Breaker keeps tripping or won't reset
A breaker trips to protect the wire behind your walls. Most repeat trips come from too much load on one circuit or one bad device, but a breaker that trips the instant you reset it points to a short. Five questions tell you which.
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Every question and answer on this page, in order
Question 1: Do you notice heat, a burning smell, scorch marks or buzzing at the panel?
Look and listen from the open hinged door. Do not touch a breaker that looks scorched.
Question 2: Has water reached the panel, an outlet, or anything on this circuit?
Think of rain on an outdoor outlet, a leak, or flooding.
- Yes, or I think it might have: Stop: water on the circuit
- No: go to question 3
Question 3: Unplug or switch off everything on that circuit, then reset the breaker once. What happens?
Stand to the side, face away, push it firmly to OFF, then ON. Panels are often mislabeled, so walk the area to find what lost power.
- It trips again immediately, or will not stay ON: Stop: likely a short or ground fault
- It holds: go to question 4
Question 4: When does it usually trip?
Think back over the last few trips.
- When a heavy appliance runs, or two run at once: Likely cause: too much load on one circuit
- When one particular device is plugged in or turned on: Likely cause: one faulty device
- At random, with no pattern I can see: go to question 5
Question 5: Does the tripping breaker have a TEST button or an indicator light on it?
AFCI and GFCI breakers have a TEST button on the handle side, and some have a small light.
- Yes, it has a TEST button or a light: Likely cause: an AFCI or GFCI breaker detecting a fault
- No, it is a plain breaker: Likely cause: a hidden fault or a worn breaker
Possible results
- Fix it yourselfLikely cause: too much load on one circuit
- Fix it yourselfLikely cause: one faulty device
- Call a proStop: likely a short or ground fault
- Call a proStop: heat, smell or noise at the panel
- Call a proStop: water on the circuit
- Call a proLikely cause: an AFCI or GFCI breaker detecting a fault
- Call a proLikely cause: a hidden fault or a worn breaker
Need the words for the phone call? Build a what-to-tell-the-electrician checklist, or read when to call an electrician.