly and following preventive measures, you can minimize the likelihood of circuit breaker trips without load and maintain a well-functioning electrical system.

How can you fix a breaker that keeps tripping?

To resolve a breaker that keeps tripping, follow these steps: 

- Identify the cause: Determine if the breaker is tripping due to an overload, short circuit, or ground fault. This will help you address the specific issue effectively.

- Unplug devices: If overloading is the cause, unplug some devices from the circuit to reduce the electrical load.

- Reset the breaker: After unplugging devices, reset the tripped breaker by flipping it to the "off" position and then back to the "on" position. This should restore power to the circuit.

- Distribute loads evenly: If overloading is a recurring problem, redistribute the electrical loads across multiple circuits or consider installing dedicated circuits for high-demand appliances.

- Consult a professional: If the breaker continues to trip or if you suspect an underlying wiring issue, seek the assistance of a qualified electrician. They can diagnose and resolve the problem safely and effectively. 

What causes a breaker to trip repeatedly?

A breaker can trip repeatedly due to various reasons, including:

- Overloading: When the electrical load on a circuit exceeds its capacity, the breaker trips to prevent overheating and potential fire hazards.

- Short circuits: A short circuit occurs when the hot wire comes into direct contact with the neutral wire or ground wire. This can result in excessive current flow and cause the breaker to trip.

- Ground faults: Ground faults occur when a hot wire comes into contact with a ground wire or a conductive surface. This can also lead to excessive current flow and trigger the breaker.

- Wiring issues: Damaged or faulty wiring, loose connections, or faulty breakers themselves can cause repeated trips.

Identifying the specific cause is crucial to effectively addressing the issue and preventing future trips. 

Is a breaker bad if it keeps tripping?

Not necessarily. While a breaker that keeps tripping can indicate an underlying problem, it does not necessarily mean that the breaker itself is faulty. Breakers are designed to trip and interrupt the electrical flow when they detect potential dangers like overloads, short circuits, or ground faults. This is a safety feature intended to protect the electrical system and prevent hazards.

However, if a breaker consistently trips even when the electrical load is within the circuit's capacity, it could indicate a faulty breaker that needs replacement. A qualified electrician can assess the breaker's condition and determine if a replacement is necessary.

Remember, it is important to consult a professional to diagnose and resolve breaker tripping issues, ensuring the safety and proper functioning of your electrical system.

Understanding Why Your Circuit Breaker Keeps Tripping

If you’ve got a circuit breaker that just won’t stay on, you may be dealing with a frustrating and potentially worrisome situation. Circuit breakers play a crucial role in your home’s electrical safety, and a constantly tripping one signals  a problem that needs attention.

This blog is here to help you with the common causes of frequent tripping, how to troubleshoot them, and everything else. Read on to know more!

Table of Content

• What is a Circuit Breaker?

Why Does My Circuit Breaker Keep Tripping?

• How to find what is tripping my circuit breaker?

What to Do if Circuit Breaker Still Keeps Tripping?

What is a circuit breaker (and why does it trip).

An electrical circuit breaker is a switching device that can be operated automatically or manually to control and protect the electrical power system and the electrical devices connected to it.

The circuit breaker trips when too much electricity flows through it or when it cannot handle the excess current load. In layman’s terms, this situation is called an electricity trip. It means that the flow of electricity is cut off to keep your circuits from overheating or causing more damage.

If there had been no electric trips, house fires would have been quite common. Read on to learn more about this critical electric safety topic!

If there is frequent tripping in your circuit breaker, it indicates something is going wrong with the circuit. There may be a short circuit in one of your appliances or a ground fault. Maybe there is a circuit overload or a sign indicating the circuit breaker box is faulty. Keep an eye out for all of these reasons, especially if your main breaker keeps tripping .

If you know what causes a circuit breaker to trip , you can take action to prevent it from happening again. Let’s delve into 6 main reasons that cause circuit breakers to trip frequently(and it’s troubleshooting).

Overheating Appliance

Circuit overload.

A circuit overload occurs when you want a particular circuit to provide more electricity than its actual capacity. This leads to overheating the circuit, which puts all the electrical appliances connected to the circuit at risk.

