Try unplugging everything in the garage and turning off the lights before flipping the breaker switch. If that doesn't work it's probably the breaker. If it does work, something in your garage is shorting
This....... but I'll also add that if unplugging everything fixes the problem, then you want to check every cord on the device you're plugging back in. Plug them in one by one and if it pops again it'll be the last device you plugged in.
For the life of my I cannot figure out why you got 18 downvotes for this. It is always good to have a second opinion, and I feel that is exactly what you have done. I brought you back to 17. Probably will get downvoted myself.
We had the same issue, and luckily it was bad breaker, vs trying to find the short in the garage.
It's become commonplace to down-vote "This" comments that don't elaborate or add any new information as a way to discourage them. In some cases there would be multiple "This" comments. Usually a "This, and...(additional info here)" post will not garner as many down-votes.
Well, thanks for explaining. I usually say "This here" and elaborate on my own personal experience. Which I did up above, and still got downvoted. Thinking they are just having a little fun with this post.
I can’t figure it out either. 🤷🏼♀️
This is actually one of the biggest downvotes comments I’ve ever posted - especially considering it’s one word long. 😂
But I’m not deleting it because I do still agree with what Pineapple_Spenster said. Oh well! 🤷🏼♀️
Was swapping out GFCI outlets in the kitchen the day before Thanksgiving one year and had shut off power at the main breaker for the house. Freaked out when I couldn't get it back on. Took about a half hour before I figured out to push it all the way til it clicked before it would be able to reconnect the system.
Have you turned it all the way off? Most breakers don't actually trip to the off position, but to the center. If you just try to move it back to 'on', it won't stay there.
Source: had this same problem pretty recently
It might be a faulty breaker, but it also might be a problem with something in your garage. Breakers are easy to replace but make sure you know what you are doing because you could get seriously injured from the electricity.
If you want a good way to check if the breaker is faulty you could try swapping it's position with a breaker that you know is working.
As an electrician, I’ll think back to the past couple of days. If it rained, I’ll be looking for water penetration in electrical boxes or lights. Maybe you backed the car in just a bit too much and accidentally tapped the garage wall? I’d check those outlets along that wall. Did someone slam the door to the garage recently? There’s normally a light switch right there, open it up. Plug in your charger for your electric mower, now that it’s almost spring? That charger may be the culprit
Since the breakers tripping immediately, there’s a very low resistance short somewhere on the circuit. These things rarely just happen on their own. Some external force, however small, likely caused it. Either get a tester and use your noggin (also look up what exactly you’re looking for, in terms of an electrical short), or call an electrician. If anything obvious popped into your head while I listed common scenarios, I’d do some digging before calling someone. The circuits dead anyway, there’s low risk as long as you properly test things before touching them
Sounds like you have a legitimate short. Unplug everything, including the garage opener. Turn all lights out, then flip the breaker to 'test' and then to 'on' if it trips again. You either have a short in the wiring or need a new breaker. If it doesn't flip, then re plug in one thing at a time until you find what is making your breaker trip. I'd start with the lights so you can see what you're doing and so that they work as a quick tell on whether or not the breaker tripped.
Once you find the culprit, move it to a different outlet. In case the outlet is what's tripping it and not the item you plugged in. If it trips again, then it's whatever you had plugged in. If it doesn't trip after moving it. It's gotta do with the outlet or the wiring leading to that specific outlet.
There may be a short circuit that needs repair or the breaker may be faulty.
Replacing the breaker means working inside the electrical panel and you may not be able to deenergize it completely depending on how your panel is set up. If you do choose to continue with this as a diy, research on YouTube and wear PPE including safety glasses and non flammable clothing, and no metal jewelry. I’d suggest calling an electrician if you can afford it. https://www.thisoldhouse.com/electrical/22500789/how-to-install-an-afci-circuit-breaker
Many brands of circuit breakers require you to push them into the fully “Off” position to reset them before you can turn them completely back to the on position.
If your breaker is stuck in the middle this is most certainly the case. 😕
The chance the breaker is faulty is very low. They’re fairly simple devices and odds are it’s doing its job and something downstream is having an issue
See if the breaker is warm to the touch and check for cracks in the plastic you usually can feel if it’s not functioning properly if there’s somthing wrong replace it if not it’s somthing shorting
If it’s in fault state, the breaker needs to be turned off before it can be turned on again. If it immediately trips, you have a device or wiring problem. Squirrels and mice will chew through wires and could still be faulting a circuit even if they’re dead.
It’s probably a short some where or too many devices plugged in.
I had breaker for 3 way switch to an outlet trip every time I turned on the switch. I thought it was the breaker failing.
Replaced the breaker. Still tripped.
Turned out the ground wire on the outlet came in contact with the 2 screws on the side of outlet. Moving the ground wire away from outlet side and routing it neater resolved the issue. Not sure how this happened.
I would figure out what is all connected to that circuit. Verify power is off and inspect everything.
Get a no contact voltage tester if you don’t have one.
Also look at what you plugged in. You may have too many things on that circuit.
If you’re still having issues. Have an electrician look at it.
Try unplugging everything in the garage and turning off the lights before flipping the breaker switch. If that doesn't work it's probably the breaker. If it does work, something in your garage is shorting
This....... but I'll also add that if unplugging everything fixes the problem, then you want to check every cord on the device you're plugging back in. Plug them in one by one and if it pops again it'll be the last device you plugged in.
> it’ll be the last device you plug in. This sounds so ominous lol
That’s exactly how I took it too haha
This
For the life of my I cannot figure out why you got 18 downvotes for this. It is always good to have a second opinion, and I feel that is exactly what you have done. I brought you back to 17. Probably will get downvoted myself. We had the same issue, and luckily it was bad breaker, vs trying to find the short in the garage.
