15 Amp breaker keeps tripping

[maejoicer]

Ok guys, I have an electrical gremlin.... A 15 Amp breaker has started randomly tripping for no apparent reason. In the panel it is labeled, inverter, frig, utility #2 B.

The only new thing I have added is a wifi booster and it was fine for about 5 hours and then the breaker tripped.....makes no sense at all. So I tried moving it to the pop-up plug on the Island and that seemed to worked for a while and then about 3-4 hrs later the breaker tripped again. I reset it and all was well until this morning, when I plugged in my toaster...immediate trip

So, again I moved the toaster to the Island plug and no problem.

Has anyone one else had this type of issue, suggestions welcome.

[RogerR]

I would double check that the load is not to much for the breaker. Is it hot when it trips? If you can, look and see how many wires are connected to it (should be only one, but you know Jayco). Check if tight.
These are inexpensive household type breakers and they can fail. If you can't find any other cause then replace it with a new one or swap it to another slot. If you swap it and it still blows then it has just gone bad.
But my first suspicion is there is more load than you think. An electric heater and a toaster will pop 15 amp breakers.

[Vicr]

Put an ammeter on the wire at the breaker and tell us what the load is.

[maejoicer]

Originally Posted by RogerR

I would double check that the load is not to much for the breaker. Is it hot when it trips? If you can, look and see how many wires are connected to it (should be only one, but you know Jayco). Check if tight.
These are inexpensive household type breakers and they can fail. If you can't find any other cause then replace it with a new one or swap it to another slot. If you swap it and it still blows then it has just gone bad.
But my first suspicion is there is more load than you think. An electric heater and a toaster will pop 15 amp breakers.

Thank you, I will check those. When the breaker does trip it takes out the TV; Frig and at least three different plug-ins. I am also wondering if it when it was originally wired that they didn't allow enough amperage?

[Vicr]

The stuff on that circuit isn't enough to trip a 15a breaker. something else is going on or it's a bad breaker. Without knowing the actual load on the breaker we can't continue to troubleshoot.

[maejoicer]

Originally Posted by Vicr

The stuff on that circuit isn't enough to trip a 15a breaker. something else is going on or it's a bad breaker. Without knowing the actual load on the breaker we can't continue to troubleshoot.

Thank you...I had to go borrow an amp meter from my neighbor....will get back shortly with the readings

[maejoicer]

Originally Posted by Vicr

The stuff on that circuit isn't enough to trip a 15a breaker. something else is going on or it's a bad breaker. Without knowing the actual load on the breaker we can't continue to troubleshoot.

ok, it reading 12.5 and there is only one wire

[Vicr]

Wow, that's high! have some one turn off each item on that circuit and record what the amperage drops to for each appliance. It's a slow process troubleshooting but worth it. How close to Snohomish are you? I've been an electrician for 36 years.

[maejoicer]

Originally Posted by Vicr

Wow, that's high! have some one turn off each item on that circuit and record what the amperage drops to for each appliance. It's a slow process troubleshooting but worth it. How close to Snohomish are you? I've been an electrician for 36 years.

Ok, I will get back to you after we try and narrow it down . I wish we were closer, but we are in the Vancouver, WA area....