Excellent information provided here in this video. I was able to fix the circuit breaker without have an expensive service call during extreme Texas weather in summer. Thank you very much for saving me money. 🙂
Nice demo! Circuit breakers can "wear out." * The contacts can become worn or pitted, usually by using the breaker like a switch to turn on and off a load (some breakers are designed and rated for regular use as a switch) or by frequent tripping. * Frequent tripping, or even extended operating at high loads that are nearly enough to trip but not quite, with the resulting extended high temperatures in and around the bimetallic strip, can result in weakening of that spring and associated components to the point of eventual mechanical failure. * Some circuit failures can damage the circuit breaker. Such as surge loads that normally don't cause a problem, but which go dramatically higher during a failure. I wonder if something like that melted your copper braid? I had frying bacon sounds and smoke coming from my well pump breaker. The breaker failed to open so I braved the smoke and flipped the main. It burnt the pump breaker, its bus contacts, and the adjacent breaker. It was a Siemens 240 volt, 20 amp breaker for a submersible well pump installed in the late 1970s and the pump most recently replaced about 10 years before the incident. Startup surge on the 2hp pump was specified at about 14x the operating power. The lights went out one day due to a distribution fault (blowing the 7200v fuse on the pole is dramatic), and while the utility was finding the fault buried on our street, they isolated each of the transformers then started connecting them one by one. I'm the first transformer on the street, and when they connected me and turned on the power, the voltage was nearly 300 volt instead of 240 and I nearly had a fire in the breaker panel. However after a bit of rewiring, all was apparently fine for a few years. Last summer I did need to replace the about 15 year old well pump. It was shorted... I wonder if when the power came on it was in a locked-rotor condition, and the high voltage startup did not help.
VERY common to have a poor connection between the circuit breaker and bus bar(especially older Challenger panels), I've fixed many over the years. Everything else you mentioned is accurate. Thanks for watching!
This is a great video. I just had the no power issue with the breaker in the on position. I reset the breaker a few times with no success. Replaced with a new breaker and things are working again.
EXCELLENT! YOUR AWESOME! I GET IT! THANK YOU!!!! Still don't know what's wrong or how to fix it but regardless that was super awesome!!! And I learned something Hats off to you! I have a big smile THANX!!
Thanks for watching Mickey! Be sure to look over my extensive video playlists below for many other videos of interest to you, and most importantly take one minute to share a link to my channel with others. ruclips.net/user/electronicsnmoreplaylists
Very interesting video ENM! I always wondered how those breakers worked. I am going to send this video link to my Step-son who is am electrician. Thanks....👍👍
My 20 amp single pole won’t turn all the way on. I’ve replaced it 3 times and it keeps doing it. Funny thing is when I removed the breaker then I can flip it all the way. What can I do?
Circuit breakers are designed to protect wire. Usually when a circuit breaker wears out it is because recently you may have changed a motor out for a new motor or replaced an oven or and very powerful microwave oven. Circuit breakers do wear out. Usually it is thermal protection part of the breaker that wears out over time because of the initial amperage draw.
@@andyfer7716 The strip doesn't wear out, but the shape can change slightly over time if excessive loads have been placed on the breaker. Nothing lasts forever.
@@electronicsNmore Thanks. However, I would think that minor bending wouldn't appreciably affect the mechanism to the point of failure. It seems more likely that the melting of the copper wire (like in your video) would happen first.
@@andyfer7716yes it does. Every time the breaker trips on a thermal load it never bends back to the original/previous position. Over time the breaker eventually will not reset when tripped by a thermal overload.
fantastic. Mine was even more less common which was the old one with the glass where you strew in with the viable fuse so that was pure thermal. LOL I put your video even faster speed to see the metal bend. interesting how they put just the right about of everything to trip at the exact temp... I assume. Unlike your other video fuse that tripped easily. I notice how they can vary in thickness despite the same voltage. Will you show the magnetic one or is it too much of a pain to deal with? Also the voltage in the homes are higher than 120 maybe 124 at times which wouldnt that be an issue in your option for higher bill or more stress on things? the electric company says its within 8% range and says its ok. hmmmm thanks
I've swapped out screw in fuse panels years ago. I remember the time delay type. If this video starts pulling in views, I may do another showing the magnetic type. As of now, it's a big waste of time. YT is best at one thing, suppressing my channel.
