My circuit breaker keeps tripping. How do I fix this?
Answers:
No. Do not replace the existing 15 amp breaker with a 20 unless the wire that the breaker is protecting is number 12. If the wire is 12, then yeah-you could do that. If the trip is immediate when you return the circuit breaker to "on"-then you have; (worst case) a short circuit ("fault") in the circuit, a device with a very high circuit draw-such as a motor starting('fridge) or a capacitor charging that is exceeding the breaker rating, or the circuit breaker is bad. If there is an appreciable time delay until it trips, the circuit is overloaded but probably OK /otherwise sound. Microwaves, 'frigerators, some counter-top appliances can cause trips when the other connected loads are high. Most states now require seperate circuits for the Ref and it is recommended that microwaves are also. So, if you are not an electrician, get one to look at the circuit. However-you (if you are comfortable with doing so) might want to try replacing the 15 amp with a new one just in case it is merely a bad breaker.
Other answers:
no if you do that it could cause a fire if the wire get hot because they have to much amperage. You can just take something off the circuit , to be safer.
no if you do that it could cause a fire if the wire get hot because they have to much amperage. You can just take something off the circuit , to be safer.
NO!
it is either a faulty breaker, or the load is too large on that circuit. If it turns off half your house when it trips, then you need move the load shifting around where you have stuff plugged in.
I would not recommend messing around inside your electrical box unless you are very confident in what you are doing, and have had some formal training in this matter. It would be very bad for you to end up with a burnt down house as a result of faulty electrical work caused by you. How do you think your insurance company would feel about that?
If you are renting, let the landlord know about the problem, and try to run fewer electrical appliances at any one time.
Do Not replace a 15 with a 20
You MAY find that a new 15 will work better.. circuit breakers that have been tripped repeatedly can cause tripping at BELOW rated current.
15A circuits are wired with 14Ga wire, 20A with 12ga.
You probably need another branch circuit that splits the load between the existing breaker and a new breaker.. See an electrican about this if a replacement breaker doesn't cure the problem.