Would increasing amp help carry a heavier load?

Yes, replacing a 15A breaker with a 20A breaker will allow more load, but; you don't want to do that. The 15A breaker is there to protect the conductors. I would imagine that the conductors for that circuit are #14AWG and replacing with a 20A breaker could lead to overheated conductors, melted insulation, and all sorts of other bad things.

There are two probable causes for the breaker tripping:

1. There is too much load on the circuit and the breaker is doing its job. Check load.

2. The breaker is faulty. The thermal overload elements in molded-case breakers can degrade in performance and result in false trips. Have you tried replacing this breaker with a new 15A?

Another possible cause is a short on that circuit. I get the sense, though, that is not the case as it would be pretty obvious since the breaker would trip again as soon as you try to reset.

Hope this has helped.

"...and all sorts of other bad things"

Yes, such as FIRE!

...or he could do what the electronics store down the way did to fix an annoying breaker that was always tripping... Plaster it down with duct tape.

Problem solved... Except, of course, no more electronics store.

Not a good idea unless you can verify that ALL the wiring is #12 AWG or rated for 20A especially if you are tripping the breaker, PERIOD! Assume the breaker is good and doing it's job and you want to up-size it--The breaker may stop tripping, but what do you think will happen now? If you are not sure, the farthest you should go is to replace the breaker with the same size of 15A, but it sounds like you need to get some help. It's cheap compared to a disaster of any size.

What is the application,what type of Load you are connected.What is the load on your system please check.There may be some fault in the Circuit.In case your Load is well with in the Limit of Your 15 Amps MCB and you confirmes no fault in the system then you can replace the MCB with higher rating.

What ever the case may be in Electrical system you have to analyse the system before changeing.

"...then you can replace the MCB with higher rating"

I know what you meant and you are right about everything else, but this last part is not a very responsible answer. In most cases, he should NOT replace a circuit breaker with a larger size. As said by others, Circuit Breakers are meant to protect the conductors (wires). If he does not increase the wire size, he cannot increase the Circuit Breaker rating!

The only exception is if, for some reason, someone installed wire that is already over sized for a 15A circuit. Not very likely, but sometimes it happens. The problem is, someone who needs to ask this kind of question is not likely someone who would be able to readily recognize wire gauges.

From the field;

Yes is the simple first half answer. For a while is the truth. You have already learned why from others on the thread so I will try to help. The second answer is to hang an AMP Probe on the wire leaving the breaker, cycle the equipment on that circuit watching for high in rush amps and then if the breaker holds watch for a building of the amps until the breaker lets loose. You will probably find one of a couple of things.

1. Acceptable load = weak breaker.

2. To high of a load = split off power users unit you get load under the breaker rating and it holds ok.

3. A motor on that circuit is breaking down and it takes a while for it show its ugly face = repair/replace the motor.

4. I assume you have all tighten every connection from the wire on the breaker completely through the entire circuit = do this first. If you find a loose wire share the find with your co-workers.

You can make the change providing you first change the wire size. If you rewire from 14ga to 12 gauge and providfing the wire run(length) is not excerssive, you can change to a 20amo breaker but make sure of what that leg is powering. Too many items plugged into that leg could cause a tripped breaker and even a fire which in many cases would void your insurance. Just be very careful with your changeout.

"which is many cases"

LIKE ALL CASES!!! Even if he does everything exactly to code, the insurance company probably won't pay anything on any fire that might breakout - related or unrelated! Check the fine-print! If a contractor didn't do it, you lose everything! Insurance companies are notorious for finding anyway possible not to pay...

Heck might as well go to my duct tape fix!!!

Agreed.

Here in Oz, you need to have a document detailing the electrical work that was performed, it would be under 1 of 2 catagories, Prescribed and non-prescribed, and you should get a "Certificate of compliance & saftey" which is also called into the automated system.

Even if a Hot Water service (electric) was replaced, or a motor (or any load bearing device)

Strangely, a Fluro lamp is not considered a "Load bearing device"

Quite. That's the reason for invoking Part P of the Building Regulations in the UK.

The original poster probably doesn't know what the building insurance company's Loss Adjuster does. Upon looking at the system documentation and assessing the facts after the fire caused by the new 20A breaker that the original poster installed contrary to local Regulations, the adjuster adjusts the insurance company's offer to pay-out. DOWNWARDS!

Yes, along with the possibility of fire! It could be an "old lazy" breaker, first determine the load and calculate if its over rated, if not, replace with the SAME type and rating of breaker.

