Breaker Box Problems

Poor Wiring

• Poor wiring will cause a circuit breaker box to behave sporadically. A clear sign of poor wiring is some outlets work perfectly, while others don't. The biggest consequence of poor wiring is that it could lead to serious electric shock while someone is operating an electric appliance. The solution to problems due to poor wire require complete rewiring of the problem area. It's highly recommended you hire a professional electrician to inspect the entire home for poor wiring and remedy the problem.

Circuit Overload

• Electric load refers to the amount of electricity a circuit is capable of handling safely. Standard home circuits are designed to handle 15 to 20 amps of electricity per breaker. This is why large appliances such as washers, refrigerators and ovens require higher rated circuits to handle their 20 to 30 amp electrical requirements. Typically a circuit overload occurs when the amount of electricity passing through a circuit breaker exceeds its electrical rating. Too many devices plugged into one outlet, for example, will cause an overload. When a circuit overloads the breaker trips, cutting electricity. To remedy this situation inspect your circuit breaker box for breakers that have been switched to the off position or are in between on and off and flip them back to on.

Short Circuit

• Most people confuse the terms circuit overload with short circuit. A circuit overload is probably the most common circuit breaker box problem and the ramifications are usually not very serious. A short circuit, one the other hand, occurs when a hot, or electrically charged wire, touches another hot or neutral wire. A short circuit may cause appliance damage or start a fire. Short circuits are a circuit breaker box problem that has to do with the system's wiring. If an appliance or outlet frequently causes a circuit overload, hire an electrician to inspect the wiring for a potential short circuit hazard.

Signs and Symptoms of Problems

• Circuit breaker boxes will produce loud buzzing or humming sounds if they are experiencing a circuit overload and a breaker is failing to trip. In the event of loud buzzing sound, it's best to switch all breakers in the box to the off position to avoid serious problems. A circuit breaker that fails to trip a problem circuit will generate a considerable amount of heat which could start a fire. When a circuit breaker box experiences a loose connection it will start to fizzle and spark. Circuit breaker boxes are quiet when operating properly. Call a professional electrician if you see or hear the circuit breaker box doing something uncharacteristic.