Circuit breaker question

blacklabman

blacklabman

Well-Known Member
MJ said:
Do you live in a older house? This happened to me a while back and I had to go around and look for our one and only outlet that was GFCI and reset it. Of course it was down in the basement behind a bunch of stuff. :burning:
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I checked for GFCI. There are none in that circuit. I'll try the suggestion of pushing pass the off position and then back on.
 
F

FED_UP

Well-Known Member
blacklabman said:
I checked for GFCI. There are none in that circuit. I'll try the suggestion of pushing pass the off position and then back on.
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Yes that is how you reset it, sometimes maybe 2-3 times if it does not set the first. Might help to unplug one or two things associated with that circuit before resetting.
 
Larry Gude

Larry Gude

Strung Out
blacklabman said:
I managed to short a circuit in the house. After many checks I think the circuit breaker is toast. Is this normal?

I ran an extension from a good circuit, so I am good until I get to Lowe's.
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If you feel competent to do it, take the wire out of the suspected 'bad' breaker and, after making sure it is off, stick it into the terminal of a known 'good' breaker. If the circuit is now good, viola, bad breaker. Rare but it DOES happen.
 
So_what

So_what

Yes I'm an MPD, But who's
If it was something in an outlet, you might want to check inside the outlet, might have smoked a wire inside. :shrug:
 
P

psc93

Member
It's possible to "blow" a breaker so that it needs to be replaced. I did this by accident this past winter by plugging two electric heaters into the same outlet. A new breaker costs around $10 at Lowes and takes very little time to replace.
 
willie

willie

Well-Known Member
Sparx said:
They can go bad but chances are you need to push it all the way past the off or tripped position then reset.
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some breakers need a LOT of effort toward the off position to reset and you can feel it happen then it will go to ON with a snap.
 
blacklabman

blacklabman

Well-Known Member
willie said:
some breakers need a LOT of effort toward the off position to reset and you can feel it happen then it will go to ON with a snap.
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I'll try that! I'm reluctant to try too soon as I my computer is on that circuit and it is a b*tch to get it going again. Hard drive likes to run a lot on start-up. Yes, I know I need to take it to a specialist.
 
Baja28

Baja28

Obama destroyed America
blacklabman said:
I'll try that! I'm reluctant to try too soon as I my computer is on that circuit and it is a b*tch to get it going again. Hard drive likes to run a lot on start-up. Yes, I know I need to take it to a specialist.
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You still haven't fixed this? :lol:

Wait, you said you ran an extension cord. Why would the computer be on the dead circuit? :confused:

Go flip the thing off then back on ad report back. Chop Chop!
 
blacklabman

blacklabman

Well-Known Member
Baja28 said:
You still haven't fixed this? :lol:

Wait, you said you ran an extension cord. Why would the computer be on the dead circuit? :confused:

Go flip the thing off then back on ad report back. Chop Chop!
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The breaker is in the hard-over position. Doesn't have a soft stop.

The extension cord is from a good circuit to the circuit with the "blown" breaker. That circuit has the computer, TV, and SiriusXM radio on it. I used a male-to-male adapter that I fashioned to use when on the generator. I plug into the outlet on the good circuit, use the adapter, and plug into an outlet on the blown circuit. Just in case, the suspect breaker is in the off position.

I haven't done anything yet as I try not to go to Lowe's on the weekend, except in dire emergency, which this not. Especially during the spring when half of St. Mary's county flocks there. I'll go Monday and also stop by Giant's to see if they have restocked Chincoteague oysters.
 
bcp

bcp

In My Opinion
blacklabman said:
The breaker is in the hard-over position. Doesn't have a soft stop.

The extension cord is from a good circuit to the circuit with the "blown" breaker. That circuit has the computer, TV, and SiriusXM radio on it. I used a male-to-male adapter that I fashioned to use when on the generator. I plug into the outlet on the good circuit, use the adapter, and plug into an outlet on the blown circuit. Just in case, the suspect breaker is in the off position.

I haven't done anything yet as I try not to go to Lowe's on the weekend, except in dire emergency, which this not. Especially during the spring when half of St. Mary's county flocks there. I'll go Monday and also stop by Giant's to see if they have restocked Chincoteague oysters.
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Never use oysters in place of circuit breakers.
 
Dutch6

Dutch6

"Fluffy world destroyer"
blacklabman said:
The breaker is in the hard-over position. Doesn't have a soft stop.

The extension cord is from a good circuit to the circuit with the "blown" breaker. That circuit has the computer, TV, and SiriusXM radio on it. I used a male-to-male adapter that I fashioned to use when on the generator. I plug into the outlet on the good circuit, use the adapter, and plug into an outlet on the blown circuit. Just in case, the suspect breaker is in the off position.

I haven't done anything yet as I try not to go to Lowe's on the weekend, except in dire emergency, which this not. Especially during the spring when half of St. Mary's county flocks there. I'll go Monday and also stop by Giant's to see if they have restocked Chincoteague oysters.
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There may be other reason this breaker opened. Usually it's because of a short. (WHICH CAN CAUSE FIRES!) I would not use that curcuit until I was sure what's causing this problem........
 
blacklabman

blacklabman

Well-Known Member
Dutch6 said:
There may be other reason this breaker opened. Usually it's because of a short. (WHICH CAN CAUSE FIRES!) I would not use that curcuit until I was sure what's causing this problem........
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Thanks for the concern, but I caused the short (don't ask).

BTW bcp, the sentence reads that I will "also" go by Giant.
 
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