Knocked Out Power At Customers House

AHS

Im roofing & siding a house & some how tripped every breaker in the house. How is that posible?? I've had times where I blew a curcuit & tripped the breaker just for that curcuit but never had the entire power to the house shut down. The siders were working around the electricle box, could have they some how bumped the box & shorted everything out?? The home owner was able to flip all the breakers back & everyting works fine now but just curious how it happened.

all vinyl

I have also had this happen numerous times . I believe it is the box shaking and breaker on main being loose. I blew a transformer about 5 years ago we ere trying to finish a siding job about 2 hrs work until the wires going into the knuckles and hit each other . i had to wait their until the electric company came out and changed the transformer the whole street was out . the people were starting to go postal because they couldn't see the game and have their party.

mdshunk

If you vibrate a breaker sharply (such as you would do when siding the opposing side of the wall) it will move to the trip position. You can try this yourself by taking a new breaker in your hand and thumping it sharply against your other hand. It will trip. I don't know if this is a design feature or not, but all brands seem to do this. (Seismic protection? )

Sparky Joe

I like that, but it has to do with the magnetic element of a standard thermal/magnetic breaker. Just as the electromagnet in the breaker pulls against the switch mechanism, so does inertia when you smack it against your hand.

Pretty odd that it tripped every one, tell your guys to ease up on these poor peoples houses