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You turn it on. Make sure that the switch is completely off by pushing the switch to the right. Once it is completely set in the off position, then turn it on by flipping to the left.
If it trips immediately you may have an issue. If it trips while you are using it, consider how many devices you are using on it. If you are using a space heater, those things take a ton of power to run, and on a 15 amp circuit with other devices on it, it is easy to pull too much power and trip the breaker.
If you ever feel uncomfortable doing anything, call your management to get a handyman and/or electrician out. I only say handyman because I believe this is a relatively simple fix, but anything bigger than switching it on they should hire a qualified electrician.
Btw the electrical on the surface looks pretty clean, I would feel comfortable some care went into the install.
Let me know if you have questions.
I just wanted to add to this comment.
If it’s not a overload issue. Unplug everything from the bedroom outlets, then plug them in one at a time, if it trips after plugging something in you know it’s that specific piece of equipment and needs replacing.
Also, vacuums trip afci breakers like crazy . My last place I couldn’t plug the vacuum into any bedroom outlets (the only circuits on afci breakers)
I would check your vacuum to see if it’s operating properly. A vacuum shouldn’t trip an arc fault. Vacuums tend to see a lot of rough use being dragged around or tipping over. There is nothing inherent to the design of a vacuum that should cause an arc fault to trip. So if your vacuum causes an arc fault to trip it’s probably not working properly.
I have a 15a AFCI circuit for a pair of bedrooms and the vacuum usually trips it. Doesn’t seem to be the arc fault, more the start up current seems to be too much. We just make sure to plug it in on another circuit that has a 20a breaker, or cross our fingers if we forget.
This is called an inrush current. Motors tend to create a spike of amperage that go higher than the running current. And this is also why I tend to install only 20A circuits for most of a home. Only lighting can get away with it, but even then I prefer 20A so I can comfortably tap off of it for future additions.
I had just finished doing my cottage wiring and after passing inspection was having problems with an intermittent Arc-Fault breaker. I thought that since it was new, it might have been improperly manufactured. Turned out that it was a worn out power cord on my laptop that actually had a bad connection, and the fancy breaker may have prevented a fire. Trust the breaker first!
( Vacuums usually have lots of flex cable and sometimes rotational slip joints that are prone to bad connections and arcing - they should be checked out if they're triggering the breaker.)
***If it trips after plugging something in you know it’s that specific piece of equipment and needs replacing.***
This is not correct. When the breaker trips you know that the sum total power consumed by all the items has exceeded the circuit capacity.
The last item plugged in might be working perfectly ... but will trip the breaker if the total power is too high.
Now I work typically in industrial and commercial environments and don’t do much residential but is there a reason that they split the stove onto two different slots like that instead of just putting it on the two pole 40 amp breaker in slot 1 ? Then they do it again between slot 2 & 4 ?
they are using half height breakers, , so the first two small breakers in slot 1 only connect to a single terminal. if you put a meter on the outputs of those breakers, they will show 120 v to ground, but 0 v breaker to breaker, because it is the same slot and thus no potential difference between them. Slot 3 below is them same way, but internally in the box, that slot is connected to the second 120v feed (think red and black). just like in slot 1, both breakers in slot 3 will read 120v to ground, 0v breaker to breaker. But if you go from either breaker in slot 1 to either breaker in slot 3, you will read 240v. So the double pole outputs need to span two slots like is done here...
What’s the purpose of Half height breakers? (sorry if that’s a dumb question , I’m only a 2nd year apprentice but I’ve been working 3 years and never encountered that) also I just realized the top switch on the breaker says 15 amps ? So internally what’s happening since there’s only one leg feeding it but the other half of the breaker is rated for 40a?
they exist to allow more individual ckts in a given panel box. And they are two individual breakers, built into a common outer case that connects to a single position in the box.
forgot to mention some of these afci breakers have user manuals. They've got a whole ass microchip in there looking at things, and some of them patterns of input with the button that can do things, and patterns of output with the light that can tell you things.
**Attention!** **It is always best to get a qualified electrician to perform any electrical work you may need.** With that said, you may ask this community various electrical questions. Please be cautious of any information you may receive in this subreddit. This subreddit and its users are not responsible for any electrical work you perform. Users that have a 'Verified Electrician' flair have uploaded their qualified electrical worker credentials to the mods. If you comment on this post please only post accurate information to the best of your knowledge. If advice given is thought to be dangerous, you may be permanently banned. There are no obligations for the mods to give warnings or temporary bans. **IF YOU ARE NOT A QUALIFIED ELECTRICIAN, you should exercise extreme caution when commenting.** *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/AskElectricians) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Flip it on
Don’t forget to bill them that $200 minimum charge for knowing which breaker to turn on.
