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What is wrong with an electrical circuit that pops the 15A breaker each time a light bulb fails?
Wiki User
∙ 12y ago
Circuit breakers can often trip when a light bulb fails just at the point when you switch on the light. The reason it happens is that, in normal use, the bulb's filament gets thinner and thinner and more and more brittle over time.
Eventually it is about to fail - also known as "burn out" - but it doesn't usually do it whilst it is still burning because it's resistance is at its highest when it is hot and "lit", so it is taking the least amount of current whilst it is "on".
But then, if you switch that bulb off as normal, when you next come to switch it on its filament will be cold and its resistance will be lower than when it was hot. At the point of switching it on it draws a higher starting current for the last time but then, as the filament finally "snaps", the "flying ends" of the snapped filament can sometimes momentarily short-out the hot and neutral filament feed wires, taking a very high current which trips the circuit breaker!
Any incandescent light bulb will draw a higher starting current when you first switch it on because, when cold, the filament resistance is at its lowest point. The bulb soon heats up to its normal running temperature at which point the current settles to its normal running current which is lower than its cold starting current.
But in the case of a bulb that has been used for near to - or more than - its designed number of hours, then it is much more likely to fail in a way that causes the circuit breaker to trip, as has been described above.
Provided they have not been "knocked or dropped" at some time during their life - which would significantly shorten their actual expected "life" because of mechanical damage to the filament - ordinary incandescent bulbs are rated for only about 1000 hours of actual use. More expensive "long-life bulbs are available that are rated at 2000 hours.
A different answer
If your home is new and has the new type of arc-fault breakers, this occurs from time to time when the filament in the bulb blows because the failing bulb causes an arc and the breaker does what it was designed to do: stop the arc.
Wiki User
∙ 12y ago
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Parking lights will not turn off is it a relay or circuit breaker?
It is a relay or switch problem. A circuit breaker or fuse won't keep a light on.
What does the conductor in a circuit do?
A conductor carries the voltage potential from the source to the load, i.e. the wires from a circuit breaker to a light.
If the electrical conductivity in an electrical circuit decreases then the birghtness of the light bulb does what?
It decreases
Why does the breaker trip after changing a receptacle?
I do not even know that it is the light switch that is popping your circuit breaker! It may be the switch or something else. The light switch controls a circuit. As electricity passes through that circuit it is heating up a contact or a weak place in a wire. At a certain point that hot place in a connector or in a wire allows the electricity to jump out of the circuit and not go through the light. When that happens, the circuit breaker pops. You can turn off the circuit breaker. Then you can look at the connectors on your light switch. If one of them looks burned, You have solved the problem. You replace the light switch. Next comes the more difficult task of looking at the connectors for your lamp. If they are not easy to get to, you call an electrician.
How do you fix an electrical dead short in a house?
To avoid any short circuit in a house we suppose to have electrical panel with proper size of circuit breakers. These breakers installed to feed a number of circuits in the house which is controlled by the Electrical Code. The breaker ampacity is depend on the load size (light circuits, outlets, microwave, dryer, furnace, cenral vacuum). The individual circuits are calculated depend on the size of the load (like motors, transformers sucking a lot more power, current when they start) and this will be the base to figure out the proper wire size for feeding the circuit. When a short circuit occurs at the farthers point from the breaker this overcurrent device suppose to open up the circuit to avoid overheating ang fire.
What do I do if there is no circuit breaker for outdoor light?
If you have a light that is not being powered through a circuit breaker or fuse, you should call a qualified electrician to remove this circuit from the panel's bus and install a circuit breaker for it. Without an overcurrent protective device (circuit breaker or fuse) you have a potential fire hazard.
What size amp circuit breaker should be used for a pool light?
The pool light is usually on a 15 amp circuit. The breaker feeding this circuit must have a GFCI rating.
Parking lights will not turn off is it a relay or circuit breaker?
It is a relay or switch problem. A circuit breaker or fuse won't keep a light on.
What happens to a parallel circuit if one light fails?
A parellel circuit does not fail if one light dies. In a series circuit, it's broken if one light fails (like the old style Christmas lights). See link for example...
If a light bulb is missing in a series circuit will the bulb light?
If one light bulb in a series circuit fails, all the other light bulbs will go out, until the failed bulb is replaced and the series circuit is completed again.If one light bulb in a parallel circuit fails, all the other light bulbs will still work.
What might cause a breaker to trip when switching on a light when resetting the breaker and checking the fuse doesn't restore power to one circuit?
Overloaded circuit, short in circuit, or defective switch.
What is the part of a circuit the closes or opens the circuit?
Generally a circuit breaker (like a light switch) But I guess you could use a resistor of the right resistance If you are talking about the circuit breaker there is an electromagnetic coil in it which get magnetized on a specific amount of current and breaks the circuit
If the electrical conductivity in an electrical circuit decreases then the brightness of the light bulb does what?
Then the brightness of the light buld increases.
What does the conductor in a circuit do?
A conductor carries the voltage potential from the source to the load, i.e. the wires from a circuit breaker to a light.
If the electrical conductivity in an electrical circuit decreases then the birghtness of the light bulb does what?
It decreases
Why does the breaker trip after changing a receptacle?
I do not even know that it is the light switch that is popping your circuit breaker! It may be the switch or something else. The light switch controls a circuit. As electricity passes through that circuit it is heating up a contact or a weak place in a wire. At a certain point that hot place in a connector or in a wire allows the electricity to jump out of the circuit and not go through the light. When that happens, the circuit breaker pops. You can turn off the circuit breaker. Then you can look at the connectors on your light switch. If one of them looks burned, You have solved the problem. You replace the light switch. Next comes the more difficult task of looking at the connectors for your lamp. If they are not easy to get to, you call an electrician.
What happens when the circuit is complete and the switches are closed?
*Look at the simple circuit illustrated in Figure A-2. What will happen when only switch S1 is closed? Correct Answer= "Nothing will happen-the light bulb won't light up." <<>> If there is a load in the circuit the load will operate. If there is no load in the circuit and it is complete then a short circuit will occur and something in the circuit will burn open. If the circuit is complete and there is a fuse or breaker in the circuit, then the fuse or breaker will open the circuit.
