Reply Mon 5 Aug, 2013 09:46 am
My mother has a couple outbuildings so we had an electrician run a line from one to the other. I wired the second building and turned on the power and all was fine, the lights turned on but once I flipped the switch to turn it off and then back on it blew the breaker. It's a 20 amp breaker and I'm running eight outlets and four lights. Do I need a larger breaker?
  • Topic Stats
  • Top Replies
  • Link to this Topic
Type: Question • Score: 2 • Views: 1,405 • Replies: 8

 
contrex
 
  3  
Reply Mon 5 Aug, 2013 10:00 am
@shortkidd,
shortkidd wrote:
Do I need a larger breaker?


You need an electrician.
BillRM
 
  1  
Reply Mon 5 Aug, 2013 10:03 am
@shortkidd,
And what do you have plug into those outlets?

A 20 amp 110 v0lt line will support an average load of two kilowatts or so.

Any large motor will draw a large surge current on start up that might trip the breaker and then normal lights will have a surge current in being turn on also.

So more detail and what gauge wire did you used and how long is the wire run.
shortkidd
 
  1  
Reply Mon 5 Aug, 2013 12:05 pm
@contrex,
That's what I said Smile
shortkidd
 
  1  
Reply Mon 5 Aug, 2013 12:17 pm
@BillRM,
All that's plugged in is a radio and a small fan. 12\2 and run about twenty feet.
0 Replies
 
contrex
 
  1  
Reply Mon 5 Aug, 2013 12:37 pm
@shortkidd,
shortkidd wrote:

That's what I said Smile


You had an electrician run a line from one outbuilding to another, yes, I read that, and then you wired the second building yourself, and now you're tripping the breaker with only a light load, you need to call that guy back because you are now over your head.

shortkidd
 
  1  
Reply Mon 5 Aug, 2013 05:24 pm
@contrex,
I wouldn't say that. It's a simple wiring job on an old shed that could use a little light and save her a buck or two. More than likely it's a couple wires touching and causing the breaker to trip. My connections are fine so it's probably on the end the electrician connected.

This is a question and answer forum. It's easy to just tell the poster "your over his head and to call an electrician" but that defeats the reason for the forum. I suppose the other day I could have told a guy on here that was having a carburetor leak on his motorcycle that he was over his head and to call a mechanic instead of giving him some advice on a project I am familiar with. We fixed his leak and I bet the beer he cracked after getting it all buttoned up and ready to ride never tasted so good because he tackled and completed a project by himself.
BillRM
 
  1  
Reply Mon 5 Aug, 2013 05:32 pm
@shortkidd,
Quote:
More than likely it's a couple wires touching and causing the breaker to trip


This circuit breaker in only feeding the line the shed?

If you know how to used a VOM checking for wires touching after you disconnect the power hardly seems a hard job!!!!!!!
shortkidd
 
  1  
Reply Tue 6 Aug, 2013 09:59 am
@BillRM,
There's the spirit! Offering advice instead of sarcasm on a question and answer forum is more like it Bill.
0 Replies
 
 

Related Topics

Main Breaker Tripped 2x - Question by decadent
240 Why - Question by lenchase
electrical showers - Question by grains93
6000W cooktop circuit - Question by 1hairycanary
Tempory power supply - Question by 51 nelson
How does a transformer work? - Question by SuzaneK
 
  1. Forums
  2. » Keep blowing breaker
Copyright © 2024 MadLab, LLC :: Terms of Service :: Privacy Policy :: Page generated in 0.03 seconds on 04/17/2024 at 07:41:24