I used microwave last night and it went power off. I found out the outlet was not working because my toaster can't be switched on. Also, the outlet for my kettle doesn't work too (I plugged my kettle on the other outlet and it works). Then I checked my electrical panel and the breaker keeps tripping. So, do I just need to replace new outlets for both microwave and kettle? Or there's a problem on the breaker?
Most circuit breakers are designed not to trip up to 80 percent of their capacity. Anything above that , over time (minutes to hours) the breaker will trip.
I had a 20 amp breaker arc at the connection point to the bus bar while trying to turn it on; needless to say I'll be replacing that fuse. Any idea why this would happen; a faulty fuse, or perhaps a poor connection on the bus bar?
SunRun just installed solar and one of my breakers won’t reset. There’s a buzzing sound and it trips automatically. They tried troubleshooting and still can’t get it to reset
I have two 15 amp breakers that won’t reset even after putting switch to the full off position. The switch is very loose and just keeps springing back.
Thanks for the terrific explanation and demonstration!
You're very welcome. Thanks for watching!
And same to you, Todd!
Excellent information provided here in this video. I was able to fix the circuit breaker without have an expensive service call during extreme Texas weather in summer. Thank you very much for saving me money. 🙂
Nice demo! Circuit breakers can "wear out."
* The contacts can become worn or pitted, usually by using the breaker like a switch to turn on and off a load (some breakers are designed and rated for regular use as a switch) or by frequent tripping.
* Frequent tripping, or even extended operating at high loads that are nearly enough to trip but not quite, with the resulting extended high temperatures in and around the bimetallic strip, can result in weakening of that spring and associated components to the point of eventual mechanical failure.
* Some circuit failures can damage the circuit breaker. Such as surge loads that normally don't cause a problem, but which go dramatically higher during a failure. I wonder if something like that melted your copper braid?
I had frying bacon sounds and smoke coming from my well pump breaker. The breaker failed to open so I braved the smoke and flipped the main. It burnt the pump breaker, its bus contacts, and the adjacent breaker. It was a Siemens 240 volt, 20 amp breaker for a submersible well pump installed in the late 1970s and the pump most recently replaced about 10 years before the incident. Startup surge on the 2hp pump was specified at about 14x the operating power. The lights went out one day due to a distribution fault (blowing the 7200v fuse on the pole is dramatic), and while the utility was finding the fault buried on our street, they isolated each of the transformers then started connecting them one by one. I'm the first transformer on the street, and when they connected me and turned on the power, the voltage was nearly 300 volt instead of 240 and I nearly had a fire in the breaker panel. However after a bit of rewiring, all was apparently fine for a few years. Last summer I did need to replace the about 15 year old well pump. It was shorted... I wonder if when the power came on it was in a locked-rotor condition, and the high voltage startup did not help.
VERY common to have a poor connection between the circuit breaker and bus bar(especially older Challenger panels), I've fixed many over the years. Everything else you mentioned is accurate. Thanks for watching!
Hmph! That first circuit breaker basically acted like a simple fuse - wire burning up. Great vid!
That was amazing! Thanks for answering my questions!
This is a great video. I just had the no power issue with the breaker in the on position. I reset the breaker a few times with no success. Replaced with a new breaker and things are working again.
Glad you liked it. All I need is RUclips to recommend it. They suppress my channel unfortunately. Thanks for watching Derek!
Outstanding demo! I learned something new today. Would love to see something with a GFCI breaker.
Glad you liked the video!
Thx for sacrificing a breaker for education. Very well explained
You're welcome!
You literally saved me $100 this morning. Also I learned something too 🙏
Great to hear Faye!
EXCELLENT! YOUR AWESOME! I GET IT! THANK YOU!!!!
Still don't know what's wrong or how to fix it but regardless that was super awesome!!! And I learned something
Hats off to you! I have a big smile THANX!!
Thanks for watching Mickey! Be sure to look over my extensive video playlists below for many other videos of interest to you, and most importantly take one minute to share a link to my channel with others.
ruclips.net/user/electronicsnmoreplaylists
That was epic. Thanks for the video
Best explanation I have ever seen. Thanks
Thanks Tony! Glad you liked it. Please share the video link.
Hi Doug. That was outstanding ! Love the way you showed it. Has always I Liked,shared. All my very best.
As usual, thanks for watching Bobby!
Probably something I will never try but pretty cool seeing the internal workings 👍
Glad you liked the video!
Thank You for the highly detailed explanation very helpful. Cheers
Glad it was helpful!
Very interesting video ENM! I always wondered how those breakers worked. I am going to send this video link to my Step-son who is am electrician. Thanks....👍👍
Awesome, thanks Steve!
