Circuit breakers keep tripping, where should I look for problems?

If it's an occasional trip, it could be a malfunctioning circuit breaker or an environmental effect, but if it's a frequent trip, you have to take it seriously. After all, we can not trust our lives entirely on the circuit breaker.

Circuit breaker tripping is nothing more than these reasons Many old electricians know incomplete, combined with the actual situation to determine, you can understand, find, solve the problem. Note: When servicing the circuit, make sure that the upper level of the circuit breaker is in the disconnected state.

Reason one, overload

Overload protection, is a basic function of the circuit breaker, any circuit breaker, have this function.

Overload protection, refers to the current in the circuit, more than the predetermined value of the circuit breaker. For example, the circuit breaker predetermined value of 16A, and the actual current in the circuit is 17A, at this time, the circuit breaker will automatically trip.

How is this 16A selected? It is based on the maximum current that can be withstood by the objects protected by the circuit breaker such as sockets, wires and appliances.

Circuit breakers without added accessories are almost certain to be circuit overloads; circuit breakers with added accessories should be observed to see if there is any change in the accessories, and if there is no change in the accessories, then it is also due to circuit overloads.

Circuit overload is caused by the total power of appliances used simultaneously in the circuit. At this point, as long as the high-power appliances removed from the circuit, or reduce the number of appliances, and then close the circuit.

Cause two, short circuit

Broadly speaking, short-circuit belongs to an extreme phenomenon of overload.

Short-circuit refers to the zero fire wire, not through the appliance, direct contact with each other. At this point, a huge current (infinity), this current, not only can instantly burn the appliance, electric death and injury to the user is also a matter of minutes.

Therefore, if this situation occurs, be sure to keep the circuit breaker disconnected until the fault is resolved.

So how can you be sure it's this kind of problem? If there is an electrical plug is burned black, the socket is burned black or there are sparks coming out, or after unplugging all the plugs, the circuit breaker is still tripped, it can be concluded that there is a short-circuit fault in the circuit.

Cause three, leakage

At this point to say that the circuit breaker is most commonly used as an accessory - leakage protector. This accessory, with leakage protection, that is, when there is a leakage in the circuit, the circuit breaker will automatically trip.

The circuit breaker with the accessory will have both the function of the circuit breaker itself and the function of the accessory. So, how to determine whether the circuit breaker is tripped due to overload or due to leakage?

It depends on the status of the attachment. The most common type of attachment, attachment has a "reset button", button next to the text labeling. This button, under normal circumstances, and the circuit breaker shell in the same plane, but once the circuit leakage occurs, the button will stand out. Moreover, the direct closing of the circuit breaker is not closed, and only by pressing this button can the circuit breaker be closed again.

If this situation arises after tripping, it proves that it is due to a leakage fault in the circuit, otherwise, other faults should be considered.

Cause four, undervoltage

In addition to the common leakage protector accessories, there is an accessory, called "undervoltage detent", as the name suggests, is when the voltage is too low, automatic tripping.

This accessory is usually installed in places where the voltage is unstable, to prevent electrical appliances from overloading under low voltage conditions, so as not to burn the appliances. But there is a trouble with this thing, that is, a power outage will trip.

In the undervoltage trip detector attachment, there will be a reset button and the same leakage protector, when tripped after the button protrudes, it proves that there is undervoltage fault in the circuit.

At this time, just wait for the voltage to stabilize, directly close the gate.

Cause five, overvoltage

In addition to the undervoltage detent, there is a called "over-undervoltage detent", one more function, that is, when the voltage is too high, the circuit breaker is still tripped.

Over-under-voltage tripper trip, there will also be a reset button. However, at this time, it is impossible to see, is due to high voltage tripping or low voltage tripping, but can be sure that it is due to voltage instability.

At this point, the same is to wait for the voltage to stabilize, directly close the gate can be.