For example, suppose your television is connected to the circuit, which actually needs 15 amps but is now using 20 amps. In that case, the circuit of the television system can get fried and damaged. The circuit breaker trips to prevent this from happening, potentially even preventing a significant fire.

It’s vital to identify the overloaded circuit, switch the tripped breaker back on, and then carefully plug your appliances back in. Try to redistribute your electrical devices and keep them off of the same circuits as recommended by fellow electrical repairmen.

Short Circuits

Another common reason why power keeps tripping is a short circuit . It’s more dangerous than an overloaded circuit. A short circuit is caused when a “hot” wire comes into contact with a “neutral wire” in one of your electrical outlets. When this happens, a large amount of current flows through the circuit, creating more heat than what the circuit can handle.

Ground Fault Surges

Generally, arc faults is also considered to be a major reason behind frequently tripped circuit breakers. An arc fault happens when loose or corroded wires create a short contact that causes an arc or a spark. This creates heat and can risk an electrical fire. If you hear your light switch hissing or the outlet buzzing, you are experiencing an arc fault.

Defective Circuit Breaker

What if you find out that the reasons mentioned above are not why your circuit breaker keeps tripping ? Well, in that case, maybe your circuit breaker is at fault. When the breaker is old and cannot produce electricity anymore, it’s time to replace it. Also, a breaker is bound to wear out if not maintained.

How to Find What is Tripping my Circuit Breaker?

When a circuit breaker trips, it means there is an electrical problem that needs to be addressed. To find out what is causing the breaker to trip, follow these steps:

• Turn off all the devices and appliances that are connected to the circuit that is tripping the breaker.
• Reset the circuit breaker by flipping it to the “off” position and then back to the “on” position.
• Turn on each device one at a time and see if the breaker trips again.
• If the breaker trips when a specific device is turned on, unplug that device and try plugging it into a different circuit.
• If the breaker does not trip when the device is plugged into a different circuit, then the problem is likely with the original circuit.
• If the breaker continues to trip even with all devices and appliances unplugged, the problem may be a short circuit or a faulty breaker.

If you are not comfortable with or qualified to deal with electrical issues, it is best to contact a licensed electrician to diagnose and fix the problem.

If a circuit breaker keeps tripping even after trying the troubleshooting steps mentioned earlier, it’s best to get in touch with an electrician and have them look into it. In the meantime, for your safety, you can also try inspecting it yourself using these methods with appropriate caution.

• Unplug Devices: Manually switch off any devices and then unplug them. This is necessary because once the power surges back and the devices are still on, it might affect them adversely.
• Reset the Circuit Box: Go to the circuit breaker and switch it off or remove the fuse. Turn it on again. This is how you reset a circuit breaker .
• Check the Reasons: Inspect the circuit box again and check whether any of the above reasons tick the current situation of your circuit breaker.
• Switch on the Devices: You need to test the circuit by switching on all the lights and appliances you unplugged. This gives you an idea of what is causing the breaker to trip.
• Check or Replace: Once you check all the devices, decide whether you need to replace the circuit breaker with a new one. It is critical to treat electrical issues carefully. If your circuit breaker keeps tripping , it means something isn’t right. Understanding why it is happening frequently and how to diagnose and cure this problem can help you keep your house safe and prevent damage. However, it is always advisable to call a licensed electrician if such issues persist.

Conclusion:

A tripping circuit breaker is a warning sign that something is amiss within your electrical system. Understanding the basics of how circuits work and simple troubleshooting can help you pinpoint easy fixes. As mentioned earlier, electrical issues can be complex. Contact a qualified electrician when dealing with repeated trips.

What is The Purpose of a Circuit Breaker?

How circuit breaker works, what are the signs of a faulty circuit breaker, how to reset circuit breaker, what is the difference between a fuse and a circuit breaker, is it dangerous if the circuit breaker keeps tripping, how do i fix a circuit breaker that keeps tripping, how to tell if a circuit breaker is bad, can i replace a circuit breaker myself.

