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When the test button is pressed on a gfci outlet it sparks and trips two breakers in the main panel What could be the problem?
The test button should only trip the GFCI. The fact that it is tripping two breakers indicates that somehow both breakers are feeding your GFCI circuit. I have seen this when there was a wiring error and two circuits were joined in an outlet that was connected to a breaker and through the GFCI outlet. To troubleshoot determine which outlets are effected when both breakers are off. Pull outlet from box and if there are two feeds remove one from outlet and run a toner on wire left on outlet to panel and one off outlet to panel. The GFCI could block the toner so if one side of the outlet does not tone back to panel check at GFCI. There must be two paths to your electric panel for the two breakers to trip and the GFCI may be faulty as well. Another way to check is to have the GFCI reset and both breakers on. Check each outlet that you have identified as being on GFCI noting that they can be in different rooms. With all outlets working turn off one of the tripped breakers. See if any outlets so off. If not turn off the other breaker and turn on the first breaker. If power is still present then the outlets are being fed by both breakers.
Why do two separate breakers control the same outlets?
The only time 2 beakers are run to one outlet is if the outlet is 240V. The breakers should have handle-ties connected to them to ensure that both breakers trip in the event of an overload. Nope its not 240 either,cause it continues to other outlets the same way.and can plug 110 accesories into them. I have come accross this everywhere. In rooms without a ceiling light, one half of a duplex receptacle is a switched lighting circuit and the other is a always on receptacle.
Can you replace double pole with two single poles?
Yes, you can replace a double-pole circuit breaker with two single-pole circuit breakers if they are connected to separate circuits. It's important to ensure that both single-pole breakers have the appropriate ampacity and are properly installed according to electrical code.
What is an electric shared neutral?
An electric shared neutral is the white or negative wire that is shared between two electrical circuits on a basic single phase system. Most electrical devices use 120 volts and require a "hot" wire and a neutral wire to operate. Some larger devices use 240 volts and require two "hot" wires to operate. Two circuit breakers in an electrical panel can share one neutral wire as long as the breakers are not on the same "leg" of power. When looking at an electrical panel there are usually two "legs" of power feeding all the breakers, each leg has 120 Volts to ground, if the "legs" are combined you will have 240 Volts. A neutral wire can be shared by two circuits as long as the breakers are on separate "legs". If someone needed to add two circuits in their home, the could run what is called a 3-wire romex, It has a black wire, a red wire, a white wire and a ground wire. The white wire is the neutral for both the black and red 120 volt circuits, and the breakers for the new circuits would need to be on separate "legs" in the panel.
How are fuses and circut breakers alike and different?
Each senses current and opens when its design limitations are exceeded. They are both used to protect you. Fuse's are intergrated into the circuit, and will blow at a certain point ( for example; if too much current runs through it ) If a fuse blows it will shutdown the whole circuit, thus protecting you from the dangerous level of current.Circuit breakers work very similar. When they detect an excess amount of current they act as a switch and go to the OFF position and shutdown the circuit for your safety.For more information see related links below.Both stop conducting when there is an over-current condition. Their purpose is to prevent wires from overheating and possibly burning in an attempt to prevent damage from heat/fire.
Where are both parallel and series circuits used?
Parallel circuits are commonly used in homes for electrical outlets and lighting, as they allow each device to operate independently. Series circuits are used in applications like holiday lights and certain types of sensors where all components must pass the same current.
When the test button is pressed on a gfci outlet it sparks and trips two breakers in the main panel What could be the problem?
The test button should only trip the GFCI. The fact that it is tripping two breakers indicates that somehow both breakers are feeding your GFCI circuit. I have seen this when there was a wiring error and two circuits were joined in an outlet that was connected to a breaker and through the GFCI outlet. To troubleshoot determine which outlets are effected when both breakers are off. Pull outlet from box and if there are two feeds remove one from outlet and run a toner on wire left on outlet to panel and one off outlet to panel. The GFCI could block the toner so if one side of the outlet does not tone back to panel check at GFCI. There must be two paths to your electric panel for the two breakers to trip and the GFCI may be faulty as well. Another way to check is to have the GFCI reset and both breakers on. Check each outlet that you have identified as being on GFCI noting that they can be in different rooms. With all outlets working turn off one of the tripped breakers. See if any outlets so off. If not turn off the other breaker and turn on the first breaker. If power is still present then the outlets are being fed by both breakers.
Are the lights and outlets in this room connected to the same circuit?
