Main Breaker Trips

DUMBfouneded

Lived in house for 8 years and never had a Main Breaker trip. In the last 2 weeks, it is tripping 1 to 3 times per day. No additional circuits had been added. The only load change was a washer and dryer replacement but they are supposed to be more efficient than the old ones.

Heat, humidity are no different than previous years. Nothing significant has changed that I can see. Neighbors power stays on. The equipment is about 17 years old.

Thanks in advance.

Mike Finley

I would look for something that has changed as you have done, are you sure nothing has changed? New washer drier, did they put in a four wire plug, or rewire anything? When you say main breaker you are referring to the main breaker, the one on the panel that turns off the juice to the whole house right?

Any lightning storms lately? Could your house have been hit by lightning?

Have you pulled off the cover over the breakers in the panel and looked at the guts? Are there any burn marks or anything strange in there?

I blew a main breaker by cutting a 40 amp stove wire with a recip saw once, fried it.

If you can't figure it out, it is time to call an electrician and have him find out if the main is bad.

Unregistered

Check for water leaks coming in via the service enterance wire and dripping on your main breaker or panel board. Water (other than age) is the number one reason why I have to change out panels.

Teetorbilt

Mike, congratulations on being alive!

Mike Finley

I did one of those body checks after you do something really bad to yourself and you are checking to see if you are still alive or if you are missing a leg or something.

- Still breathing... good... still standing here... good... wiggle the fingers... good they work... check to see if all 10 are still there...

Unregistered

Hmmm that doesnt sound good. Could be a number of things. Bad breaker (hopefully) Fault to ground (Is there an underground) Service too small, Arc fault.......