D&F Liquidators has been serving the electrical construction materials needs for more than 30 years. It is an international clearinghouse, with 180,000 square facility located in Hayward, California. It keeps an extensive inventory of electrical connectors, conduit fitting, circuit breakers, junction boxes, wire cable, safety switches etc. It procures its electrical materials supplies from top-notch companies across the globe. The Company also keeps an extensive inventory of electrical explosion proof products and modern electrical lighting solutions. As it buys materials in bulk, D&F is in a unique position to offer a competitive pricing structure. Besides, it is able to meet the most discerning demands and ship material on the same day.

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13 Reasons Why Your AC Keeps Tripping Breaker (And Fixes)

Josh Mitchell

Expert Reviewed By

Last Updated On

July 3, 2024

“If you make a purchase using our provided links, we may receive a commission. Learn more  here.

When the AC is tripping your electricity, it’s important to pay attention and quickly diagnose the problem.

As an experienced HVAC professional, I know all the common issues that can cause your AC system to trip the breaker.

I’ll share my knowledge and help you get your air conditioner running again quickly.

Key Takeaways

• An AC breaker can trip if it is overloaded with many appliances, if there is a short circuit in the unit, or if the breaker is not sized properly.
• Dirty and faulty components in an AC can often cause a breaker to trip frequently. It is also possible for a malfunctioning breaker to be the culprit.
• Electrical faults are very dangerous and you should not attempt to fix them yourself. Hence, always consult with an HVAC professional.

13 Common Reasons Why Your AC Trips The Circuit Breaker (Solutions Included)

AC electrical faults cause 86% of dangerous air conditioner fires[ 1 ], and circuit breakers help you stop that from happening - but only if you know why it’s happening and what to do next.

1. The Sizing Of The Breaker Is Improper

Circuit breakers are rated by amp s , determining the amount of current that can flow through without tripping the breaker.

The average home circuit breaker is 15-20 amps for the branch circuit , which is plenty for most home AC units, but larger air conditioning systems using too many amps can cause the circuit breaker to trip[ 2 ].

You can either:

• Move your air conditioning unit to a different place/room with a larger AC circuit breaker,
• Hire a professional to upgrade the breaker and accompanying wiring.

TL;DR:  If rated amps of a circuit breaker are lower than the rated amps of the AC, it will always trip.

2. You Are Overloading The Circuit

Each circuit breaker can only handle a certain amount of amps.

If you have other devices running through the same circuit breaker as your air conditioning system, it can o verload the AC circuit breaker and shut off your power.

Reroute other electrical devices so your AC unit can run through the breaker independently. You may need a professional to help.

TL;DR: A dedicated circuit is recommended for an AC. If too many appliances are connected to the AC circuit, it can get overloaded resulting in breaker tripping.

3. There Is A Short Circuit With The Electronic Components

ACs have internal electrical components that run continuously for hours.

Over time, the wires within the air conditioner can become damaged, leading to a ‘short’ (or short circuit).[ 3 ]

A 'short' means too much electricity is flowing through the wires and can cause overheating and fires.

The air conditioner circuit breaker will trip to shut off power and protect your home from danger.

You need to contact a professional to find the source of the short circuit and make appropriate repairs.

TL;DR: A short circuit is a very dangerous condition as it is a sign of damaged electrical components. Seek professional help if you suspect this is the case.

4. A Dirty Air Filter Heating Up Your AC

The air filter in your AC unit will get dirty over time as air flows through the machine (more so with an outdoor unit than an inside unit).

If the air filters become too dirty, they can reduce airflow and cause your air conditioner to overheat, as the electric motors must work harder.

Your air conditioner will try to draw more power to compensate for the poor airflow, tripping the breaker.

Change or clean the dirty air filter to stop your AC system from tripping the breaker.

You should be able to replace the air filter and perform regular maintenance yourself.

Important Note:

It is crucial to point out that you should avoid DIY maintenance if you have the slightest hint of doubt that things may go wrong. To avoid harming yourself or damaging your unit, always consider hiring professional help. 

5. Dirty Condenser Coils Can Also Heat Up Your AC

Your condenser coils absorb the heat from the air, but they can become blocked by dust or debris (particularly if you have a dirty outside unit).

The dirty coils can strain your air conditioning system, causing it to work harder and draw more electricity. 

They may lead to it tripping the breaker.

