[priorityelectric]

I had a breaker tripping. Opened everything on that circuit, and everything looked and tested good. Disconnected neutral and the breaker held. Touched it to neutral bar and it still held. Reconnected the neutral all was fine. Turned everything on and took an amp reading. That too was good. Assumed the breaker had crapped out, and replaced it. Just got called back to the house, same circuit. Tripped and wouldn't reset until I disconnected and reconnected the neutral.
I had asked the home owner what they were doing when the circuit tripped. Both times they said just watching tv. I cannot figure out or understand the cause/solution to this. Any ideas or input would be greatly appreciated.

 

[dawgs]

I had a breaker tripping. Opened everything on that circuit, and everything looked and tested good. Disconnected neutral and the breaker held. Touched it to neutral bar and it still held. Reconnected the neutral all was fine. Turned everything on and took an amp reading. That too was good. Assumed the breaker had crapped out, and replaced it. Just got called back to the house, same circuit. Tripped and wouldn't reset until I disconnected and reconnected the neutral.
I had asked the home owner what they were doing when the circuit tripped. Both times they said just watching tv. I cannot figure out or understand the cause/solution to this. Any ideas or input would be greatly appreciated.

Plug tv into another circuit. See what circuit trips.

 

[priorityelectric]

I thought about that but what would cause it to sporadically trip? If there was an issue with the tv wouldn't it happen everytime. And i havevseen the tv on b and no tripping issue.

 

[Dennis Alwon]

Is this a standard breaker or an afci? Not sure it matters but...have to know all info.

Other than the TV what electronics are on the circuit?

 

[priorityelectric]

Standard breaker. The circuit is living room outlets and lights, kitchen light, and hall light. Tv, lamps, and child phones are what's plugged into the circuit. I have had them all on and even called my cell from both phones plugged in. Maybe 7 outlets on circuit, 3 are unused.

 

[480sparky]

Maybe there's a load on it you're not aware of.

Things like an old refrigerator can cause this. The defrost elements short out, and every 24 hours when the fridge goes into defrost mode, the breaker trips.

Could be an attic fan motor that's crapped out. Attic heats up, stat turns on fan, breaker trips.

Abandoned feed buried in the yard that used to go to a pole light. Enough corrosion to overload the circuit when moisture conditions are right.



A million things could be listed.

 

[priorityelectric]

I'll look into that possibility thank you. And because i didn't state it, the was roughly a month between the 2 service calls.

 

[CADPoint]

You didn't meg the circuit, right.

A double doughnut amp tester would also be a nice test on the line.

You plug it in series to the power and have two places to take a amp reading,
IE hot and neutral.

Sorry, looked for a picture to no avail...

 

[priorityelectric]

No I do not have a meg, or double donut tester. I'm probably missing something stupid easy to solve this issue. I am just fixated on why the breaker continues to trip until I disconnect reconnect the neutral wire.

 

[pete87]

Room Rental tenant , or kid has his grow lights tapped on it , on a timer .









Pete

 

[Dennis Alwon]

None of the statements explain why removing the neutral seems to reset the circuit. It makes absolutely no sense to me

 

[Expediter]

A staple through the wire, pinching or possibly a mouse chewing on the insulation.


Is it a GFCI breaker?

 

[Swordsman]

Just a suggestion here. As a practice on service calls that seem mysterious I always tighten every wire connection I can find. All the terminals. You'd be surprised what just tightening everything can do.

 

[priorityelectric]

Pete it is a single family home elderly couple.

Dennis, I've asked many people nobody has a clue.

Swordsman, one of the first things i do when i open a panel on a service call.



Expediter, possibly a staple, no signs of rodents in house.

 

[480sparky]

At this point, I'd be hooking up some recording equipment to find out if it's a short or an overload, and precisely what date & time it occurs.

Armed with the results, that would narrow down the search.

 

[dspiffy]

Maybe there's a load on it you're not aware of.

Things like an old refrigerator can cause this. The defrost elements short out, and every 24 hours when the fridge goes into defrost mode, the breaker trips.

Could be an attic fan motor that's crapped out. Attic heats up, stat turns on fan, breaker trips.

Abandoned feed buried in the yard that used to go to a pole light. Enough corrosion to overload the circuit when moisture conditions are right.



A million things could be listed.

These are really good examples. I'd love to see people list similar examples they have actually encountered.

 

[Dennis Alwon]

Yes a million things can be listed but none explain why the neutral must be taken off to reset the breaker. I somehow think this is not really the case but IDK.

 

[chicken steve]

None of us have Xray eyes, so maybe isolating the circuit and opening every outlet will reveal whatever intermittent problem is occurring.

~CS~

 

[priorityelectric]

I have isolated the circuit, did continuity tests, voltage tests, made sure everything was tight. I'm running the this evening, I will update what i find.

 

[zen]

What if that neutral is being shared with another circut . If the breaker isnt tripping from a short then naybe its getting hot

learning to learn