Excellent explanation
Thank you
Awesome video man, great explanation
Thank you!
Great explanation and visuals - thanks for taking the time to explain this - best I’ve seen!
Thank you! Glad you liked the video and appreciated all the time that goes into making these videos that almost always get hidden by RUclips.
Nice explanation Sir 🙂👍
Thank you! Glad you liked the video.
Wonderful presentation. Very informative about a previous mysterious subject.
Thank you.
Glad you enjoyed it Ted! Be sure to share. Thanks
If I lock the switch, will the automaton work? In case of a short circuit
My 20 amp single pole won’t turn all the way on. I’ve replaced it 3 times and it keeps doing it. Funny thing is when I removed the breaker then I can flip it all the way. What can I do?
What ended up being your problem? Was going to comment to answer your question but saw this has hopefully been resolved.
Another great video.
Thank you Bud! Sadly YT has not been giving my videos exposure, turning out to be another big waste of my time.
Circuit breakers are designed to protect wire. Usually when a circuit breaker wears out it is because recently you may have changed a motor out for a new motor or replaced an oven or and very powerful microwave oven. Circuit breakers do wear out. Usually it is thermal protection part of the breaker that wears out over time because of the initial amperage draw.
True points. Thanks for watching the video! Be sure to share the link.
Are you saying the bimetallic strip wears out? How does that happen?
@@andyfer7716 The strip doesn't wear out, but the shape can change slightly over time if excessive loads have been placed on the breaker. Nothing lasts forever.
@@electronicsNmore Thanks. However, I would think that minor bending wouldn't appreciably affect the mechanism to the point of failure. It seems more likely that the melting of the copper wire (like in your video) would happen first.
@@andyfer7716yes it does. Every time the breaker trips on a thermal load it never bends back to the original/previous position. Over time the breaker eventually will not reset when tripped by a thermal overload.
Thank you, sir.
You're welcome! Be sure to share the video link with others. Thank you
fantastic. Mine was even more less common which was the old one with the glass where you strew in with the viable fuse so that was pure thermal. LOL I put your video even faster speed to see the metal bend. interesting how they put just the right about of everything to trip at the exact temp... I assume. Unlike your other video fuse that tripped easily.
I notice how they can vary in thickness despite the same voltage.
Will you show the magnetic one or is it too much of a pain to deal with?
Also the voltage in the homes are higher than 120 maybe 124 at times which wouldnt that be an issue in your option for higher bill or more stress on things? the electric company says its within 8% range and says its ok. hmmmm
thanks
I've swapped out screw in fuse panels years ago. I remember the time delay type. If this video starts pulling in views, I may do another showing the magnetic type. As of now, it's a big waste of time. YT is best at one thing, suppressing my channel.
I used microwave last night and it went power off. I found out the outlet was not working because my toaster can't be switched on. Also, the outlet for my kettle doesn't work too (I plugged my kettle on the other outlet and it works). Then I checked my electrical panel and the breaker keeps tripping. So, do I just need to replace new outlets for both microwave and kettle? Or there's a problem on the breaker?
the last segment that was a 15A breaker? what was Amp rating of the load?
Yes, 15A breaker, and I was pulling around 20-22A.
Most circuit breakers are designed not to trip up to 80 percent of their capacity. Anything above that , over time (minutes to hours) the breaker will trip.
That's true. If a load will be powered continuously, then you take 80% of the breaker rating as a maximum.
I had a 20 amp breaker arc at the connection point to the bus bar while trying to turn it on; needless to say I'll be replacing that fuse. Any idea why this would happen; a faulty fuse, or perhaps a poor connection on the bus bar?
Challenger brand?
@@electronicsNmore It's square D
@@electronicsNmore Schneider electric I guess.
Whoever invented this was a genius.
Thanks for watching!
SunRun just installed solar and one of my breakers won’t reset. There’s a buzzing sound and it trips automatically. They tried troubleshooting and still can’t get it to reset
I have two 15 amp breakers that won’t reset even after putting switch to the full off position. The switch is very loose and just keeps springing back.
Any breaker that doesn't reset needs to be replaced if you disconnected the load
I replaced the breaker and it still won’t reset
I used new breaker and is still tripping while all the outlets are not in use can plz solve this puzzle for me.
Clearly there's a short circuit between the breaker and the outlets.
Why will main switch not go back into on position
That was explained in the video.
What if the switch is loose?
This video didnt teach me how to break dance at all.
🖖 👍
Thanks for watching!