Troubleshooting your Breaker Tripping
Why Does My Breaker Keep Tripping?
If you’ve found yourself constantly walking to your switchboard to reset a tripped breaker, you’re not alone. It’s one of the most common electrical issues homeowners and businesses face—and it’s also a sign that something’s not quite right.
So why does it happen? And what should you do?
What Is a Circuit Breaker?
A circuit breaker is a safety device designed to protect your home or building from electrical faults. If the current flowing through a circuit becomes too high, the breaker “trips” and cuts the power to prevent overheating, fires or damage to appliances.
Common Reasons Your Breaker Might Trip
Overloaded Circuit
This happens when too many appliances or devices are running on the same circuit. For example, if you’ve got the heater, toaster and kettle running at once in the kitchen, it might be too much for that one line to handle.Short Circuit
A short circuit occurs when a live wire touches a neutral or ground wire. This causes a sudden surge of electricity and is a more serious fault that requires immediate attention.Faulty Appliance
Sometimes a single appliance can cause the trip. If the breaker only trips when a certain device is plugged in or turned on, that’s your likely culprit.Earth Leakage (Safety Switch Tripping)
If your safety switch is the one tripping, it could be detecting current leakage to earth—this often indicates a faulty appliance or wiring.
What Should You Do?
Unplug everything from the affected circuit and see if the breaker resets.
Plug in appliances one at a time to help identify if one is causing the issue.
Avoid overloading powerboards or circuits.
If it keeps tripping, don’t ignore it—there could be a wiring fault or something more serious behind the scenes.
When to Call an Electrician
If your breaker keeps tripping and you can’t isolate the cause, it’s time to call a licensed electrician. Repeated trips can signal a deeper issue that shouldn’t be left unchecked. At Bright Sparks, we’ll inspect the circuit, identify the fault and get everything back up and running safely.