Circuit Breaker Keeps Tripping — What's Causing It

A breaker that trips once is doing its job. A breaker that keeps tripping is telling you something’s wrong. Let’s figure out what.

Three Reasons Breakers Trip

1. Overloaded Circuit (Most Common)

Too many devices drawing too much power on one circuit. The breaker trips to prevent overheating.

Signs:

• Trips when you turn on specific appliances
• Running hair dryer + space heater = trip
• Multiple high-draw devices on same circuit

The Fix:

• Unplug some devices
• Spread loads across different circuits
• Don’t use high-draw items on the same circuit

Long-term: An electrician can add dedicated circuits for high-draw appliances.

2. Short Circuit (More Serious)

A hot wire touching neutral or ground creates a sudden surge. This is dangerous.

Signs:

• Trips immediately when turning something on
• Trips even with nothing plugged in
• Burning smell or visible scorch marks
• Often related to a specific outlet or device

The Fix:

1. Unplug everything on that circuit
2. Reset the breaker
3. If it holds, plug things back in one at a time
4. The device that causes the trip has the short (or is causing one)

If it trips with nothing plugged in, the short is in the wiring itself — call an electrician.

3. Ground Fault

Current escaping to ground through an unintended path. GFCIs are designed to catch these.

Signs:

• Happens near water (bathroom, kitchen, outdoor)
• GFCI outlets trip along with the breaker
• Happens in wet conditions

The Fix: A ground fault in wiring needs professional diagnosis. Could be moisture, damaged wire insulation, or a faulty device.

How to Diagnose

1. Note which breaker trips — label your panel if you haven’t
2. Unplug everything on that circuit
3. Reset the breaker — firmly flip to OFF, then ON
4. If it holds: Plug things back one at a time until it trips. That device is the problem.
5. If it trips immediately with nothing plugged in: The problem is in the wiring. Call an electrician.

When to Call an Electrician

• Breaker trips with nothing plugged in
• You smell burning or see damage
• Breaker is hot to the touch
• Same breaker trips repeatedly despite reducing load
• Old wiring (pre-1970s)
• You’ve identified a short circuit

Cost: $100-400 for diagnosis and repair.

When to Replace the Breaker

Breakers can wear out and trip too easily. An electrician can test this and replace if needed (~$75-150 per breaker).

The Bottom Line

Occasional trips from overloading are normal — just spread out your load. Repeated trips, immediate trips, or trips with nothing running mean something’s wrong with the wiring or breaker itself. Don’t ignore repeated trips — they’re a warning sign.