Major Electrical Problems

[DarkSoul]

are you sure the entire garage and living room are on the same breaker? that seems kind of unlikely to me, and i actually think is against code to have more than one room on a single breaker (i could be wrong, if i am someone please step in and tell me)

/QUOTE]

It isn't against code for two rooms to share a circuit. It is very likely that the garage shares a wall with the other room, hence one circuit feeding both sides of a single wall.

ok, I wasnt sure of the code on that one... im not entirely up to par on the building code... also it varies from state to state, and province to province in my case

I hadnt considered both rooms sharing a wall though.... lol thanks for pointing that out.

 

[loaches r cool]

My utility room and garage downstairs and upstairs bathroom all share one GFI breaker.

 

[legendaryfrog]

I havent had any problems with a lack of power, and this is coming from someone with a 720g tank, a projector (800 watts) and a gaming computer (600w+) in the same room.



ikachu: ikachu: ikachu: ikachu: ikachu: ikachu:

 

[UCF-Planted]

I havent had any problems with a lack of power, and this is coming from someone with a 720g tank, a projector (800 watts) and a gaming computer (600w+) in the same room.



ikachu: ikachu: ikachu: ikachu: ikachu: ikachu:

That sounds like my kind of room. :headbang2:

 

[donfenk]

My input -

First - I am assuming the AC is a window unit that is plugged into one of the outlets - this is the largest power hog and i can easily see how you are tripping the breaker.

If you have an extra slot for another breaker i would add another circuit and break up the load that is currently on that one breaker - you probably want to hire an electritrian to do the work especially if you dont know what you are doing - As the home owner you can do your own electircal work but will be required to get a permit and an inspection afterwards. (I would say hire a professional here since you dont want to be messing and adding wiring to your home unless you know what you are doing.)

DO NOT replace a 15 amp breaker with a 20 amp breaker - the wiring probably is not rated to 20 amps and you could start a fire if the wiring is overloaded.

 

[UCF-Planted]

I'll pitch in that, apparently as a breaker ages it can actually becomae capable of carrying less current. Our apartment, which was only built in 1990, did not have a single circuit in the house that would support a 1000W microwave, and all the breakers are rated for 20A. We finally convinced maintenance to just replace the old 20A breaker with a new 20A breaker, on the circuit where we wanted it, and the problem has not happened again since.

 

[DarkSoul]

My utility room and garage downstairs and upstairs bathroom all share one GFI breaker.

a GFI and a breaker are two totally different devices, and a GFI is NOT a substitute for a breaker.

a GFI must be placed anywhere there is water of any kind within 1 meter of an outlet, and will only "break" when current passes through the ground.... the GFI will be installed like any other outlet, and will be connected to a corrisponding breaker.

the utility room and bathroom, may share a breaker, but it is litterally quite (physically) impossible for a single outlet to be shared in multiple rooms, especially on multiple floors

 

[ecal468]

I don't know why, but when the power goes in the office and the living room, only one switch is flipped. All I do is unplug the AC in the office, flip the switch and voila, power again. But there is a breaker that says "living room", but it apparently does nothing. Later this week I'm going to call someone out to take a look. Thanks for all the help.

 

[wackydan]

a GFI and a breaker are two totally different devices, and a GFI is NOT a substitute for a breaker.

a GFI must be placed anywhere there is water of any kind within 1 meter of an outlet, and will only "break" when current passes through the ground.... the GFI will be installed like any other outlet, and will be connected to a corrisponding breaker.

the utility room and bathroom, may share a breaker, but it is litterally quite (physically) impossible for a single outlet to be shared in multiple rooms, especially on multiple floors

Partly wrong. Multiple rooms ( even on different floors )can share the same GFI outlet, or if a newer panel, a GFI enabled breaker properly installed in the panel.

A GFI does not have to be within 1 meter... rather an outlet must be part of a GFI chain if within close proximity to water.

 

[legendaryfrog]

sadly, the room is no more. Im moving sometime soon, and the fish that used to live in the tank (10 semi-rare wild plecos) are currently living in my neighbors pond. i miss them......