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#1
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Can someone define what the "trip amps" on a breaker means? I have a
20A breaker that has a Trip Amps of 27A. I'm running a breaker right at 20A and it's tripping after several minutes. I just increased it to a 25A breaker, but I'd like to understand what "trip amps" means. -- Geoff |
#2
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GeoffSchultz wrote:
Can someone define what the "trip amps" on a breaker means? I have a 20A breaker that has a Trip Amps of 27A. I'm running a breaker right at 20A and it's tripping after several minutes. I just increased it to a 25A breaker, but I'd like to understand what "trip amps" means. -- Geoff Hello Geoff, As you've found out, common circuit breakers are not precision devices. The current at which a breaker will trip seems to be a function of age, time, number of switch cycles, manufacturing tolerances, etc. Seems to usually work out ok, though. Generally, a 20 Amp breaker will not trip at 20 Amps, at least not immediately. They are tested at 135% and 200% of rated capacity. So the 27 Amps works out to be 135% of 20 Amps. This is sometimes called a "must trip" rating, which, in practice, is a must trip if you cross your fingers thing. After all, do you know anybody who has ever tested one? Hope that helps. Good luck. Chuck ----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Unrestricted-Secure Usenet News==---- http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 120,000+ Newsgroups ----= East and West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption =---- |
#3
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I just increased it to a 25A breaker,
Which the circuit's wiring will still support, right? |
#4
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"Bill Kearney" wkearney-99@hot-mail-com wrote in
: I just increased it to a 25A breaker, Which the circuit's wiring will still support, right? You mean the #14 it's wired with may be too small? Why is it, in a boat or car, it's ok to fuse or breaker #16 wire at 30A on a 12V DC circuit, but not on the AC circuit? That has never ceased to amaze me.... They melt the same. Larry -- |
#5
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Larry wrote:
snip You mean the #14 it's wired with may be too small? Why is it, in a boat or car, it's ok to fuse or breaker #16 wire at 30A on a 12V DC circuit, but not on the AC circuit? That has never ceased to amaze me.... They melt the same. Larry The electrons in an AC circuit are like a Chinese or Italian fire drill compared the electrons in a DC circuit. They keep rushing back and forth from one end to the other and generating a lot of extra heat. DC circuits are like German fire drills. All the electrons are moving in an orderly flow from one end to other so you can have about two or three times as many participants. Yep, that's it. That's my story and I'm sticking to it... Jack -- Jack Erbes in Ellsworth, Maine, USA - jackerbes at adelphia dot net (also receiving email at jacker at midmaine.com) |
#6
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"Jack Erbes" wrote in message
... The electrons in an AC circuit are like a Chinese or Italian fire drill compared the electrons in a DC circuit. They keep rushing back and forth from one end to the other and generating a lot of extra heat. DC circuits are like German fire drills. All the electrons are moving in an orderly flow from one end to other so you can have about two or three times as many participants. Yep, that's it. That's my story and I'm sticking to it... And your switches work by pressing hard on the wire until no electron can pass anymore, right? Meindert |
#7
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On Mar 7, 11:34 pm, "Bill Kearney" wkearney-99@hot-mail-com wrote:
I just increased it to a 25A breaker, Which the circuit's wiring will still support, right? It 10 AWG wire. The 20A circuit breaker is a new breaker and I suspect that it's defective. I'm going to return it. -- Geoff |
#8
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Meindert Sprang wrote:
"Jack Erbes" wrote in message ... The electrons in an AC circuit are like a Chinese or Italian fire drill compared the electrons in a DC circuit. They keep rushing back and forth from one end to the other and generating a lot of extra heat. DC circuits are like German fire drills. All the electrons are moving in an orderly flow from one end to other so you can have about two or three times as many participants. Yep, that's it. That's my story and I'm sticking to it... And your switches work by pressing hard on the wire until no electron can pass anymore, right? Meindert Right! Hey, I need some technical help while you're here. I accidentally let the smoke out of some of my wiring, how can I put that back? :) Jack -- Jack Erbes in Ellsworth, Maine, USA (jackerbes at adelphia dot net) (also receiving email at jacker at midmaine dot com) |
#9
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chuck wrote:
:GeoffSchultz wrote: : Can someone define what the "trip amps" on a breaker means? I have a : 20A breaker that has a Trip Amps of 27A. I'm running a breaker right : at 20A and it's tripping after several minutes. I just increased it : to a 25A breaker, but I'd like to understand what "trip amps" means. : : -- Geoff : :Hello Geoff, :As you've found out, common circuit breakers are not precision devices. :The current at which a breaker will trip seems to be a function of age, :time, number of switch cycles, manufacturing tolerances, etc. Seems to :usually work out ok, though. :Generally, a 20 Amp breaker will not trip at 20 Amps, at least not :immediately. They are tested at 135% and 200% of rated capacity. So the :27 Amps works out to be 135% of 20 Amps. This is sometimes called a :"must trip" rating, which, in practice, is a must trip if you cross your :fingers thing. After all, do you know anybody who has ever tested one? Many circuit breakers have two tripping method. There's a magnetic breaker that trips nearly instantly on large overcurrent. Then there's a thermal breaker that will trip on smaller overload, but not instantly. That allows for starting motors and the like. |
#10
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"Jack Erbes" wrote in message
... Right! Hey, I need some technical help while you're here. I accidentally let the smoke out of some of my wiring, how can I put that back? :) Unscrew the other end and suck on it hard. Or maybe reversing the polarity might help. I hope it wasn't AC? Meindert |
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