# Trouble Shoot Tripping Breaker



## 480sparky (Feb 1, 2009)

DaVinciRemodel said:


> Twenty some years in the trades and this is a term I don't know.


Megger.

More to the point: Does your electrician know what it is?


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## DaVinciRemodel (Oct 7, 2009)

I'll quiz him tomorrow!


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## Inner10 (Mar 12, 2009)

> Twenty some years in the trades and this is a term I don't know.


I think the real name is megometer, they run a much higher voltage signal then a multimeter so you can test the insulation value of connection/wire.

If you had a ground wire that could be arcing against a live the megohmeter would help find it. Twice I've found clock plugs that had the live arcing against the ground WTF (I didn't install them but I did find out why the breaker kept tripping).

I recall doing a home theatre a few years back with a Lutron slider-dimmer and when you flicked the switch you could see a nice flash inside. The electrician said it was normal for switches.


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## DaVinciRemodel (Oct 7, 2009)

480sparky said:


> More to the point: Does your electrician know what it is?


He knows what it is - has one - but doesn't know if it will work in the situation.

He'll study-up and ask a few questions. He'll need to - breaker tripped again this afternoon.


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## 480sparky (Feb 1, 2009)

DaVinciRemodel said:


> He knows what it is - has one - but doesn't know if it will work in the situation.
> 
> He'll study-up and ask a few questions. He'll need to - breaker tripped again this afternoon.


 
Uh, meggers are the first thing to find damaged wires, and these said damaged wires can cause an AFCI to trip..........


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## Celtic (May 23, 2007)

DaVinciRemodel said:


> He knows what it is - has one - but doesn't know if it will work in the situation.
> 
> He'll study-up and ask a few questions. He'll need to - breaker tripped again this afternoon.



Send him over here ....he'll get more answers/info/opinion than he cares to get :laughing:


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## DaVinciRemodel (Oct 7, 2009)

He's gone elk huntin for the weekend. There will be no updates until next week.

God I love this business!:wallbash:


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## Electric_Light (Nov 25, 2007)

This can be tough. My kitchen lighting breaker kept tripping and I couldn't figure out why. Turns out it was chaffed wire shorting to the frame in vent hood over the range. It would short out intermittently depending on vibration, temperature, etc.


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## 220/221 (Sep 29, 2007)

> I assumed you had some secret mojo or dance or special swear words you could pass-on to me to please the electrical gods


We do but we like to keep it a secret.


rekaerbralugerallatsni


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## bfrosty (Oct 11, 2009)

several of the same type situations on early Arc Fault breakers adn Ideal push in quick connector. (similar to Halo quick connectors) seemed that mechanical vibration had just enough effect on the tensioned spring, created enough ARC to trip the breaker after a year + or - a couple of months. Went through all cans and rewired with wing nuts.


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