Cleaning dust and debris off the dirty condenser coils should stop the AC tripping.

You should also have an AC technician check and perform annual maintenance on your condenser.

TL;DR: Dirty filter and dirty condenser coils can heat up the internal components. Higher heat results in higher current draw resulting in your breaker tripping. Perform regular cleaning of these components.

6. Problem With Coil Fan Motor

Air conditioners use a coil fan (or AC blower) to move hot air over the condenser coil and disperse heat, leaving you with cold air.

Your coil fan can become damaged over time , and a broken coil fan can cause the AC to draw too much power, leading to the breaker tripping.

Hire a professional to perform AC repair work on the coil fan motor. It may need to be replaced to stop the breaker tripping.

TL;DR: A broken coil fan motor can draw more than its rated current, which in turn can trip the breaker.

7. Your Compressor Has Gone Bad

Your compressor houses the refrigerant that cools the air, but a faulty compressor won't cool the air.

Faults become more common as a compressor ages but can happen because of accidental damage.

A bad compressor can cause two issues:

• Hard starting.  Your faulty compressor won't start up properly and draws more power to try and compensate, causing it to trip its own breaker.
• Grounded compressor. The wires connected to the compressor come loose, leading to a short circuit and a tripped breaker.

A technician can install a hard start kit to try and get the compressor started.

However, a faulty compressor can mean costly repairs, and it's often best to replace the entire system rather than try to fix it.

TL;DR: If the compressor is hard starting or if it is grounded, then it will draw far more than its rated current.

8. Cables And Wires Wear And Tear

Your AC has wires running inside the whole unit connecting electrical components.

Over time, the wires and wire insulation can become loose or damaged.

Loose wires touching the ground, floor, or other components can cause further damage to the device and your home.

The circuit breaker trips as a safety measure to avoid an electrical short and prevent damage.

Some electrical wires can be an easy fix, but electrics can be dangerous.

Have an HVAC technician check the electrical panel of the unit, find the damage, and perform the AC repair using NFPA 70E Standard Electrical Safety guidelines.[ 4 ]

A loose wire or a grounded wire is a dangerous safety hazard. You should avoid touching or going near the unit if you spot a loose connection.

9. Too Little Refrigerant

Refrigerant is the working fluid in an AC unit that cools the air.

The AC compressor has a closed system for the refrigerant, but over time, refrigerant lines can become damaged.

This damage can lead to refrigerant leaking out.

The AC compressor coils will have to work harder to cool the air if there's less refrigerant.

The unit draws more electricity to compensate, which trips the breaker.

Hire a professional to top up the refrigerant and seal the leak.

However, it may be cheaper to replace cheaper portable ACs than perform the repairs if it's out of warranty.

Refrigerant is a dangerous substance and can only be handled by professionals.[ 5 ]

TL;DR: Lower refrigerant means that the AC has to work harder in order to cool. This in turn means using up more amps to compensate. More amps = breaker tripping.

10. Frozen Evaporator Coil

Dirt, debris, and grime can build up on the evaporator coil, preventing heat from flowing and causing the coils to freeze.

The air conditioner will try to draw more energy to compensate for the frozen coils , but as it draws more amps, it can cause the breaker to trip.

You can fix this yourself by turning the power off and thawing out the compressor using a hair dryer.

Once dry, clean the evaporator coils to prevent them from malfunctioning and freezing over again.

If your air conditioner keeps tripping after this, contact a professional to determine the root cause.

11. It’s Too Hot Outside

Your air conditioner has to work harder in hot conditions to maintain the temperature, which can cause it to draw more electricity and strain the wiring.

It can also cause the breaker to trip to prevent overheating or fire hazards.

Clean the AC to keep the unit cool by improving airflow, and only use the air conditioner when needed.

If it keeps tripping the breaker, you may need to buy a new AC.

TL;DR: If the internal components are heating up due to very hot weather outside then this can lead to the breaker tripping to avoid fire hazards.

12. Failing Air Conditioning Capacitors

Your AC capacitor provides the initial jolt of electricity so it can start.

Capacitors wear out over time, and if you notice your AC has trouble starting or keeps tripping, the capacitor may be failing.

