switch keeps tripping breaker

1724 Views 9 Replies 7 Participants Last post by MrElectricianTV, Mar 25, 2016

MLMIB

Discussion Starter · Mar 12, 2016

I installed a new circuit and a light off of it. the circuit is a 20 amp circuit on a AFCI breaker with an outside light on it. Whenever I turn the light on it flicks on and the breaker trips. I can't figure out whats causing it, any idea's?

a picture of the light wiring is included below

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brric

· #2 · Mar 12, 2016 (Edited)

Must be miswired at the switch or at the AFCI.

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Oso954

· #3 · Mar 12, 2016

Your green wire should be attached to a ground screw in the metal box, not the bracket ground screw ( unless you have it attached in both places).
Not the trip problem, but it needs correcting.

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ddawg16

· #4 · Mar 12, 2016

Look for a marginal connection. I had a broken wire in a box that was causing one of my AFCI's to trip. Otherwise, I've never had a false trip.

For troubleshooting purposes, replace the AFCI with a regular breaker. if it trips, you have a hard fault.

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ddawg16

· #5 · Mar 12, 2016

Oso954 said:
Your green wire should be attached to a ground screw in the metal box, not the bracket ground screw ( unless you have it attached in both places).
Not the trip problem, but it needs correcting.

Good catch

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MLMIB

Discussion Starter · #6 · Mar 22, 2016

so I'm going to switch the ground (separate question, why do they supply the ground on the fixture than, am I supposed to break off a ground for it or is it optional?)

and I swapped the breaker at the box with a non-AFCI breaker and the breaker works fine. I'll try to get another AFCI breaker tomorrow to see if I just had a bad breaker but any other idea's? I've attached a picture of the switch below but I don't think anything is wrong with that. there's nothing else on the circuit other than outlets with nothing plugged in.

The other black wire is plugged in on the other side since that's not showing that well.

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brric

· #7 · Mar 22, 2016

Is that a three way switch with a grounding conductor attached to on of the terminals?b

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Jim Port

· #8 · Mar 22, 2016

The wire loop should go clockwise around the screw.

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dmxtothemax

· #9 · Mar 24, 2016

what type of lamps are you using ?
incandesant ?
C F L ?
L E D ?
Some lamps can be troublesome for AFCI's
Or even the switch drawing a small arc ?

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MrElectricianTV

· #10 · Mar 25, 2016

MLMIB said:
I installed a new circuit and a light off of it. the circuit is a 20 amp circuit on a AFCI breaker with an outside light on it. Whenever I turn the light on it flicks on and the breaker trips. I can't figure out whats causing it, any idea's?

a picture of the light wiring is included below

I do not see an anti-short bushing inside of the cable connector. Perhaps the neutral is shorted to the armor

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