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I live in a tiny basement apartment and it happens that very frequently the breaker to the kitchen gets tripped. This happens probably once every two weeks and since I don't have access to the basement(its part of the upstairs house/apartment), I have to call the landlord to flip the breaker on. I'm trying to figure out what could be the cause of the breaker tripping. The only two things of note I have is the microwave(very old) and a George foreman electric grill(1400 W). I never run them at the same time. I've never had trouble with the grill in my old apartment. Anybody have any advice for me to stop this from happening? It is getting ridiculous having to call the landlord to reset the breaker.
Obviously the circuit is being overloaded. And you're probably on a circuit with your neighbor- since you don't have direct access to the panel (fire hazzard).
The other- if the kitchen has GFCI's they may be being fed by a 15amp breaker instead of a 20. I'm also guessing that it was probably wired with 14awg- not good for a kitchen circuit.
Last but not less- the breaker is going bad.
A couple of times it was the george foreman(and the lights) the other time just the microwave. The george foreman is 1400W and 125 V so about 11A. I think the water heaters might be hooked up to the same breaker, and maybe the kitchen up stairs I dont know.
call an electrician. could be a spot in the insulation going bad; maybe from overheating, maybe from old age, or little critters chewing. anyhow, you could have a fault situation.
since this is the CB for the microwave and grill, the breaker could very well be weak now from the constant heating.
Not sure of your location, but check with your States housing authority. Every single state I have lived/worked in requires each apartment dweller to have access to the circuit breakers that runs their apartment. Calling the Landlord doesn't fit that requirement.
Bydad is right. I hope you don't have to pay for the electric bill, because you are almost for sure on a circuit with either the landlord or someone else. Since this is an apartment situation, you can demand the landlord fix it, or follow standard procedures to break the lease in your state. What you describe is typical of slumlord activity - substandard and unsafe wiring, multiple tenants on a circuit, skimming power for personal use, etc..
I would think it really depends on when the building was built and if the units are permitted individual or in-law type units. Depending on circuit size... a 1400 watt electic load is getting close to capacity on a 15 amp circuit... just add a couple of 100W light bulbs and capacity is exceded...
Remember, there are some old apartments out there...
Early on I managed a 3-plex.... it was a converted home, with permits done in 1943... building materials were almost non-existent during the war years and housing needs critical.
This Tri-Plex had a single 30 amp Edison base screw in glass fuse for the Main and one 15 amp light circuit and one 20 amp plug circuit covering all 3 units...
Three individual Metered Gas for Heat, Hot Water and Cooking.
If two tenants tried to use an electric heater at the same time, the chances were a fuse would blow outside at the crawl space meter location.
The building is still there today and still has a 30 amp main
The Landlord pays electricity and each tenant pays individual Gas.
Last edited by Ultrarunner; 12-18-2009 at 09:51 AM..
Not sure of your location, but check with your States housing authority. Every single state I have lived/worked in requires each apartment dweller to have access to the circuit breakers that runs their apartment. Calling the Landlord doesn't fit that requirement.
Yes that's in the NEC too, but I don't know how long its been in effect.
Yes that's in the NEC too, but I don't know how long its been in effect.
I've done this for 28 years cannot remember it NOT being there.
230.72 (C) for the Service disconnect
240.24 (B) for the breakers or fuses to individual living spaces.
The only exception to these rules are if there is CONSTANT ON-SITEsupervision of building management. This does NOT mean a landlord that you can call; there has to be someone there in the building 100% of the time.
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