I recently installed a circuit breaker and the new one works fine until I put the cover plate back on. The breaker then trips. I was told that maybe a wire was being shorted out by the screws that connect the plate. I checked the box and the only wire that could be touched by the screw is a uncoved ground wire. Could this cause the problem. None of the wires are frayed.
Circuit breaker problem
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Nope, that would not trip it.
Turn each breaker off and on again to see if one feels differant.
What I'm thinking in your bumping one of them when trying to get that cover on causing it to move.
A breaker in good condition would not do that.
Turn each breaker off and on again to see if one feels differant.
What I'm thinking in your bumping one of them when trying to get that cover on causing it to move.
A breaker in good condition would not do that.
The breaker in question is brand new and it is the only breaker that pops when I put the cover on. It is solidly in the slot and doesn't seem to move at all when I put the cover back. I have it in a new slot and the problem persists. Can just putting pressure on the breaker with the frame cause the problem?
Are you saying it trips with no load on it, simply from the pressure of the cover?
I would swap it with another breaker. If it trips in the new position and the other one does not, I would take it back as defective.
Yes, you could be shorting is somehow, though it is highly unlikely; but that would show up by swapping them.
I would swap it with another breaker. If it trips in the new position and the other one does not, I would take it back as defective.
Yes, you could be shorting is somehow, though it is highly unlikely; but that would show up by swapping them.
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37,499 Posts
Same make and style breaker?
Yes it trips just with the pressure from the cover, and I have moved this particular breaker to two other areas of the box, with the same results. As stated in another post on this subject, this problem with this particualr circuit has been happening off and on for a few years. And it is always this breaker, no matter where it is located, that pops and eventually goes bad. The other breakers in the box have been there for years with no problems whatsoever. I have rechecked the connections on this breaker and they are solid. BTW, this is a double breaker but I am not sure which of the actual switches is popping, but I know from what is turning off that it is only one part of the breaker, not both.
Which would mean tracing the circuit to all the outlets and switches on those circuits until I find a bad connection? And even if I find a problem switch or outlet, the problem still begins with the cover. No cover, everything works fine, put the cover back on, the breaker MIGHT pop. Last time I had this problem I had the cover on and off 3 or more times until it was positioned properly and the breaker stayed on. Just want to be able to correct this problem without having to go through that again. I know which outlet caused the breaker to pop this time, but when I replaced the breaker there was nothing plugged in to the bad outlet and it still popped. Going crazy. I really dont want to have to get an electrician in.
So instead of paying an electrician to fix what is obviously more than a phantom breaker issue you ask for advice from electricians on here... I understand why they help but expressing you specifically don't want to help support their trade seems a bit unappreciative. Maybe you would like advice or help from the large majority of untrained posters who feel the need to chime in with incorrect advice.
I apologize. I meant nothing against any electricians. For me it is just a matter of finances. I am retired with little income so of course I would like to use the people like yourself to help me without the expense. When I am satisfied that I cannot fix the problem even with your expertise, I will be the first to be on the telephome to bring in assistance, at any cost. So to all in the various construction industries again I apologize.
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Could you post a good picture of the panel maybe we can spot something you are missing?
I will try to post a picrure of the circuit box and the panel door. I took a few pictures but there are so many wires I don't know if they will do any good. I will send a picture of the full box and the breaker giving me the problem, and the panel cover. Breaker fits in the large hole on the bottom right of the door.May take awhile to upload the picturesl.
Clarification?
There is one outlet that I know of that is causing the circuit breaker to pop. This has happened multiple times, to where I have had to buy 2 new breakers over the last 4-5 years. When I replace the breaker with the new one and reinstall the panel cover, the breaker trips. When I take the cover off and turn the breaker back on, it stays on. Once I try to reinstall the cover again, the breaker trips again. If I leave the cover off, the breaker stays working.
There is one outlet that I know of that is causing the circuit breaker to pop. This has happened multiple times, to where I have had to buy 2 new breakers over the last 4-5 years. When I replace the breaker with the new one and reinstall the panel cover, the breaker trips. When I take the cover off and turn the breaker back on, it stays on. Once I try to reinstall the cover again, the breaker trips again. If I leave the cover off, the breaker stays working.
Couple questions for you, does the breaker trip if you just hold the panel cover on or after you install the screws to hold it?
Have you (with the power off) pulled the receptacle out that you know caused the trip, just to make sure there was nothing wrong with it?
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