DB Box, Circuit Breaker Trips And Taylor Swift
You are enjoying your nice cup of Earl Grey tea, listening to Taylor Swift’s 1989 album on your Bose sound system in your air-conditioned living room, waiting for the laundry to be done in the washing machine.
Suddenly, every thing stopped – the music, the air-conditioning, the lights, the washing machine.
Armed with a flashlight, you made your way to the electrical DB Box (commonly called the Fuse Box or the Circuit Breaker Panel) in your storeroom.
You found the tripped circuit breaker (it would be halfway between the “ON” and “OFF” position). You flipped it to “OFF” completely before turning it back “ON” again.
Ahhh… the power is back and every thing is working as per normal again.
Initially your circuit breaker trips may occur once every few months, but over time, it becomes more regular until it happens once every other days.
Sometimes more than one circuit breaker in the db box will trip. Other times, you may need to unplug several electrical devices before the circuit breaker(s) can be turned back on and the power restored.
When this happens, it is time to call in the electrician to check on your circuit breaker and/or your home’s electrical wiring.
Circuit Breaker – Designed For Safety
The electric circuit breaker is a safety feature of our home’s electrical system – designed to make sure we do not overload our power circuits and the wires/cables in our homes do not carry more power than they are meant to handle.
When too much power is drawn from a given circuit (by a defective electrical appliance or when you plug in too many devices), the circuit breaker will trip the circuit, cutting off all electricity to prevent damage to the device(s), overheating or even fires.
Both circuit breakers and fuses provide the same protection – stopping the power flow in the event of a power surge, an arc or a short. But while circuit breakers are reusable, fuses need to be replaced whenever they “blow out”.
Replacing A Faulty Circuit Breaker
Circuit breakers tend to last a long time, but over time and after several reuses, circuit breakers do get worn out, broken or simply malfunction.
It is very dangerous to replace the blown fuse or faulty circuit breaker with one with a higher rating.
The wiring in that circuit is not the appropriate rating/size for that higher rating, and the excessive current carried will cause overheating and result in fires.
Your circuit breaker may be faulty if:
- It stays in the “ON” position but supplies no current to the circuit. Use a multimeter to measure the voltage at the circuit breaker. There will be no voltage if the circuit breaker is bad.
- It trips, and after reset, trips again immediately.
- It trips, and after reset, stays on, then trips again after several minutes or few hours.
- It is hot to the touch.
- It is giving off a burning smell.
- It is showing signs of signs of damage such as charred material or frayed wires.
Leaving The Dangerous Job To The Expert
Since the circuit breaker is considered an essential safety device, it is crucial to get it fixed and replaced as soon as possible. If not done properly and effectively, it could lead to serious consequences for your home and your family.
Hence we strongly recommend you engage a professional electrician to troubleshoot any electrical problems in your DB Box, check and replace your faulty or worn circuit breakers, and re-install any worn out wiring if necessary.
So feel free to call us at 9729 1059 or book an appointment with us now!