Contact an HVAC professional to fix or replace the bad capacitor.

13. You Have A Defective Circuit Breaker

A circuit breaker can become defective through natural wear and tear, exposure to extreme temperatures, or by electrical faults tripping the breaker too frequently.

A defective breaker can trip your electricals every time you use your AC.

First, make sure the breaker is actually defective. 

Circuit breakers trip electrics and protect your home, a nd you should only replace them as a last resort.

If you don't resolve the issue, the new breaker will continue to trip.

Check the other common causes on the list or consult an HVAC technician to determine the issue. A professional will need to replace the circuit breaker.

TL;DR: If all else is fine, then the likely culprit is a defective breaker. Most homes have a spare breaker which you can switch your AC to. If not, then a breaker replacement will be necessary.

When To Call Professionals For Maintenance Or Repair

I recommend calling a professional to help with most air conditioning electrical problems because it can be dangerous.

Always consult a professional if you experience any of the following:

• 1 There is a burning smell from the breaker or AC: A burning smell indicates that your electrical wiring or AC breaker is overheating. It's a dangerous fire hazard, and you should shut off the air conditioner and contact an HVAC technician immediately.
• 2 There are crackling or electrical sounds from the breaker or AC: Strange noises from your inside unit usually indicate an electrical issue, loose wiring, or short-circuiting - often in the compressor motor. It is dangerous to fix yourself, and you need to contact an AC Tech professional to undertake air conditioning repair work.
• 3 You cannot point out where the issue lies: Your AC breaker trips the electrical supply for a reason, usually to protect you from serious danger. If your unit is tripping the AC breaker and you can't find the issue, you need to call an HVAC technician as soon as possible to diagnose the problem.

TL;DR: Electric works should always be carried out by professionals. However, some very alarming signs such as burning smell and crackling electrical sounds call for an immediate inspection. Shut off your home's main electric breaker if you experience these signs.

People Also Ask (FAQs)

What exactly is a circuit breaker in an air conditioner.

A circuit breaker in an air conditioner (or AC breaker) is an electrical safety device that stops power flowing if there's an overload, short circuit, or fault in the AC system. Tripping the circuit breaker helps to prevent electrical fires and protect the AC unit.

Why Does My AC Trip After 5 Minutes?

If your AC trips after 5 minutes, it's usually because an overloaded circuit or faulty component is drawing in too much current and tripping the circuit breaker. You should consult an electrician or HVAC professional who can help with AC repair so it doesn’t trip the breaker.

What Happens If You Trip a Breaker Too Many Times?

If your breaker trips too often, the internal trip mechanism can wear out, preventing it from working and leaving your home at risk of electrical fires. You should replace the AC's breaker if it's tripping frequently.

Should You Reset The Circuit Breaker If It Continues to Trip?

No, the circuit breaking tripping indicates an underlying electrical problem, and you should diagnose and resolve the problem before resetting it.

So, Did You Find Your Fix?

If your AC trips the breaker, it means there's a potentially hazardous electrical fault.

Cleaning and regular tune-ups of your air conditioner will help to prevent it from happening, but you will need to consult a professional if it keeps tripping your breaker .

Hopefully, this guide has helped to explain the common causes, and you now know why your AC keeps tripping the power.

References: 

• https://apps.usfa.fema.gov/downloads/pdf/statistics/v2i5-508.pdf
• https://www.wikihow.com/Determine-Amperage-of-Circuit-Breaker
• https://engineering.mit.edu/engage/ask-an-engineer/what-is-a-short-circuit/
• https://www.osha.com/courses/nfpa-70e-2023-standard-electrical-safety-workplace.html
• https://www.epa.gov/section608

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AC Breaker Keeps Tripping Breaker: 9 Common Culprits & Fixes

“My AC keeps tripping the breaker. What’s wrong? How do I stop my AC from tripping the breaker?”

AC tripping the breaker is annoying. Even more troublesome, repeatedly trying to run an air conditioner that keeps tripping the breaker can result in permanent damage to the AC unit. So, easy on the breaker reset button ; you should diagnose and fix the problem first.

