While circuit breakers are rarely an issue in a new home, it’s a common problem in an older residence. Between old wiring having aged and dried out a bit to new demands on wiring never designed to carry such loads, old circuit breakers can take a beating. And they don’t always hold up.
However, bad circuit breakers don’t just pop a little red flag that says “fix me.” Instead, they operate intermittently, sometimes fail entirely, or they keep going and then become a fire hazard. It’s a mix. The key is in knowing how to diagnose the problem and replace faulty equipment when possible before it becomes a big issue or worse.
Why is a Circuit Breaker Important?
A home’s power grid and wiring runs a fuse box for both safety as well as controlling the power load into the home. If that wasn’t done, the draw and variability of the electricity translating from the city grid to the home could create problems, risks and even a home fire.
To manage this transition, the fuse box provides a mechanical safety buffer. However, that’s not always a perfect system. Variations in load can happen in different sections of the house. So, where there is a problem, line connections in the fuse box are vulnerable to an immediate cut-off with a circuit breaker.
The circuit breaker operates with a very old electrical principal where too much load triggers the circuit to pop. This keeps the wire from overloading, which can cause a fire or damaged equipment connected.
What to Look For With Bad Breakers
The symptoms of a bad circuit breaker can be multiple. They don’t all act alike. However, there is enough similar results that the symptoms can be put in categories to watch out for.
The foremost problem that appears with bad circuits tends to be overloading. The original circuit breakers installed were put in with the expectation of lamps, heating blankets, fish tanks and maybe televisions. They didn’t expect microwaves, heavy computer use, stereo systems and large entertainment consoles.
No surprise, the far heavier load puts a draw on the wiring that ends up popping the circuit breaker again and again. That repeated failure and cut off ends up being a tell-tale sign of a circuit breaker that can’t handle what’s going on.
Secondly, flickering and temporary brief power failures can be a sign of a breaker going bad. The load isn’t enough to pop the breaker, but it’s clear the system can’t handle the circuit load. Lights are the giveaway. Their flickering when the circuit is struggling is a definite sign something is not right and the circuit needs to be looked at for upgrading.
Signs of overheating along the circuit are a big warning sign that something is wrong. This essentially means the safety aspect of the circuit breaker is failing, and high power loads are getting through. That high load comes across with warm or hot equipment to the touch, as well as a slight smell of something chemical heating up and maybe even burning. That usually comes from the wiring insulating getting so hot, it’s starting to melt.
Physically damaged breakers have an odd possibility where they can continue to pass through a charge but they no longer work for safety protection. That’s a real concern and safety risk. Where these kinds of breakers are found, they should be replaced right away.
Definitely Call for Professional Help
With any kind of circuit breaker issue, an electrician should be brought in for the repair. Live wires and power feeds from a house’s grid can be powerful enough to electrocute, so safety is a priority. Don’t make the mistake of assuming the wiring is a simple plug and play type of assembly, especially with older wiring. Call for help and stop worrying about your home grid turning against you.