Homestep

Electrical

The breaker tripped

The breaker opened to stop an overload. Resetting it once, with the loads on that circuit off, is the test. Tripping again is a warning, not a dare.

  1. Turn off the heater, microwave, toaster, and anything else that was plugged into that circuit.
  2. At the panel, push the breaker fully to off, then to on. The middle position does not count as a reset.
  3. Turn the appliances on one at a time. If one of them trips the breaker alone, that appliance or its outlet is the fault.

Stop at once if you smell burning, if the panel is hot, if the breaker opens the moment you switch it on, or if the lights flicker with a crack. Do not replace the breaker with a higher amp rating. The wire in the wall was chosen for the old breaker.