Appliances Tripping Circuit Breaker: Shorts and Ground Faults

In part one of this two-part blog series, we looked at some of the reasons why your circuit breaker might be tripping based on appliance usage in the home. It’s possible to trip a circuit for a few reasons in this realm, including circuit overload but also including several others that may be at play.

At All Pro Appliance Service, circuit issues are a common cause of the problems we help our clients deal with. Our appliance repair solutions range up and down the spectrum of common appliances, from microwaves to ovens, stoves, dishwashers and numerous others. Let’s go over a few other reasons why appliances might be causing circuit issues, plus what can be done to avoid these issues in the future.

Electrical Short

Whether in the actual appliance or somewhere else along the electrical line, a short circuit can be the cause of a tripped breaker. Appliances that have internal shorts should be fixed as soon as possible to avoid any further damage – in many cases, this might mean replacing the entire appliance.

There are a few ways this can happen:

• A hot wire comes into contact with a neutral wire, leading to an overload.
• An insulation failure inside the appliance allows electrical current to flow through unintended paths.
• A loose wire creates a spark that ignites something flammable near the appliance.
• Wires are damaged or severed, whether due to an issue like rodent damage or simply old age and wear.

If you’re experiencing circuit breaker trips on a regular basis, it might be worth having an electrician take a look at your home’s wiring to see if there are any potential short circuits that need to be addressed. Poorly-maintained wiring can be a fire hazard, so this is definitely not a job to try to take on yourself.

Ground Fault

A ground fault actually refers to a specific type of short circuit, one that takes place when a wire with current flowing through it touches the grounded part of a switch box, appliance or bare ground wire. This causes the breaker to trip because it senses an imbalance in the current flow.

There are a few things you can do to help prevent ground faults:

• Ensure that all of your wiring is properly insulated.
• Make sure plugs and outlets are in good condition, without any frays or exposed wires.
• If you have GFCI outlets in your home, make sure they’re properly working and test them regularly.
• If you have any questions about how to prevent ground faults in your home, be sure to speak with a qualified electrician.

These are some of the most common reasons why appliances might be creating circuit breaker issues in your home. For more on this concept, or to get started with any appliance repair or upgrade need you may have, contact the team at All Pro Appliance Service today.