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