To determine if the lights and outlets in a room are connected to the same circuit, you can check the circuit breaker panel. If the lights and outlets are on the same circuit, flipping the breaker for that circuit will turn off both the lights and outlets. If they are on separate circuits, turning off the breaker for the lights will only affect the lights, and the outlets will still have power.
Where can I purcahse the highest quality, lightweight running shoes?
It may be a little subjective in terms of what is meant by lightweight, but you can most likely find what you are looking for through most shoe outlets like Addidas or Nike. Both these outlets will have a complete line of running shoes for all people.
Is it a good idea to run two 20 amp circuits on their own 20 amp breakers but using only one 12 3 w gnd romex cable Only one white wire would be available for two different circuits?
Answer for USA, Canada and countries running a 60 Hz supply service.This is very common in commercial and industrial installations. You must be sure that your two breakers are fed from different phases or legs of your electrical service. Having both circuits fed from the same phase or leg might cause the neutral to melt and cause a fire without tripping any breakers.As always, if you are in doubt about what to do, the best advice anyone should give you is to call a licensed electrician to advise what work is needed.Before you do any work yourself,on electrical circuits, equipment or appliances,always use a test meter to ensure the circuit is, in fact, de-energized.IF YOU ARE NOT ALREADY SURE YOU CAN DO THIS JOBSAFELY AND COMPETENTLYREFER THIS WORK TO QUALIFIED PROFESSIONALS.
Is it possible to operate two 1300 W hairdryers on a 120 V circuit without blowing a fuse?
1300 watts on a 120 volt circuit is 10.8 amps. Since most circuits are built with 15 or 20 amp breakers, no. Rdrsh is correct. If both outlets you plan on using are on the same circuit and you have nothing else on, you might be able to run both at the same time for a short period of time if it is a 20 amp circuit. If it is a 15 amp circuit, no way will it work. However if you have a couple of 100 watt lights on then you will have a total of over 20 amps draw and it will trip the breaker. You need to have these of separate circuits.
Is the current in both circuits the same when they are connected in parallel?
Yes, the current in both circuits is the same when they are connected in parallel.
Why do two separate breakers control the same outlets?
The only time 2 beakers are run to one outlet is if the outlet is 240V. The breakers should have handle-ties connected to them to ensure that both breakers trip in the event of an overload. Nope its not 240 either,cause it continues to other outlets the same way.and can plug 110 accesories into them. I have come accross this everywhere. In rooms without a ceiling light, one half of a duplex receptacle is a switched lighting circuit and the other is a always on receptacle.
Can you replace double pole with two single poles?
Yes, you can replace a double-pole circuit breaker with two single-pole circuit breakers if they are connected to separate circuits. It's important to ensure that both single-pole breakers have the appropriate ampacity and are properly installed according to electrical code.
What is an electric shared neutral?
An electric shared neutral is the white or negative wire that is shared between two electrical circuits on a basic single phase system. Most electrical devices use 120 volts and require a "hot" wire and a neutral wire to operate. Some larger devices use 240 volts and require two "hot" wires to operate. Two circuit breakers in an electrical panel can share one neutral wire as long as the breakers are not on the same "leg" of power. When looking at an electrical panel there are usually two "legs" of power feeding all the breakers, each leg has 120 Volts to ground, if the "legs" are combined you will have 240 Volts. A neutral wire can be shared by two circuits as long as the breakers are on separate "legs". If someone needed to add two circuits in their home, the could run what is called a 3-wire romex, It has a black wire, a red wire, a white wire and a ground wire. The white wire is the neutral for both the black and red 120 volt circuits, and the breakers for the new circuits would need to be on separate "legs" in the panel.
How are fuses and circut breakers alike and different?
Each senses current and opens when its design limitations are exceeded. They are both used to protect you. Fuse's are intergrated into the circuit, and will blow at a certain point ( for example; if too much current runs through it ) If a fuse blows it will shutdown the whole circuit, thus protecting you from the dangerous level of current.Circuit breakers work very similar. When they detect an excess amount of current they act as a switch and go to the OFF position and shutdown the circuit for your safety.For more information see related links below.Both stop conducting when there is an over-current condition. Their purpose is to prevent wires from overheating and possibly burning in an attempt to prevent damage from heat/fire.
What are fuses and circuit breakers What are they for?
Fuses and circuit breakers are electrical safety devices that protect circuits from overcurrent and electrical fires. Fuses contain a thin wire that melts when current exceeds a safe level, interrupting the circuit. Circuit breakers use an electromechanical mechanism to trip and interrupt the current flow when an overcurrent is detected. Both components are crucial in preventing electrical hazards in homes and buildings.
