Bad Circuit Breaker?

[jeb6294]

My wife said that about a week or so ago the breaker for our kitchen lights started tripping every night at exactly the same time. There is timer in place of the light switch for the lights outside the garage and the breaker just happens to coincide at the exact time the outside lights are kicked on. If I turn the outside lights off I can reset the breaker and everything is fine until the next night. I haven't been here for a while, but as far as I know nothing has changed and these lights have been operating the same way since we moved in. Could we just have a breaker that is worn out? Pretty easy to pop out the old one and replace it?

 

[Lumber Jim]

I'd recommend checking the connections in the light fixtures and switches (connections can loosen over time for some reason). You are probably right about the circuit breaker though. They aren't horribly expensive and easy to change out. Be sure to trip the main before you do any work unless you are confident in your abilities and the insulation on your pliers and screwdrivers or don't mind getting nailed by 120V.

So are you back home now?

 

[Freon]

I tend to agree with LJ above. Circuit breakers do wear out, but I'd check the connections at the light fixture first. Something may have made a nest in the box and it is causing a short.

 

[cdcengineer]

Jeb

One thing to consider: f you have screw base compact fluorescent light bulbs on the circuit on question, than this could be the problem. I've seen first-hand that some of the xfmr's on the newer cfl's will have trouble when controlled by a digital in-wall time switch. I haven;t bother trying to figure out why, but it can be a problem. Specifically, the Intermatic time switches have given me trouble.

 

[Lumber Jim]

Come to think of it, What would make a circuit breaker wear out if it very seldom trips?

 

[jeb6294]

I did find something I'm going to have to check out. There used to be a light out in the yard by the end of the driveway that I yanked out when I put in the invisible fence wire. I think it was wired up to the garage lights that are tripping the breaker. At some point it looks like the wire nuts I'd put on the wires left in the ground came off and it looks like there's a little blackness so I'm wondering if the mower may have knocked something loose at some point and created a short. Seems like that would make more sense than a breaker that just suddenly went bad.

 

[wilheldp_PE]

If that is indeed on the same circuit, you should be able to find out where it is tied into the lights on the house/garage. If you can locate the end closest to the house, it would be better to disconnect them and make the wires running to end of the driveway completely dead.

 

[Road Guy]

along the same line of questioning...

In my basement project, and this goes without saying, one of the only two things that I hired someone to do on the project was rough in electrical, and ive got one run of lights(can lights) that burn through bulbs faster than I can buy them.. they were originally on a dimmer switch, i changed that to a regular switch and I still have the same problem. iove experimented with different types of bulbs, no luck.. and these are not cheap bulbs, about $8/EA..

Im wondering if somewhere along the line a wire is nicked or something?? It doesnt trip the breaker it just burns out very fast ,like maybe 2 weeks max??

any thoughts???

 

[blybrook PE]

along the same line of questioning...

In my basement project, and this goes without saying, one of the only two things that I hired someone to do on the project was rough in electrical, and ive got one run of lights(can lights) that burn through bulbs faster than I can buy them.. they were originally on a dimmer switch, i changed that to a regular switch and I still have the same problem. iove experimented with different types of bulbs, no luck.. and these are not cheap bulbs, about $8/EA..

Im wondering if somewhere along the line a wire is nicked or something?? It doesnt trip the breaker it just burns out very fast ,like maybe 2 weeks max??

any thoughts???

I'd test your voltage going through the socket with a good multi-meter / voltage tester. The only time I've ever had bulbs burn out quickly is that they are getting too much voltage. Worth testing at the switch and at each of the cans.

 

[Flyer_PE]

along the same line of questioning...

In my basement project, and this goes without saying, one of the only two things that I hired someone to do on the project was rough in electrical, and ive got one run of lights(can lights) that burn through bulbs faster than I can buy them.. they were originally on a dimmer switch, i changed that to a regular switch and I still have the same problem. iove experimented with different types of bulbs, no luck.. and these are not cheap bulbs, about $8/EA..

Im wondering if somewhere along the line a wire is nicked or something?? It doesnt trip the breaker it just burns out very fast ,like maybe 2 weeks max??

any thoughts???

I'd test your voltage going through the socket with a good multi-meter / voltage tester. The only time I've ever had bulbs burn out quickly is that they are getting too much voltage. Worth testing at the switch and at each of the cans.

Over-voltage is my first thought also. The only other thing I can think of is if the bulbs are designed for open air and are getting too hot in the cans.

 

[Road Guy]

what makes them get to much voltage? dimmer switches? or am I buying the wrong bulb.. My first set of bulbs did last the longest (6 months) but there the kind that are supposed to last 7 years...

ive got a meter from a recent science project my kid did (can a potato turn on a light bulb) Ill check that this weekend

 

[blybrook PE]

I've seen over voltage when things get wired up wrong and you have two separate hots going to the same circuit. This is rare, but can happen if the electrician is using a -4 wire with a shared neutral instead of two separate -3 runs.

I've only heard of can lights overheating once when I was doing electrical years ago; it was due to the fact that the bulbs were not "can light" bulbs; but if you've been purchasing the same model bulb since the git-go, you shouldn't be having that issue.

 

[Road Guy]

Well ****... Let me check....

 

[Lumber Jim]

We have a dimmer switch and can lights with two other switches to control on and off. I'm pretty sure that my bother used two separate runs of three wire but I'm not for sure. Anway, while enjoying a CAB and watching my brother work, I could see how even a good electritician could get this wiring setup wrong. I've never had any trouble with mine but I think Bly is on to something here...

 

[Road Guy]

I spent some time at Home Depot and I think I was just buying regular flood lights that were not dimmer friendly .

 

[blybrook PE]

I've seen over voltage when things get wired up wrong and you have two separate hots going to the same circuit. This is rare, but can happen if the electrician is using a -4 wire with a shared neutral instead of two separate -3 runs.

I've only heard of can lights overheating once when I was doing electrical years ago; it was due to the fact that the bulbs were not "can light" bulbs; but if you've been purchasing the same model bulb since the git-go, you shouldn't be having that issue.

I need to make a correction to the above as I made a mistake on the wiring call out (it's been 10 years since I was doing electrical full time). Typical home wiring is -2, three way switches use -3 and 4 ways can use a run of -3 & one of -2 or one run of -4 (harder to find). The background issue is still possible, where the power to the circuit is pulled off two breakers instead of one; causing the increased power to the circuit.