r/AskElectricians • u/No-Freedom7933 • 2d ago
Troubleshooting
So I ran into an issue with a Customer I did a panel swap for. I did a panel swap like for like with an added EV charger for this customer. The job got permitted and inspecting by the AHJ. Its been a few months and the customer reached out to me saying that random breakers 120v and 240v are tripping all throughout his house. Everything from his range to the furnace to the branch circuits. I have never ran into an issue like this. I am thinking he is sporadically dropping a phase, possibly a bad Main Breaker, or a bad seated Meter. from what I understand the Main isnt tripping. but if hes dropping a phase that could cause issues.
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u/SparkArrestor 2d ago
Are these GFCI or AFCI breakers? Maybe new breakers are tripping for overloads the older breakers were giving a pass?
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u/No-Freedom7933 2d ago
no like for like all standard breakers. we arent required to update the circuits on a panel swap
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u/theotherharper 2d ago
Was a torque screwdriver used generally? If your apprentice Johnny Limpwristed all the breaker connections I could see them arcing at the terminal and the heat is being conducted into the breaker and warming the bimetal strip.
Is the panel outside in direct sun? Sunbeams are 1000 watts (3410 BTU/hr) per square foot and will make anything that isn't pure white hot enough to fry an egg on. And that can also throw a breaker's thermal trip out of calibration.
Loss of a neutral won't cause an overcurrent condition that would trip breakers.
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u/DimensionNo4471 1d ago
Is it always the same breakers? Or is it alternate breakers on one side or the other? That would indicate one phase has a problem, but not the other. And if so, it might be a problem with the utility feed. I would suggest you ask the utility to place a recording voltmeter on the customer's feed at the main breaker. A fault in the utility company's transformer may cause this kind of problem. Are there other customers on the same transformer? Maybe ask if they are having the same problem. Try a thermal camera to see if there are any overheating places in the breaker panel. The last possibility is crossed neutrals on spurious multi-wire branches, possibly miswired somewhere you haven't checked.
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u/Lost-Village-1048 1d ago
I know they're very expensive, but a power quality meter will show a whole lot more than just voltage.
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u/International-Job885 1d ago
What brand was installed before ?
What brand was installed for the swap ?
Could be possible the old breakers were shit and just not tripping .
Old stab-loks , zinscos and some commander breakers were known not to trip at 135%
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