My Dishwasher Is Tripping the Breaker

Hot Wires

• When two hot wires touch, a fire could possibly start. For this reason, the power should be shut off from the dishwasher if the dishwasher’s connected circuit breaker continues to trip. Hot wires are power lines that supply electricity to the unit connected to the circuit breaker. When two bare hot wires touch, the power demand to the circuit breaker increases, causing the breaker to trip. At the connection point of the wires from the circuit breaker to the dishwasher, the wires are stripped of their insulation at the tips to achieve a more solid connection to the electrical terminals of the circuit breaker and the dishwasher. At these points, two hot wires could possibly touch each other and spark a fire. Hot wire contact can also occur at any point along the power lines where damage has occurred. If you see wire damage or suspect two hot wires touching, you should contact a technician to correct the problem.

Improper Wiring

• If the power lines from the circuit breaker are connected to the wrong terminals on the dishwasher, the circuit breaker might trip. Improper wiring can also create a problem within the unit, such as failure to turn on or failure to turn off. Before checking the wire connections on the unit or circuit breaker, the power should be turned off at the breaker. If you see that the wiring is incorrect, a technician can correct the error.

Power Requirements

• Circuit breakers come in different sizes to accommodate different power loads. Your dishwasher might demand more power from the circuit than the power breaker can afford, which causes the circuit breaker to trip and stop the device. If the breaker’s amperage doesn’t meet the power requirements of the dishwasher, the breaker should be replaced. Also, if the breaker supports more than one device at a time, this can increase the power demand and trip the breaker. Dedicating one breaker to the dishwasher is a good idea.

Bad Breaker

• You may simply have a bad breaker on your hands if everything has been checked yet the breaker still trips. The breaker might be defective and need to be replaced. Call a technician to test it and possibly replace it.