Here is what might be happening with your air conditioner:

• Air conditioner trips the breaker immediately . When you turn the AC unit, the breaker will flip immediately or only after a few seconds.
• AC trips breaker after 5 minutes or so. The AC starts OK, but after a few minutes, the breaker will trip. This, for example, is typical for the AC compressor tripping breaker (outside AC unit tripping breaker).
• AC trips breaker after a few hours . An air conditioner will work fine for several hours before it trips the breaker.

To help everybody out, we are going to look at how to check why the AC unit keeps tripping the breaker. We are going to check for 9 key culprits that cause the AC circuit breaker to keep tripping.

There are only two roots for why your AC keeps tripping:

• You have a faulty breaker . This involves issues with circuit breaker, AC wiring, and electrical short circuits.

As every HVAC professional does, you should check these culprits one by one, eliminating the causes as you go. Once you have correctly detected what is causing the AC breaker to keep tripping and fix the problem, your AC unit should work smoothly again.

Note: For every culprit, we are going to tell you if it causes the AC breaker to trip immediately, after a few minutes, or after a few hours, and explain why.

Here are the most common culprits (listed one by one) for any air conditioner type – be it central air, mini split, portable, or window air conditioner – to keep tripping the breaker. We are going to start with breaker-related issues (#1 to #3) and continue with AC unit-related issues (#4 to #9) :

Table of Contents

#1 Circuit Breaker Is Bad, Loose, Or Undersized (Causing AC To Trip Breaker Immediately)

If you are lucky, the AC breaker keeps tripping due to a bad breaker. This is one of the easiest problems to solve; problems with the AC unit itself are harder and costlier to fix.

It’s not uncommon to see a bad circuit breaker. Both new and old breakers can go bad due to wear-and-tear or acute amp surge that fries the breaker. Over time, even well-installed circuit breakers can come loose and cause all sorts of issues, including tripping unexpectedly.

In limited cases, we also see that homeowners have installed a circuit breaker that is just too small. Example: A 3-ton AC unit on 220V has a max. wattage of about 3,600 watts and requires a 25A or 30A breaker. You can check what size AC breaker you need here accounting for NEC 80% ampacity rule .

Dead giveaways of a bad breaker are:

• Breaker smells like something is burning.
• Breaker is hot to the touch.
• Breaker keeps tripping all the time.

Solution: First, you need to check if you have a bad breaker. Secondly, check if the breaker is loose; try to nudge it from left to right to set it back in the required position. Of course, you will also have to check the above article if indeed your breaker is big enough to handle all the amps that you need to run your AC unit.

If you have a bad breaker, you just simply replace it. Get a new one – circuit breakers are quite inexpensive – and be sure to check that it has the same ampacity as the old one. Everybody can DIY breaker replacement; you can consult this guide on how to replace a circuit breaker if you need some help.

Once you have a working breaker again, your AC should stop tripping it.

#2 Wrong AC Wiring (New Air Conditioners Trip Breaker Immediately)

Another possibility, especially for new air conditioners, is wrong wiring. If you have a newly wired thermostat or you have just replaced an old thermostat, chances are that not all wires are connected to the right sockets.

For air conditioners, you will have to connect:

• Blue or yellow wire is meant for cooling. These wires are connected to the Y terminal in a standard thermostat.
• Red fire for power, connected to R.
• Common wire (usually black) connected to C.

For more advice on how to wire a thermostat, you can consult the thermostat wiring guide here .

Wrong wiring will lead to the outside AC unit tripping breaker immediately (central aircon or mini splits). This is a standard AC compressor tripping issue; the compressor creates a surge of amps that can hit an undersized breaker if it’s wrongly wired.

Solution: Check that all the wires are in the right sockets. In limited cases, you will have to can an electrician to fix this, but most people can use the guide cited above to adequately wire a thermostat themselves.

#3 Electrical Short Circuit (Unsheathed Wires Touching)

Any short circuit can cause a spike in electrical current (amps) that will trip the breaker. In fact, one of the reasons why we use circuit breakers in the first place is to protect our circuits against short circuits.

In the case of wiring air conditioners, the short circuit happens when two exposed wired (unsheathed because the coating has been degrading for years) touch.

