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Thread: Home power circuit keeps blowing.

  1. #1
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    Default Home power circuit keeps blowing.

    Not sure if this is the correct place but i'll rant on regardless.
    We have 2 power circuits in our house and one of them is constantly tripping the fuse when overloaded, now by overloaded i mean the following units are operating - pc, dryer, washing machine , ducted heating and maybe one other random unit being either a wall mounted fan heater, a blow dryer ,another pc or in summer our pool filter or evap cooling.
    Not really what i call overloaded but its driving us mad none the less, i would like to get idea's what the cause is before i fork out for a sparky (last resort) to investigate .



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    Senior Member satboy's Avatar
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    You need to be a little more specific, it does sound like its overloading but can you tell me:
    1/ do you have fuses or circuit breakers and if there circuit breakers are they safety switches
    2/ what amperage are they, should be 16amp if it's a power circuit

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    Quote Originally Posted by satboy View Post
    You need to be a little more specific, it does sound like its overloading but can you tell me:
    1/ do you have fuses or circuit breakers and if there circuit breakers are they safety switches
    2/ what amperage are they, should be 16amp if it's a power circuit
    Its the old style meter box with ceramic fuse holders that i replaced with the plugin breakers, yes 16amp and if we have 4 units of my list operating it trips frequently. I also forgot that on the same circuit there are 2 x small freezers .

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    It definitely sounds like you are overloading the curcuit, you really need someone to check and see how much current your drawing with all the ampliances you mentioned plugged in.
    We're abouts are you located?

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    if its the old ceramic fuse holders then i would assume that it is also the existing wires

    if so then id be getting a sparky to install a new circuit
    dont say linux if i wanted it id install it

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    Quote Originally Posted by satboy View Post
    It definitely sounds like you are overloading the curcuit, you really need someone to check and see how much current your drawing with all the ampliances you mentioned plugged in.
    We're abouts are you located?
    Melbourne NE, 3088.

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    I thought as much and really need some extra wiring done at the same time, gotta save up before i get raped .

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    Maybe the freezers need defrosting?

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    You have several high-current draw devices in your list.

    Particularly anything that heats is going to draw substantial current and from looking at your list, I'd be fairly certain you are exceeding 16 amps.

    Depending on size, pumps and motors can draw a bit too.

    It all adds up.

    I'd say another circuit or two would be recommended.

    Hopefully you don't need a second or third phase to cope with the required load.

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    Maybe I misunderstood the OP.
    Has the tripping been happening for quite some time and you are finally getting sick of it or has it only just started happening.
    If it is the latter and you haven't recently added any new appliances to the list I'd suggest to check the freezers. The elements can freeze over making them trip (have had it several times happen here in our household).
    But nevertheless with all that on only 2 circuits, you are definitely overloading the circuits like the others suggested here.

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    Although I think like the others you have big load on those fuses, one thing is how well ventilated are the circuit breakers as where I worked years ago, the distribution panel with the circuit breakers was mounted up in one corner of the room and with the heater going, the circuit would 'Pop' with an electric kettle running.
    As soon as the kettle came to the boil, the circuit popped out but only in winter.
    All the heat in the room migrated to that part and you could feel how warm it was when you reset the switch.
    The wiring was way out of date which didn't help either.
    I stand unequivicably behind everything I say , I just dont ever remember saying it !!

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    Quote Originally Posted by weirdo View Post
    Maybe I misunderstood the OP.
    Has the tripping been happening for quite some time and you are finally getting sick of it or has it only just started happening.
    If it is the latter and you haven't recently added any new appliances to the list I'd suggest to check the freezers. The elements can freeze over making them trip (have had it several times happen here in our household).
    But nevertheless with all that on only 2 circuits, you are definitely overloading the circuits like the others suggested here.
    Yes been happening for a while but i think it got worse when we had the vap fitted and instead of using the dedicated circuit that was for the old aircon they wired it to one the one with the most load already.
    Obviously not all those appliances are used at the same time but quite often we might have the w/m, dryer, heating and pc on then anything else trips the breaker.
    House was built in 1982 so not ancient but then the modern demands on power have outgrown the wiring.

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