A breaker that trips now and then is annoying; one that trips every time is telling you something. The one rule: reset it exactly once. If it trips again, leave it off and call (561) 786-1337.
What to Try First
- Unplug everything on that circuit — space heaters, hair dryers, and portable ACs are the usual culprits.
- Reset the breaker once: flip it fully OFF, then firmly ON.
- Plug things back in one at a time — if it trips when you add one device, that device is the problem.
- Trips with nothing plugged in? The fault is in the wiring, the breaker, or a hardwired device — call us.
Overload vs. Short Circuit vs. Bad Breaker
An overloaded circuit carries more than it's rated for — a kitchen running a microwave, toaster, and coffee maker at once is the classic example. A short circuit trips instantly, often with a spark or pop; that's wiring damage and needs an electrician.
A worn-out breaker trips at loads it used to handle. AFCI or GFCI breakers can trip from nuisance causes — but never assume a trip is just nuisance until a professional rules out the real thing.
When the AC Trips the Breaker
If the breaker trips the moment the AC starts, the usual causes are a failing start capacitor, a compressor drawing too much current, or a short in the condenser wiring.
Don't keep resetting it — repeated starts against a fault can kill a compressor. We handle both the AC and electrical sides: diagnose, price in writing, then fix.
What an Electrician Does About It
We test the circuit's actual load, inspect the breaker, and check the wiring for damage. The fix might be redistributing devices across circuits, a dedicated circuit for the hungry appliance, or a breaker replacement.
Either way, you'll know the cause and the price before we start.
Common questions
Can I just replace the breaker with a bigger one?
Absolutely not — breaker size is matched to the wire in the wall, and a bigger breaker on undersized wire is a fire hazard. The answer is a dedicated circuit.
The breaker trips but nothing is plugged in. What does that mean?
The fault is in the wiring, a hardwired device, or the breaker itself. Leave it off and call an electrician — guessing here is dangerous.
How do I know which outlets are on the tripping circuit?
Turn the breaker off and see what loses power, and write it down — it saves diagnostic time. Flip the labeled breaker only; never open the panel.
Is a tripping AFCI breaker a false alarm?
Sometimes AFCIs trip on harmless arcs, but you can't tell a nuisance trip from a real one by looking. Have it checked once — if the wiring is sound, we can discuss options.
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(561) 786-1337