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Usually a loose neutral connection will not trip a breaker right away. A loose neutral makes itself known and should be repaired before the problem gets big enough to trip the breaker.
The first indication in a lighting circuit will be the lights flickering. In a receptacle circuit devices plugged into it will have a tendency to go off and on. The first thing to do is isolate the circuit that is causing the trouble.
Once you find the circuit turn it off at the breaker. The most likely place is in a receptacle box, as this is usually where lighting circuits are fed from.
Go from box to box checking the neutral joints making sure that the wire nuts are tight. Once the bad joint is found tighten the wires with a pair of pliers and reinstall a new wire nut.
In some older homes receptacles had what was called a quick wire terminal. The wire was stripped and just pushed into the receptacle, depending on a small spring to hold the wire against a flat surface to make the contact. The continuation of the neutral came out of the second quick wire hole and went to the next box. The whole return current started heating up the springs in these types of receptacles and opened the neutral downstream of the original problem.
When old receptacles are changed out for new ones use the screws on the side of the receptacle as it makes a more secure connection.
Always use a pigtail connection when making a splice in a junction box that connects to a device.
What else can I help you with?
How and where do you connect the white wire from the shunt breake to the electrical panel?
The white wire would go to the neutral bar. Just be sure of the shunt trip voltage required for the breaker and land the white wire on the appropriate neutral bar in the correct panel.
Does the neutral wire have a charge in a gfci circuit breaker?
No. Not if the GFCI is wired correctly. The neutral wire should always be cold, or at ground potential.
Can a burnt out wire cause you to lose a neutral connection?
Not usually. When a wire burns and grounds out the breaker will trip. Wire burns are usually centered around terminal connections points. If a connection becomes loose heat will be produced and this heating action is what burn the insulation on the wire. The neutral wire on the other hand is not switched so it is less likely to have terminal connection points that can become loose. In a circuit the neutral wire is connected under a wire nut with other neutral extensions in the circuit and then connected to the neutral buss in the distribution panel. There is very little to go wrong on the neutral return side of the load wire.
Why is the ground wire hot at all outlet boxes on a particular circuit?
Most likely the ground (green) wire is mistakenly connected to hot instead of the hot wire (black) at the breaker panel! Possibly you meant the neutral wire not the ground wire, in that case most likely the neutral (white) wire is mistakenly connected to hot instead of the hot wire (black) at the breaker panel! In either case check all three wires in the breaker panel for that circuit to make sure they are all correctly connected! Black is hot, White is neutral, Green (or uninsulated in some cases) is ground.
Can you only use white and black wires on a 2 pole breaker?
Typically the black wire is "hot", and the white wire is neutral. A 2 pole breaker is most commonly used for 240 V, and as such, you would typically use a 3 conductor wire, with black, red and white (+ ground). In a typical application, the black and red are used in the 2 pole breaker, and neutral is connected to the neutral bar in the breaker panel.
If live is kept open could it trip circuit breaker by connecting neutral to ground?
Yes, keeping a live wire open can potentially trip a circuit breaker if the neutral and ground are connected. This can create a potential difference between neutral and ground, leading to a fault current that may trip the breaker. It is unsafe to have a live wire left open and in contact with other conductors.
What is caused when the hot wire and either the neutral or ground wire make contact?
A short circuit. If things are working as they should breaker will trip or fuse will blow.
How do you wire an AFCI breaker?
To wire an AFCI breaker, first turn off the power to the circuit. Then, connect the hot wire to the breaker's terminal, the neutral wire to the neutral bar, and the ground wire to the ground bar. Finally, snap the breaker into place in the electrical panel.
Can a loose wire cause a breaker to trip?
Yes, a loose wire can cause a breaker to trip. When a wire is loose, it can create a short circuit or excessive heat, which can trigger the breaker to trip as a safety measure to prevent electrical hazards.
Why does the circuit breaker keep tripping immediately?
The circuit breaker may keep tripping immediately due to a short circuit, which occurs when a hot wire comes into contact with a neutral wire or ground wire. This causes a sudden surge of electricity, triggering the circuit breaker to trip for safety reasons.
Why would a hot wire go directly from the breaker to the neutral bar?
If this is is exactly what you are seeing then the breaker will not be resettable. The breaker will instantaneously trip. If the identified conductor comes into the distribution panel from an external circuit then this is another scenario.
How and where do you connect the white wire from the shunt breake to the electrical panel?
The white wire would go to the neutral bar. Just be sure of the shunt trip voltage required for the breaker and land the white wire on the appropriate neutral bar in the correct panel.
How do you wire a GFCI breaker?
To wire a GFCI breaker, first turn off the power to the circuit. Then, connect the hot wire to the breaker's terminal, the neutral wire to the neutral bar, and the ground wire to the ground bar. Finally, turn the power back on and test the GFCI breaker to ensure it is working properly.
How do you wire a GFI breaker?
To wire a GFI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) breaker, first turn off the power to the circuit. Then, connect the hot wire to the breaker's terminal, the neutral wire to the neutral bar, and the ground wire to the ground bar. Finally, attach the breaker to the panel and turn the power back on.
How to wire a GFCI breaker correctly?
To wire a GFCI breaker correctly, first turn off the power to the circuit. Then, connect the hot wire to the breaker's terminal, the neutral wire to the neutral bar, and the ground wire to the ground bar. Finally, turn the power back on and test the GFCI breaker to ensure it is working properly.
Can loose neutral wire effect the operation of Earth Leakage Circuit Breaker?
Yes, a loose neutral wire can effect the operation of Earth Leakage Circuit Breaker.
How do you wire a 15 amp breaker?
Ground wire connects to the ground bar, white wire connects to the neutral bar, and black wire connects to the breaker. Be sure and turn off main breaker before installing the wire or the breaker.
