| Circuit breakers trip for one of two | | | | When this happens this direct short |
| reasons, a short circuit or an | | | | causes the amperage to increase coming |
| overloaded circuit. A short circuit | | | | through the breaker and when the |
| being the simplest to explain and the | | | | amperage is higher than the rating on |
| hardest to repair and an overloaded | | | | the breaker the breaker trips. When you |
| circuit being relatively easy to explain | | | | try and reset the breaker it will trip |
| and easier to fix. | | | | right back off. Repairing this situation |
| A breaker is designed to regulate the | | | | requires someone with electrical |
| amount of amperage a wire can safely | | | | knowledge or hire an electrician. |
| carry. This is why most 110 volt | | | | Electricity is dangerous so don't play |
| circuits in your home are wired with 12 | | | | around with it. It takes less than one |
| Gage wire and placed on a 20 amp | | | | amp to kill someone. |
| breaker. Quite possibly your home could | | | | The other reason a circuit breaker trips |
| be wired on 14 gage wire and a 15 amp | | | | is because of overloading the circuit. |
| breaker. One could place a 15 amp | | | | As I have stated a circuit has a breaker |
| breaker on the 12 gage wire a swell but | | | | protecting the wire it is served by. If |
| you can NEVER place a 20 amp breaker on | | | | this is 12/20 then 20 amps is the |
| 14 gage wire. | | | | maximum for the circuit. So, you plug in |
| See, wire has a rated ampacity that it | | | | a hair dyer that is rated at 1500 watts |
| can carry and 12/20 and 14,15 are the | | | | and decide you better let the 1500 watt |
| maximum for each circuit. This is what | | | | curling iron heat up. Now, a simple |
| is violated when a circuit breaker | | | | calculation watts divided by voltage |
| trips. | | | | gives amps. So, 3000/120=25amps. Your |
| Ina short circuit the hot wire is broken | | | | circuit is overloaded and will trip. |
| or possibly just has the insulation worn | | | | Plug only one item in at a time or find |
| enough to make contact with a ground. | | | | another circuit for the curling iron! |