Be safe!

Probably sounds good but not so much.

Guest what is happening? What do you have on the circuit?

There may be a simpler more efficient alternative fix available.

One other possibility I didn't see mentioned is that the screw holding the wire could need to be tightened. Sometimes they aren't adequately tightened when installed and over the years oxidation or even material flow eventually degrade the connection. This creates heat at the breaker that will cause it to trip at a lower threshold.

you have three choices to deal with that

1) find out why the breaker trips, you aren't a electrician hire one

2) make sure your fire escape plan is understood by all the units occupants and your fire escape drills are done on regular random basis

3) find a underwiter willing to assume the risks involved in covering the costs which will develop when the electrical fire in your unit spreads to the rest of the complex's units.

'da ber

Yes, it will deliver up to 20 amps instead of 15, but how was the outlet wired? If it was wired in 12ga, 15 amps is your max. If it was wired with 10 ga wire then you will be able to pull 2o amps.

If you pull 20 amps across 12 ga - the wire will burn out and potentially burn your hoese down.

Travis

Correction as stated previously in this thread 14Ga wire is rated up to 15 amps and 12Ga wire is rated to 20 amps. 10Ga wire is rated to 30 amps that is unless things have change in the new coding that I am unaware of.

smack on right. so how in the heck can a standard wall receptacle be wired with the cable that is used to feed 20amps at 115(that by the way can and judging by some of the threads is being done via another rube goldberg set up issue) when it is rated for 15 max at 115 and not go up in flames?

the overheat will occur no matter what type of cable is used to supply the current. the point you have made reflects what my original question was, in posting it I identified it CLEARLY as being OFF the TOPIC of the original enquiry. the number of hair ball answers and comments are a lesson in how many of the posts readers ar willing to do the universal excercise of responing before thinking about what is presented to them.

'da bear

Yes, but you run the risk of running a hot circuit. 15amp breakers require 14awg wire. 20amp breakers require 12awg wire. The purpose of the breaker is to turn the circuit off to prevent an electrical fire. By running 20amps on a 14awg wire, you circumvent that safety feature. This is kind of like how in the old days they used to stick pennies into fuse holders when the fuses burned out. They started plenty of fires that way.

Guest:

When in doubt ASK ;

Did you add anything to the circuit which may be causing the tripping?

Having devices switched to start in a predetermined pattern in consideration of the amp draw of each component at start up may eliminate a tripped breaker.

Check the device start up amps required noted on its identification plate or UL (underwriters Laboratory- [insurance]).

Determine if the combined start up amp draws are contributing to over driving the breaker.

yes. BUT:

some outlets rather than being 15-20 max are 10-15. A dust bunny could be a house burner on wrong outlet. Easy to check however, it is written on most outlets.

I have had to change same 15 fuse to a 20 for AC unit several moves through several old houses. Still a rebel with no electrical license, Common sense took over. Two wire setups are a risk to life and limb if they are the old original install,no matter what they got for fuses, try it anyway, most likely copper wound covered in cloth...open your nose..and be prepared.

cheapskating the outlets does not mean the wire guage can't handle a 20, and that can be checked looking at the back of outlets.

Guest,

That's wrong. The rating of an outlet has nothing to do with the conductor size or the breaker. It simply tells you how much current the contacts in that outlet can handle. It's quite common to see 15A "spec grade" outlets on #12 AWG copper connected through a 20A breaker.

I have even seen old work where 12/3 was added to a 14/2 branch. You can never assume anything until you actually check it. Most homeowners policies will give you a real problem if the fire marshall determines you have burned down your house by incorrectly wiring it.

I don't mean to be snotty about it, but if the OP has to ask about whether to change breaker size, he has no business going into that panel in the first place. I've known of too many amateurs getting killed by screwing around with electricity.

Fire Marshals are trained to look for the point of combustion. All he had to do was look for the melted and chard duct tape in the breaker box, and I think he knew what the problem was!

this is defintiely off topic but a observation made in advertising by a company selling dust collection systems for them workshop.

seeing the price was very attractive i clicked on to the extra info provided by the cyclone type maker was a must especilly whe i saw the powerspec required for a 1 1/2 hp. motor was 115 volts at 20 amps. thats right 115 v.ac. x 20amps. having never seen a standard receptacle carrying the 20 a. line in the two prong and ground wall socket i called the customer service desk and spoke to a customer care agent. the agent was 100% certain this possible because they have sold quite a few of the units in th U.S. and followed that info with the explanation that the system will work but some wiring has to be done for that to happen. he related the standard house outlet will supply that amperage at that voltage but only if the circuit breaker at the panel is replaced by a 20 amp breaker and 12 guage wire replaces the 14 guage wire connected from service panel to the outlet.

huh? what did i miss?

any comments other than did i buy the unit? no.

