15 Amp breaker tripping while printing

General discussion topics
User avatar
ednisley
Posts: 1188
Joined: Fri Apr 11, 2014 5:34 pm
Location: Halfway up the Hudson
Contact:

Re: 15 Amp breaker tripping while printing

Post by ednisley » Tue Dec 08, 2015 3:21 pm

MagicEngineer wrote: have them temporarily cut power at the meter
I think that's true when you're changing the main breaker, because the house feed terminates at the breaker's wire entry and you (well, I) don't want hot feed wires flopping around. To change a branch breaker, though, you just trip the main, the bus bars go cold, and you keep your hands away from the top of the main breaker.

If you're me, though, you first measure the bus bar voltage before you go messing around inside, but that's because I lit up the sky, once upon a time, back when I was young and stupid.

Fortunately, nowadays I'm just stupid... and should probably pull the meter. [sigh]

MagicEngineer
Posts: 114
Joined: Thu Aug 20, 2015 12:39 am

Re: 15 Amp breaker tripping while printing

Post by MagicEngineer » Tue Dec 08, 2015 5:16 pm

ednisley wrote:
I think that's true when you're changing the main breaker, because the house feed terminates at the breaker's wire entry and you (well, I) don't want hot feed wires flopping around. To change a branch breaker, though, you just trip the main, the bus bars go cold, and you keep your hands away from the top of the main breaker.

If you're me, though, you first measure the bus bar voltage before you go messing around inside, but that's because I lit up the sky, once upon a time, back when I was young and stupid.

Fortunately, nowadays I'm just stupid... and should probably pull the meter. [sigh]
The building codes are probably different everywhere you go. In the part of Florida where I live, very few homes actually have a main breaker. Don't ask me why. I think it's kind of stupid. Anyway it's actually very easy to change a breaker even with the bus bars hot. (not that I would recommend it for someone who has never done it) There are a few youtube videos on how to do it for anyone who is brave enough to avoid calling an electrician.

User avatar
jimc
Posts: 2888
Joined: Wed Apr 09, 2014 11:30 pm
Location: mullica, nj
Contact:

Re: 15 Amp breaker tripping while printing

Post by jimc » Tue Dec 08, 2015 6:59 pm

Yeah i have changed many a breaker while hot but no main? How is that even possible. All panels are manufactured with the spot for the main. You cant wire it without it. Never heard of such a thing

wmgeorge
Posts: 200
Joined: Thu Jun 18, 2015 1:09 am

Re: 15 Amp breaker tripping while printing

Post by wmgeorge » Tue Dec 08, 2015 7:29 pm

Years ago you were not required to have a Main breaker, and since a lot of houses don't, you really need to assume especially when giving advice over the Internet that its all "Hot". You also need to assume the person you are giving advice to has zero mechanical or electrical ability.
Retired Master Electrician, Commercial HVAC/R,CNC Router

Post Reply