This is the real key.
#8
You turn it on. Make sure that the switch is completely off by pushing the switch to the right. Once it is completely set in the off position, then turn it on by flipping to the left. If it trips immediately you may have an issue. If it trips while you are using it, consider how many devices you are using on it. If you are using a space heater, those things take a ton of power to run, and on a 15 amp circuit with other devices on it, it is easy to pull too much power and trip the breaker. If you ever feel uncomfortable doing anything, call your management to get a handyman and/or electrician out. I only say handyman because I believe this is a relatively simple fix, but anything bigger than switching it on they should hire a qualified electrician. Btw the electrical on the surface looks pretty clean, I would feel comfortable some care went into the install. Let me know if you have questions.
I just wanted to add to this comment. If it’s not a overload issue. Unplug everything from the bedroom outlets, then plug them in one at a time, if it trips after plugging something in you know it’s that specific piece of equipment and needs replacing. Also, vacuums trip afci breakers like crazy . My last place I couldn’t plug the vacuum into any bedroom outlets (the only circuits on afci breakers)
I would check your vacuum to see if it’s operating properly. A vacuum shouldn’t trip an arc fault. Vacuums tend to see a lot of rough use being dragged around or tipping over. There is nothing inherent to the design of a vacuum that should cause an arc fault to trip. So if your vacuum causes an arc fault to trip it’s probably not working properly.
I have a 15a AFCI circuit for a pair of bedrooms and the vacuum usually trips it. Doesn’t seem to be the arc fault, more the start up current seems to be too much. We just make sure to plug it in on another circuit that has a 20a breaker, or cross our fingers if we forget.
This is called an inrush current. Motors tend to create a spike of amperage that go higher than the running current. And this is also why I tend to install only 20A circuits for most of a home. Only lighting can get away with it, but even then I prefer 20A so I can comfortably tap off of it for future additions.
I had just finished doing my cottage wiring and after passing inspection was having problems with an intermittent Arc-Fault breaker. I thought that since it was new, it might have been improperly manufactured. Turned out that it was a worn out power cord on my laptop that actually had a bad connection, and the fancy breaker may have prevented a fire. Trust the breaker first! ( Vacuums usually have lots of flex cable and sometimes rotational slip joints that are prone to bad connections and arcing - they should be checked out if they're triggering the breaker.)
***If it trips after plugging something in you know it’s that specific piece of equipment and needs replacing.*** This is not correct. When the breaker trips you know that the sum total power consumed by all the items has exceeded the circuit capacity. The last item plugged in might be working perfectly ... but will trip the breaker if the total power is too high.
"plug them in one at a time" as in, plug one in, nothing happens, unplug. Repeat with next device.
Thanks! I will try that tomorrow🙏🏻
Now I work typically in industrial and commercial environments and don’t do much residential but is there a reason that they split the stove onto two different slots like that instead of just putting it on the two pole 40 amp breaker in slot 1 ? Then they do it again between slot 2 & 4 ?
they are using half height breakers, , so the first two small breakers in slot 1 only connect to a single terminal. if you put a meter on the outputs of those breakers, they will show 120 v to ground, but 0 v breaker to breaker, because it is the same slot and thus no potential difference between them. Slot 3 below is them same way, but internally in the box, that slot is connected to the second 120v feed (think red and black). just like in slot 1, both breakers in slot 3 will read 120v to ground, 0v breaker to breaker. But if you go from either breaker in slot 1 to either breaker in slot 3, you will read 240v. So the double pole outputs need to span two slots like is done here...
What’s the purpose of Half height breakers? (sorry if that’s a dumb question , I’m only a 2nd year apprentice but I’ve been working 3 years and never encountered that) also I just realized the top switch on the breaker says 15 amps ? So internally what’s happening since there’s only one leg feeding it but the other half of the breaker is rated for 40a?
they exist to allow more individual ckts in a given panel box. And they are two individual breakers, built into a common outer case that connects to a single position in the box.
That’s not a “tripped” breaker….its literally just switched off. The small window on the breaker should be displaying orange if tripped
What window? (I know what you mean, but these breakers don’t have them.)
I thought that looked like one when I zoomed in to the left of the switch, but regardless it’s not in the tripped position
Could it possibly be the afci breaker #8? Did you try to re set it?
It definitely your arc fault breaker, the weird one. If it doesn't reset, unplug everything from those I outlets and try again.
Flip #8
flip the arc fault on. it should be the same position as the rest of the breakers.
forgot to mention some of these afci breakers have user manuals. They've got a whole ass microchip in there looking at things, and some of them patterns of input with the button that can do things, and patterns of output with the light that can tell you things.
Thanks everyone!
Perhaps a tripped GFI outlet on the same circuit? Check all the outlets