Example: Let’s say that the blue and red wire touch. This doesn’t happen if they are properly insulated. However, over time, insulation can decay. When this happens, the electrical current from two wires will travel along a single wire (the one with the least electric resistance, according to Ohm’s law). This will cause a spike in amps that can knock out the breaker.

Admittedly, it’s very difficult to tell if you are experiencing a short circuit. You do have to go to check all the wires to see if the insulation is damaged. This short circuit problem also causes the AC to trip break immediately, after 5 minutes, or even after 10 hours of running the AC unit. It is not time-specific which makes the detection even harder.

Solution: If you suspect that your AC unit tripping the breaker due to a short circuit, you can check the wires yourself or call an electrician. Once you find faulty wires that are causing the short circuit, you have to reapply the coating, or, in more cases, just replace the wire.

All of this, of course, is easier said than done.

Once you have eliminated the thermostat-related problems, you can start checking if there is something wrong with your air conditioner unit, resulting in the breaker tripping repeatedly:

#4 Dirty Condenser Coils (Causing Outside Air Conditioner Circuit Breaker To Trip)

A lot of AC tripping breaker problems are caused by the air conditioner overheating. One of the most common examples of this is the air conditioner circuit breakers outside to trip.

The outdoor condenser coils are exposed to the environment. That means that anything from dirt, leaves, dust, and grass, can find its way into the AC outdoor unit (you may even find a dead rat in there) . If this dirt accumulates on the fairly exposed condenser coils, you will have problems with the outdoor AC unit tripping breaker.

These condenser coils are basically superb heat exchangers . They expel all the heat that is generated in the refrigeration cycle. If these condenser coils are coated with dirt, for example, their ability to conduct heat is impeded. Obviously, if the coils can’t give away enough heat, the whole outdoor unit will get overheated.

And overheating leads to the AC tripping the breaker.

In this case, the AC breaker won’t turn trip immediately. It won’t even trip in 5 minutes or so. Dirty condenser coils are one of the most common reasons why the AC trips breaker after a few hours. The AC will overheat in time and that can take anywhere from some 10 minutes to several hours.

Solution: Clean the outdoor condenser coils. Open the outdoor unit and check if there is dirt coating on the coils. If there is, clean out the debris and spray them with detergent or coil cleaners. You can read how to clean the condenser coils on the Carrier website here .

After the outdoor coils are cleaned, they can adequately exchange heat again. That means that all the heat that has to be expelled via the coils will be released into the atmosphere again. As a result of the AC unit not overheating, you will no longer have a problem with AC breaker tripping.

#5 Dirty Air Filters (Restricted Airflow Results In Overheating And Trips Breaker)

Dirty air filters are another common culprit for an AC unit to trip breaker after a few hours.

We all know that every AC should have adequate airflow. If the filters are dirty, they restrict the airflow. This can cause a series of unwanted issues and will eventually lead to AC overheating. And, as we know, if the AC is overheating, it will inevitably trip a circuit breaker.

Everybody pretty much knows what to do with dirty air filters, right?

Solution: Clean or replace the air filters. This will again enable the AC unit to operate at sufficient airflow. The AC unit will not overheat. The AC breaker will not trip. It’s a pretty simple fix.

#6 Compressor Fails To Start (Or Hard-Starting Compressor)

Out of all the things that may go wrong, the compressor-related issues are the worst. When you have a faulty compressor, you will in almost all cases have to replace it. This replacement can be so costly that homeowners with older units usually just replace the whole air conditioning system.

Now, if you have a faulty compressor (the reason might also be a fault capacitor), you can expect two things to happen:

• Compressor doesn’t start at all. Regardless of this, the AC compressor can still trip the breaker. You will notice that in this case, the AC compressor trips the breaker immediately.
• Compressor starts slowly (usually takes a few seconds) . This is an indication of a faulty compressor and might lead to the AC compressor tripping the breaker after a few minutes.

The compressor – the main part of the AC – is responsible for compressing the refrigerant gas. If it doesn’t do its job, the AC unit might start overheating and blowing warm (instead of cold) air.

When the compressor doesn’t start at all, there is usually a spike in amps along the compressor wire to the breaker. This will trip the breaker immediately.

