Electrical – causing the circuit breaker to trip instantly and trip the next breaker too? Update – Video Added

circuit breakerelectrical

One of my circuit breaker trips instantly.

I try to reset it but it trips immediately and trips the breaker under it too.

I can reset the break next to it and it is fine until I try to reset the problem breaker again.

Could the breaker itself be bad? and if so could I swap it out myself?

How would I find which outlets, light, fans are powered by this possibly bad breaker?

Update: I added a video showing the exact issue.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOfW-rqeqkM

Best Answer

Somewhere in the circuit there is likely a low resistance connection between the two legs. The most likely culprit would be a split duplex receptacle that was replaced, and the tab between the upper and lower sections were not removed. Another likely cause would be a staple, nail, screw, etc., that penetrates both cables.

With both breakers off, check continuity between the ungrounded (hot) conductors of each circuit.

  • Turn off both breakers.
  • Set your multimeter to continuity mode, or the lowest resistance setting.
  • Touch one probe to the lug of one breaker, and the other probe to the lug of the other breaker.

With the breakers in the off position, you should read infinity (or open). If you get a reading, it means that these two conductors are connected somewhere. If the reading in not close to 0, there could be a 240 volt load connected between the legs. If the reading is near 0, you have a low resistance short between the legs.

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