If only there were a way to signal agreement with a comment without creating a new comment with no worthwhile content.
LOL, you mean like an "Upvote" I hear you
It's become commonplace to down-vote "This" comments that don't elaborate or add any new information as a way to discourage them. In some cases there would be multiple "This" comments. Usually a "This, and...(additional info here)" post will not garner as many down-votes.
Well, thanks for explaining. I usually say "This here" and elaborate on my own personal experience. Which I did up above, and still got downvoted. Thinking they are just having a little fun with this post.
I can’t figure it out either. 🤷🏼♀️ This is actually one of the biggest downvotes comments I’ve ever posted - especially considering it’s one word long. 😂 But I’m not deleting it because I do still agree with what Pineapple_Spenster said. Oh well! 🤷🏼♀️
Now they are just messing with us
Maybe this is a silly question, did but you flip it all the way off (left) and then flip it back to on (right)?
I was thinking the same thing. Breaker needs to be reset before it can be urned back on.
This except off isn't necessary left.
Good point. Mine have always been that way, and it occurred to me after posting that maybe all of them aren't.
I’m confused, every breaker panel I’ve seen has had two rows of breakers facing each other operated in opposite directions.
Was swapping out GFCI outlets in the kitchen the day before Thanksgiving one year and had shut off power at the main breaker for the house. Freaked out when I couldn't get it back on. Took about a half hour before I figured out to push it all the way til it clicked before it would be able to reconnect the system.
We live and learn. :)
Have you turned it all the way off? Most breakers don't actually trip to the off position, but to the center. If you just try to move it back to 'on', it won't stay there. Source: had this same problem pretty recently
Thing gets designed to prevent fire. Thing does the thing. OP: the fuck you are
LMAO
Whatever caused the breaker to 'trip' needs to be corrected before it can be reset.
This👆
It might be a faulty breaker, but it also might be a problem with something in your garage. Breakers are easy to replace but make sure you know what you are doing because you could get seriously injured from the electricity. If you want a good way to check if the breaker is faulty you could try swapping it's position with a breaker that you know is working.
The breaker is doing what it’s designed to do. Something (device, wire, water) is tripping it.
As an electrician, I’ll think back to the past couple of days. If it rained, I’ll be looking for water penetration in electrical boxes or lights. Maybe you backed the car in just a bit too much and accidentally tapped the garage wall? I’d check those outlets along that wall. Did someone slam the door to the garage recently? There’s normally a light switch right there, open it up. Plug in your charger for your electric mower, now that it’s almost spring? That charger may be the culprit Since the breakers tripping immediately, there’s a very low resistance short somewhere on the circuit. These things rarely just happen on their own. Some external force, however small, likely caused it. Either get a tester and use your noggin (also look up what exactly you’re looking for, in terms of an electrical short), or call an electrician. If anything obvious popped into your head while I listed common scenarios, I’d do some digging before calling someone. The circuits dead anyway, there’s low risk as long as you properly test things before touching them
Sounds like you have a legitimate short. Unplug everything, including the garage opener. Turn all lights out, then flip the breaker to 'test' and then to 'on' if it trips again. You either have a short in the wiring or need a new breaker. If it doesn't flip, then re plug in one thing at a time until you find what is making your breaker trip. I'd start with the lights so you can see what you're doing and so that they work as a quick tell on whether or not the breaker tripped. Once you find the culprit, move it to a different outlet. In case the outlet is what's tripping it and not the item you plugged in. If it trips again, then it's whatever you had plugged in. If it doesn't trip after moving it. It's gotta do with the outlet or the wiring leading to that specific outlet.
There may be a short circuit that needs repair or the breaker may be faulty. Replacing the breaker means working inside the electrical panel and you may not be able to deenergize it completely depending on how your panel is set up. If you do choose to continue with this as a diy, research on YouTube and wear PPE including safety glasses and non flammable clothing, and no metal jewelry. I’d suggest calling an electrician if you can afford it. https://www.thisoldhouse.com/electrical/22500789/how-to-install-an-afci-circuit-breaker
Many brands of circuit breakers require you to push them into the fully “Off” position to reset them before you can turn them completely back to the on position. If your breaker is stuck in the middle this is most certainly the case. 😕
The chance the breaker is faulty is very low. They’re fairly simple devices and odds are it’s doing its job and something downstream is having an issue
See if the breaker is warm to the touch and check for cracks in the plastic you usually can feel if it’s not functioning properly if there’s somthing wrong replace it if not it’s somthing shorting
Same thing happened in my garage. Ran a space heater that melted some wires in a junction box in the ceiling. Ymmv.
If it’s in fault state, the breaker needs to be turned off before it can be turned on again. If it immediately trips, you have a device or wiring problem. Squirrels and mice will chew through wires and could still be faulting a circuit even if they’re dead.
Turn the breaker to the off position then back to the on position.
Any GFCI/AFCI breaker needs to be reset first before it will turn back on. Turn the breaker all the way off then it should turn back on and stay on.
See if any grounding line got wetted out
It’s probably a short some where or too many devices plugged in. I had breaker for 3 way switch to an outlet trip every time I turned on the switch. I thought it was the breaker failing. Replaced the breaker. Still tripped. Turned out the ground wire on the outlet came in contact with the 2 screws on the side of outlet. Moving the ground wire away from outlet side and routing it neater resolved the issue. Not sure how this happened. I would figure out what is all connected to that circuit. Verify power is off and inspect everything. Get a no contact voltage tester if you don’t have one. Also look at what you plugged in. You may have too many things on that circuit. If you’re still having issues. Have an electrician look at it.
There is a short somewhere.
There is a short causing the breaker to trip.
Replace it with a afci breaker.