If you have a hard-starting compressor, the breaker won’t trip immediately. Nonetheless, such a compressor repeatedly can repeatedly send amp spikes towards the breaker in order to keep running. Eventually – usually in a few minutes or so – one of these amp spikes will overwhelm the circuit breaker and the breaker will flip.

Solution: This is a hard pill to swallow but you will probably have to replace the AC compressor. This is a complex replacement process you can’t do yourself; you will require an HVAC professional to do it for you.

You can, of course, take this ‘opportunity’ to replace the AC unit altogether. If your AC unit is past its prime (15+ years old), replacing the whole air conditioner makes sense in many cases.

#7 Compressor Is Grounded (Wires Touching The Sides)

Another problem a compressor might have – much less troublesome – is some wire displacements. Namely, the electrical wires that power the compressor are unsheathed and touching the compressor casing. It’s always best to check if everything is OK with the compressor wires.

Of course, if the wires touch the metal casing, all that electricity will go to the ground (we talk about the compressor being grounded). Inevitably, this will cause a spike in amps that will knock out the breaker.

Now, this may happen when you turn on the AC, after a few minutes, or even after several hours. The vibrations in the compressor pretty much displace one wire so much that it touches the casing, and that may happen immediately or even after some hours.

Solution: Check if all the wires that go in and out of the compressor still have their insulation coating on them. Also, check if the wires are neatly packed and away from the casing. If you find an exposed wire close to the casing, it’s very likely this is the wire that keeps tripping the AC breaker.

Use a plastic or nylon line to fix the wire in place, away from the casing. You can even replace that wire if you see that the insulation coating is severely damaged. After you do that, your breaker should stop tripping.

#8 Low Refrigerant Levels (Lines Leaking Freon)

All air conditioners work based on the refrigerant cycle. For this cycle to work properly, the lines have to be full of freon (refrigerant gas like R22, R410A, and so on). If you have a leak in the refrigerant lines, there will be less refrigerant within the lines which will lead to AC overheating and potentially tripping the breaker.

Example: If your window AC keeps tripping the breaker, the refrigerant leak could be the culprit.

Solution: You have to check if the refrigerant levels are indeed low by measuring the refrigerant pressure. If freon is indeed leaking out, you will first have to seal the leak and then recharge the AC unit.

In most cases, you will need professional help for this.

If you want to know how a professional refills the freon, you can consult this article about how to recharge a window air conditioner .

#9 Faulty Fan Motor (Leading To Overheating And Breaker Tripping)

In limited cases, we also see that a faulty fan motor is responsible for the outdoor AC unit tripping a breaker after a few hours.

The outdoor fan produces airflow that expels the heat into the environment (cooling the condenser coils). That fan is powered by the motor. If the motor doesn’t produce adequate power output, the fan doesn’t produce adequate airflow, and the outdoor AC cooling process is impeded.

This can lead to AC overheating and tripping the AC breaker. This happens when the AC is overheated enough; it takes a few hours (not on start-up or after a few minutes).

Solution: Check if the outdoor fan is spinning. If not, the problem might be a faulty fan motor. You will probably need to replace it. Before you do that, do check out all the reasons why outdoor AC is not spinning here . Namely, a faulty fan motor is not the only reason why the condenser fan is not spinning.

After you fix this and the fan is spinning again, there won’t be overheating, and the outdoor AC unit will stop tripping the breaker.

How To Call If You Need Professional Help?

As we have seen, both the diagnosis of why the AC keeps tripping the breaker as well as the fixes are not a piece of the case.

From checking the breaker to checking if something is wrong with your AC unit, there is quite a lot of knowledge (and experience) that guys fixing AC units should have.

This article was a general overview of the causes for AC to keep tripping the breaker. If, however, you realize you will a professional help, you can turn to your local HVAC companies.

We hope this helps somebody figure out why the AC keeps tripping the breaker and how to go about fixing it by themselves or with professional help.

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• Thermostat Not Reaching Set Temperature: 7 Causes + Fixes
• How To Tell If AC Is Frozen? 3 Tell-Tale Signs (Ice On Evaporator Coils)
• How To Measure Superheat? Easy 10 Step-By-Step Guide

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