Why Does a Fuse Blow or Circuit Breaker Trip?
Overload Circuit breakers trip and fuses blow all the time. The cause of the problem, however, can vary. One of the main issues is an overload in the wiring. Wiring in homes is set up in sections. One fuse or breaker might be for one appliance that drawls a lot of power, such as a furnace, or it might be for all the wall plugs in one area of the house. It all depends on how much power would be needed for certain items. In the case of an overload, more power is being requested than a certain section can handle. One way this happens is when someone over uses wall outlets by using split plugs and extension cords to plug more things in one outlet than normal. Running a bunch of things all at once can draw too much power. The circuit cannot handle the extra pull, so the fuse will blow or the breaker will trip. Short Circuit A short circuit can also cause a trip or blown fuse. It is not as common and is harder to discern. It happens when wiring touches wiring. This, of course, should not hap
