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Robert C.
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Bad Arc-fault breaker?
08/07/14 at 12:03pm
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I have an arc-fault breaker that's tripped at the panel I cannot get to reset.  I've unplugged everything from the circuit yet stil can't get it to reset.  I know breakers can fail over time but that seems to be rare.  The breaker in question had not been giving me any problems in the past.

Any thoughts - that won't kill me?
  
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santana
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Re: Bad Arc-fault breaker?
Reply #1 - 08/07/14 at 12:46pm
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First determine what outlets are protected by this breaker and work your way back to the panel. This type of breaker is only supposed to trip when a large amount of arcing is detected. Could be something as simple as a lamp short out or a squirrel having a snack in your attic. 

Here is a decent check list of what may be going on. 

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Re: Bad Arc-fault breaker?
Reply #2 - 08/07/14 at 12:56pm
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Follow Santana's advice.  The same thing happened to me about 6 months ago.  One of the wires in the attic came in contact with a nail and that's what was preventing the breaker from resetting.  Only took a few hours for me to figure that out.
  
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KomodoDragin
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Re: Bad Arc-fault breaker?
Reply #3 - 08/07/14 at 1:31pm
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I would start by unplugging everything in the circuit. If there are any lights or fans on the circuit make sure they are switched off. Once this is done, try resetting the breaker. If it stays on then you know it was one of the devices that were plugged in. Plug them in one at a time to see which one causes the trip. 

If the breaker will not reset after all loads have been removed then it is something in the house wiring such as what has been mentioned here like a pinched wire or something of this nature. 

*If you are not somewhat trained in residential wiring you may want to call an electrician! The voltage in a residence is 120/240 volts (depending on the circuit) which in the right conditions is plenty to cause serious injury or death.   

Arc faults are pretty sensitive little creatures. Unlike regular breakers that only trip if there is a short between hot->neutral or hot->ground, arc faults will also trip if there is a short between neutral->ground. 

Basically one of three things is happening:
1. A hot (black or red) conductor is touching a neutral (white) conductor. 
2. A hot (black or red) conductor is touching a ground (bare or green) conductor. 
3. A neutral (white) conductor is touching a ground (bare or green) conductor.
  
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Robert C.
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Re: Bad Arc-fault breaker?
Reply #4 - 08/07/14 at 2:35pm
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Great info, particularly the link from Santana.   I suspect, based upon all I have read this May be a nail vs. wire issue.  Would make sense as we've hung a bunch of pictures over the past few days.   

So, do I look for the one with sparks flying off of it?   Huh
  
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Robert C.
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Re: Bad Arc-fault breaker?
Reply #5 - 08/07/14 at 3:38pm
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Figured it out.  Bad ceiling fan...that goes up to our attic
  
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Re: Bad Arc-fault breaker?
Reply #6 - 08/07/14 at 3:38pm
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If you can follow the circuit from fixture to fixture.  Start at the closest one and unhook the leg going to the next. turn the power back on and see if it trips.  If it doesn't, turn the power back off, hook the next leg back up and go the next fixture and do the same.  You should be able to at least find the bad leg that way.

  
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Robert C.
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Re: Bad Arc-fault breaker?
Reply #7 - 08/07/14 at 4:05pm
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Robert C. wrote on 08/07/14 at 3:38pm:
Figured it out.  Bad ceiling fan...that goes up to our attic


Actually now any lightswitch I throw in this bedroom or the adjoining rooms will cause a trip
  
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Re: Bad Arc-fault breaker?
Reply #8 - 08/07/14 at 6:04pm
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Cesar is great, I couldn't give him a high recommendation.  He did a complete rewire of my 80 year old house.  Great price and very easy to work with.

-Eric Anderson
  
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SCOTT_T
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Re: Bad Arc-fault breaker?
Reply #9 - 08/07/14 at 9:13pm
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UN PLUG THE TANNING BED.
  
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SCOTT_T
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Re: Bad Arc-fault breaker?
Reply #10 - 08/07/14 at 9:15pm
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STANDING IN BUCKET OF WATER....................zzziizzzzzzzz
  
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santana
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Re: Bad Arc-fault breaker?
Reply #11 - 08/08/14 at 12:51am
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Actually you would be fine standing in a bucket of water as long as it was a plastic bucket and both feet in. 

ciao
Santana
  
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Robert C.
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Re: Bad Arc-fault breaker?
Reply #12 - 08/08/14 at 2:32am
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SCOTT_T wrote on 08/07/14 at 9:13pm:
UN PLUG THE TANNING BED.


It has a dedicated circuit.
« Last Edit: 08/08/14 at 2:33am by Robert C. »  
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Re: Bad Arc-fault breaker?
Reply #13 - 08/09/14 at 4:03am
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Ceiling Fans are always hell on arc fault breakers. I had trouble with ours tripping as well due to a ceiling fan.

  
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rob wrote on 05/01/12 at 6:01pm:
Shearing the shaft member after a hard ride is acceptable in my book.
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