Building wiring circuit keeps tripping breaker.

[mrmarcdee]

Not sure if this fits in exactly with the theme of this forum, but this is where I already have an account, so I'm hoping it'll work out.

At my workplace we have two bathrooms on the same circuit. This circuit breaker keeps getting tripped a lot recently. Each bathroom has one overhead light, one bathroom exhaust fan, one Xcelerator hand drier, and a fan-forced wall mounted heater. I replaced the heater in one bathroom approximately a year ago, and I replaced the heater in the second bathroom a few months ago. The tripping started after replacing the second heater, which I noticed was rated at a higher voltage (and presumably amperage, but not sure). It is a 20 amp breaker switch. Both heaters are the same and they say 120 volt and 12.6,9.4,6.3,3.1 amps (1500,1125,750,375 watts). I assume the different amperage ratings are for the different settings on the heater, it has a knob that goes up to 6.

Of course easy math shows that two 12.6 amp heaters are more than the 20 amp breaker. I tried purposely tripping the breaker as a test, by turning both heaters to max, both lights and fans on, and triggering both hand driers at once, but everything stayed on during that test.

That's about all I know. So I'm just looking for some advice on how I could fix this.

Thanks,
Marc

 

[davenn]

hi Marc

Tho you may get reasonable info on something like that on a forum
it would be very difficult to give quality info due to not being onsite to see and test the actual fault

This really requires you to employ a qualified electrician to sort out something like this


cheers
Dave

 

[BobK]

Put in another circuit.

Bob

 

[Arouse1973]

Not sure if this fits in exactly with the theme of this forum, but this is where I already have an account, so I'm hoping it'll work out.

At my workplace we have two bathrooms on the same circuit. This circuit breaker keeps getting tripped a lot recently. Each bathroom has one overhead light, one bathroom exhaust fan, one Xcelerator hand drier, and a fan-forced wall mounted heater. I replaced the heater in one bathroom approximately a year ago, and I replaced the heater in the second bathroom a few months ago. The tripping started after replacing the second heater, which I noticed was rated at a higher voltage (and presumably amperage, but not sure). It is a 20 amp breaker switch. Both heaters are the same and they say 120 volt and 12.6,9.4,6.3,3.1 amps (1500,1125,750,375 watts). I assume the different amperage ratings are for the different settings on the heater, it has a knob that goes up to 6.

Of course easy math shows that two 12.6 amp heaters are more than the 20 amp breaker. I tried purposely tripping the breaker as a test, by turning both heaters to max, both lights and fans on, and triggering both hand driers at once, but everything stayed on during that test.

That's about all I know. So I'm just looking for some advice on how I could fix this.

Thanks,
Marc

Is the breaker an RCD type Marc?
Adam

 

[Externet]

Disconnect/disable any item that was in use at the moment of breaker tripping; preferable the suspect new hand dryer to confirm if the behavior persists or not.
If power disruption persists, That dryer circuit can be assumed healthy.

Move the wiring in the breaker box to another equal-rating breaker and evaluate for a while.

 

[Tha fios agaibh]

Bob's right, your circuits are overloaded.
Even two 20a breakers is probably not enough.
Hire an electrician to make it right. (Gfci protection and applicable codes.)

 

[davenn]

Bob's right, your circuits are overloaded.
Even two 20a breakers is probably not enough.
Hire an electrician to make it right. (Gfci protection and applicable codes.)

which is what I suggested a number of posts ago
for everyone's safety, this thread is closed