OT Electrical Help OT

g8golfer

For some odd reason my kitchen circuit breaker keeps kicking and knocking my power out in my kitchen area. When I unplug my refrigerator and reset the breaker it all works but as soon as I plug the refrigerator in the outlet it kicks the breaker again. I have 0 electrical experience so I have no clue what to do. Any help would be appreciated. 

texaswig

Could be a weak breaker. Or the compressor on the fridge may be going bad. 

bgebrent

@Jupiter Jim  A little help for a brother.

milesvdustin

You shouldnt have that much wired in your kitchen on one circuit. I have like 4 or 5 not counting my stove

theyolksonyou

You're pulling too much current. Have you added any counter top appliances or the like recently?

bgebrent

theyolksonyou said:

You're pulling too much current. Have you added any counter top appliances or the like recently?

Or portable carpet cleaners?

DoubleEgger

texaswig said:

Could be a weak breaker. Or the compressor on the fridge may be going bad. 

To isolate which one it is, plug your fridge into an extension cord and plug it into another circuit to see if it trips that breaker. If it does, then "I hate my Fridge" 

theyolksonyou

bgebrent said:

theyolksonyou said:

You're pulling too much current. Have you added any counter top appliances or the like recently?

Or portable carpet cleaners?

Don't clean it, replace it. Www.mohawkind.com

ps. Ignore the hard surface options.  

g8golfer

Put the refrigerator on an extension cord and ran it to another outlet and it’s running fine. 

Photo Egg

DoubleEgger said:

texaswig said:

Could be a weak breaker. Or the compressor on the fridge may be going bad. 

To isolate which one it is, plug your fridge into an extension cord and plug it into another circuit to see if it trips that breaker. If it does, then "I hate my Fridge" 

Or swap breakers in your box since it happns so quickly it should be a quick test.

Jeremiah

theyolksonyou said:

bgebrent said:

theyolksonyou said:

You're pulling too much current. Have you added any counter top appliances or the like recently?

Or portable carpet cleaners?

Don't clean it, replace it. Www.mohawkind.com

ps. Ignore the hard surface options.  

I don't know...their engineers are a kinda dicey....

bgebrent

theyolksonyou said:

bgebrent said:

theyolksonyou said:

You're pulling too much current. Have you added any counter top appliances or the like recently?

Or portable carpet cleaners?

Don't clean it, replace it. Www.mohawkind.com

ps. Ignore the hard surface options.  

That link took me to a different link that was #gofundJasonandhisgaragedrinking.  Is that right?

theyolksonyou

Jeremiah said:

theyolksonyou said:

bgebrent said:

theyolksonyou said:

You're pulling too much current. Have you added any counter top appliances or the like recently?

Or portable carpet cleaners?

Don't clean it, replace it. Www.mohawkind.com

ps. Ignore the hard surface options.  

I don't know...their engineers are a kinda dicey....

Their boss is a stand up guy tho. 

g8golfer

No new appliances on that circuit. The same appliances that I have had the last 3-4 years. I have been unplugging my refrigerator a lot the last couple days working on the the water line running to my ice maker. 

Jeremiah

g8golfer said:

No new appliances on that circuit. The same appliances that I have had the last 3-4 years. I have been unplugging my refrigerator a lot the last couple days working on the the water line running to my ice maker. 

Maybe the outlet is shorting out the breaker??

bgebrent

Jeremiah said:

g8golfer said:

No new appliances on that circuit. The same appliances that I have had the last 3-4 years. I have been unplugging my refrigerator a lot the last couple days working on the the water line running to my ice maker. 

Maybe the outlet is shorting out the breaker??

or could there be a water leak nearby?

Photo Egg

g8golfer said:

No new appliances on that circuit. The same appliances that I have had the last 3-4 years. I have been unplugging my refrigerator a lot the last couple days working on the the water line running to my ice maker. 

Does the plug that hosts your fridge have a reset?
Those boxes are known to go bad and throw breakers.

DoubleEgger

Jeremiah said:

g8golfer said:

No new appliances on that circuit. The same appliances that I have had the last 3-4 years. I have been unplugging my refrigerator a lot the last couple days working on the the water line running to my ice maker. 

Maybe the outlet is shorting out the breaker??

Take the extension cord and plug the fridge into another outlet on the same circuit. If it runs fine, change the outlet, if it blows, change the breaker. 

g8golfer

@DoubleEgger I unplugged the extension cord and put it into an outlet on the same circuit and it worked fine so I’m guessing the outlet is bad? 

DoubleEgger

g8golfer said:

@DoubleEgger I unplugged the extension cord and put it into an outlet on the same circuit and it worked fine so I’m guessing the outlet is bad? 

Sounds like you've got it isolated. Change the outlet and you're good to go. Likely a loose wire but outlets are dirt cheap. 

g8golfer

Thanks appreciate the help. If I burn my house down I will blame it on JIC. 

theyolksonyou

Just make sure that breaker is thrown before you start. 

Also, don't drink and do electrical work.  Don't ask. 

g8golfer

Yeah I’m scared of electric so I’m going to kick the main breaker before I replace the plug tomorrow. 

SmokeyPitt

I am no expert either but just thought I would add you need to replace it with another GFCI outlet (the one with the reset button).

g8golfer

Ok. Can I buy those outlets at Lowe’s @SmokeyPitt? 

theyolksonyou

g8golfer said:

Ok. Can I buy those outlets at Lowe’s @SmokeyPitt? 

Is it on a GFCI breaker?  If so, no need. 

DoubleEgger

theyolksonyou said:

g8golfer said:

Ok. Can I buy those outlets at Lowe’s @SmokeyPitt? 

Is it on a GFCI breaker?  If so, no need. 

I'm positive it's on a GFCI circuit.  

g8golfer

No it’s a regular breaker and a regular outlet no reset button on either 

DoubleEgger

Replace the outlet with an exact replacement 

bgebrent

DoubleEgger said:

Replace the outlet with an exact replacement 

this.

g8golfer

@DoubleEgger sounds good. Thanks again.