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Breaker Tripping

10K views 15 replies 8 participants last post by  nap 
#1 ·
I have this small issue. I have a 15 amp breaker with a reset button. The circuit has 2 receptacles (doubble plugs) and 1 light. I have a garage door opener attached to one of the plugs and a central vac unit attached to another. Here is my dilemma.

When ever I try to use a batter charger of any kind on any of the plugins associated with the breaker, it trips the breaker after about 10-20 seconds. Nothing else trips the breaker. I can run the garage door opener, central vac and a powertool at the same time with no trip. As soon as I try to charge my marine battery or a battery for a power tool, it trips. I have tried using the charger/s on their own but still trips. Here is the thing, the marine battery charger has 3 settings (trickle, med, fast charging modes) When I use the trickle charge mode, the breaker doesn't trip. any other mode trips the breaker. I can run an extension from another plug in my house and have no issues with either battery charger.

Is my fuse too small for the circuit? Is the fuse faulty? Any other possibilities would be helpfull. How hard is it to change a circuit breaker? should I use a breaker with a reset button or just use a regular 15 amp breaker. Should I replace it with a 20 amp breaker?

Soooo many questions
thanks
 
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#2 ·
Is this circuit breaker with the reset button in you main electrical panel? Are you sure it isn't a GFCI?
Your battery charger should have label stating how many amps it draws, what does it read?
Circuit breakers (or fuses) are sized to protect the wiring in the house. If the wire is 14 gauge, it cannot have more than a 15 amp breaker. 12 gauge wire can be connected to a 20 amp breaker. This means all wire on that circuit.
 
#4 ·
Is this circuit breaker with the reset button in you main electrical panel? Are you sure it isn't a GFCI?
Your battery charger should have label stating how many amps it draws, what does it read?
Circuit breakers (or fuses) are sized to protect the wiring in the house. If the wire is 14 gauge, it cannot have more than a 15 amp breaker. 12 gauge wire can be connected to a 20 amp breaker. This means all wire on that circuit.
No, not sure but it is a small fuse with an orange reset button. The input amps are 2 amps and the output is 2.2 amps.
 
#11 ·
when you plug whatever item is tripping the breaker into some other circuit and it works just fine, is the breaker for that other circuit also a 15 amp breaker and is it a GFCI or AFCI breaker?

This breaker has an orange reset button and it looks like a regualar breaker only with an orange reset button
orange "reset" button? Sounds like the test button for a GFCI or AFCI breaker. are you sure it doesn't say "press to test" or "test" near the orange button?

what is the brand of breaker in question?
 
#12 · (Edited)
Hello, the orange button says "push to test". There is no name on the breaker. I am able to put BOTH battery chargers in question on any other cirucit in the house without a trip. These battery chargers are 1-Marine Batter Charger (12 V) similar to a car battery, in fact it can charge regular, deep cycle and Gell batteries of the 12 v automobile style. The other type is an 18V Dewalt Drill battery charger. This breaker is in the main breaker panel. I can put any other electrical item on this circuit without a trip. Not sure but even an automobile block heater (here in Canada it gets real cold) has no issues with this system.
 
#13 ·
Ok, since it says "push to test" it is either an AFCI breaker or a GFCI breaker. It should state on the breaker. Also, the breakers should be the same manufacturer as the panel so, what is the panel manufacturer?

since items like a block heater did not trip the breaker, I would suggest it is not an overload trip but the AFCI or GFCI part tripping.

you are going to have to determine if this is an AFCI breaker or a GFCI breaker. Why either would be tripping is different and would result in different tests.


do the charges have a 2 prong or 3 prong plug?
 
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