It’s a situation that no homeowner ever wants to face: their lights and appliances suddenly shut off, and they’re not sure why. Chances are, the cause of the outage could be something as simple as a tripped circuit breaker. But what does “trip a circuit breaker” actually mean?
Simply put, a circuit breaker is an automatic switch that monitors the amount of electricity flowing through your home. When too much power is drawn from a specific appliance or area of your home, the circuit breaker will trip, shutting off the flow of electricity in an effort to protect your home from any potential safety hazards. This is why it’s so important to understand exactly how a circuit breaker works and what you can do to prevent it from tripping.
The most common cause of a tripped circuit breaker is overloaded electrical devices. When too many appliances are plugged into a single outlet or run off of one circuit, it can cause a surge in the electrical current, which will trigger the circuit breaker to trip. This is why it’s important to spread out your electrical devices across different circuits and to use power strips and surge protectors to prevent any large surges of electricity.
Surges in electricity can also be caused by extended exposure to weather-related events, such as lightning and thunderstorms. When the electrical current coming into your home is higher than its capacity, it can cause the circuit breaker to trip in order to protect your home from damage. To help prevent this from happening, you should install a whole house lightning arrester as this can help to limit the amount of electricity coming into your home.
If your circuit breaker trips, the first thing you should do is check the appliance that was running when it happened. Unplug any nearby devices to make sure that it wasn’t because of an overload. If that doesn’t work, you may need to reset the breaker by switching the lever back to the “on” position. If you’re unsure of how to do this, consult a professional electrician for help.
Tripping a circuit breaker can be an annoying experience, especially if you have no idea what caused it to happen. However, knowing the basics of circuit breakers and how they work can help you prevent future issues from occurring. By spreading out your electrical devices, using power strips and surge protectors, and installing a lightning arrester, you can help ensure that your circuit breaker won’t trip unnecessarily.
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