'da ber

huh? what did i miss?

You called the customer service desk instead of technical service.

You guys have no idea how complicated this could all get until you've taken a look at a steam house!

Yes, a house run on steam. It was always "Is this the right pipe and thickness?" and "Do I need a bigger relief valve here?" and "Is this the right steam capacity for my steam driven TV?"

And always, "What about the boiler! What about the boiler!" What about the God damn boiler! It came off the right steam line on the pole! It was their damn responsibility to make sure the step-down pressure was correct!!!

Ah! don't get me started!!!

You are on the wrong thread.

hello bwire, the customer service is technical service, the agent has two titles for two hats for doing the same job.

'da ber

That's your sign!

thats your sign????? please explain what that is intended to communicate it's intent eludes me.

thanks

'da ber

That two hatted arrangement has produced many a debacle

Yeah!!! It's like the time my friend and I wanted to rob a liqueur store. We got a pair of pantyhose; I said we should cut them in half, but would he listen? Nooooo!!! The only way we got away, was the cops were laughing too hard to stop us!!!

Was that before or after you ran either side of a lamp post?

There have been several excelent comments about what to do and why you should not replace a 15amp breaker with a 20amp breaker. This is absolutely not a good idea.

It would be nice to know what you are doing, we could focus in and give you and answer that would fit your application.

Where I have seen things like this happen is when a person rents equipment and is attempting to do work at a home. The equipment could be with a floor sander or other something else which tends to draw more amps then the regular 15amp circuit can handle. Most of the regular wall outlets are on 15amp circuits. What I recommend for them to do is; locate a wall outlet in the kitchen above the counter top. Keep in mind that the kitchen outlets may be ground fault protected and they may trip due to the surge of a large motor startup. You will be able to tell either directly on the receptical that there is a push-in reset or at the breaker panel. The ground fault breaker looks different the the other 20amp breakers. They can also use the refrigerator, or clothes washer receptical. These circuits are usually 20amps. Plug their equipment into the respective 20amp outlet and see if their equipment will work properly. If it does they may need to get an extention cord which would allow them to be able to reach the room which they are needing to work in. The extention cord should be rated to support 20amps. I have made extenion cords from Romex Copper 10-2 or 12-2 (three wires; ground, hot, and neutral); which I still have today. I put a 3-prong plug on one end and a metal box with a receptical on the other end. Works great and lasts a long time.

Good luck,

Hydro

thanks hydro

this is a response to the question that was asked.

in some case where the floor sanders draw a full 15 amps or more often when some users of electric leaf blowers don't bother to look at the rating panel they end up wondering what is that burning smell when the prongs of the blower units electrical connection starting to melt after a half hours use. by that time they need to call the cellar savers.

'da ber

Your on the wrong thread ROMEX BOY.

Your extension cord solution came through a whole lot cheaper than buying a commercial cord (I bet!). A 100 foot 10 awg extension cord cost me dang near $100.00. The very first thing I did with it was to plug it in to my portable air compressor... and it started right up!! That problem was solved.

I wire ALL outlets for 20 amp. Yes, 12 awg romex is more expensive than 14 awg, but it is worth not having the hassle of not having the power when you need it.

Bill

I'm with Sciesis2 in this, however I go one better and put a sub panel on each floor and at each location of above average draw, kitchens, hobby area and garage etc.. I use one 4ga feed to each sub-panel, yeah the initial $ is more but the power quality is premium.

Hi..

It is danger replacing fuse/CB by higher capacity.

Make proper determination of tripping that CB.

Is it branch CB/main CB?

Is it really over loaded ? not short circuited ?

Did you measure the voltage & load current of that circuit?

What is the source side capacity?

Is it 3 phase/1 phase?

There are so many reasons to trip a circuit?

Condensed answer:

1. Replace with new, same amp rating and type. (yes it could be that simple.)
2. Beyond that call a licensed professional for on site assessment, correction.

P.S. to many above contributors: 15A CB; keep it realistic, simple, as was the question.