Main breaker flipping

jayjay777

Well-Known Member
Totally weird shit. My main breaker went off yesterday. No other breakers went off. Then it happened again today. Today I noticed my box was a little on the warm side. Hmm. I removed panel and everything's fine. Been running 8 lights on 240 for about 6 months with no issues. I put in the box myself last year. All new wiring with dedicated circuit. Done right. I turned my AC and lights down and the breaker box feels nice n cool as it should be.

So could my main breaker be bad or worn? Or could i have loose connection?

Anyone ever run into this before?
 

bottletoke

Well-Known Member
Breakers do 'go bad" so that could be the issue, either your overloading the system or you have a loose connection in your panel. Tighten all the screws at there connection points and make sure the breakers are tight on the bus as well.
The best and easiest way to find out the problem is by using a clamp on amp meter and check the current on all your circuits and overall load. If you can't get one then the process of illumination will work just as good just longer.
Is this the main breaker for a panel that is only doing your grow room or is this a shared panel?
 

MA MED Grower

Well-Known Member
Check your breakers bro. Had the same situation. 2 breakers were bad for me. Replaced and all is well. I keep a box of breakers on hand now just in case
 

jayjay777

Well-Known Member
It's a new ge 100 amp panel. (I know I need to upgrade my service to 200 asap) I have an extra hundred amp breaker as well as 30s and 50s so I can replace em all. My box is getting warm and only the main flips. Its happened 4 times now. Only way to run my shit is at 50 or 75%.

My connections are all tight, only thing I can think of is to pull them all off the busbar and put em back on? Or should I undo all the wires and screw the breakers on again?

I'm not overloading the panel. I'm getting close but it should be fine at this point. However, my main breaker seems to be the source of the heat. So is the loose connection there or could it be elsewhere?
 

jayjay777

Well-Known Member
I replaced the breakers for my room and tighten down on everything. The only thing that is even warm is my main. Actually it's almost hot. so Im almost positive that's the issue. I got a new one here but i don't like the idea of changing out the main thats live without pulling the meter head but o well... Ill do it tomorrow n update y'all.
 

qballizhere

Well-Known Member
I replaced the breakers for my room and tighten down on everything. The only thing that is even warm is my main. Actually it's almost hot. so Im almost positive that's the issue. I got a new one here but i don't like the idea of changing out the main thats live without pulling the meter head but o well... Ill do it tomorrow n update y'all.
What is the total amount of breakers in amps you have on the 100 amp panel?
What else is the panel feeding?
 

jayjay777

Well-Known Member
Actually I checked it a lil bit ago n it was nice n cool so I cranked everything back up, it's still nice n cool. So we're good!

I'm running 16 lights on a 100 amp breaker. 8 at night and 8 during the day. 11/13. So its definitely being over used. Maybe that had something to do with it

But it must of just been a loose connection.

Thanks guys!
 

farmerfischer

Well-Known Member
Yes! Your overloading it if it's hot to touch. My main never failed/ flipped and the breaker started turning white at the wires and was melting. I removed it and the insides were gone from arching but never popped, talk about scary shit. Mines a 200 . but I found out it was not just being overloaded but someone stoled my ground wire from my main box at the meter and the ground off my home. So keep an eye out for that. And I like in the sticks lol
 

jayjay777

Well-Known Member
It gets a little warm buy it's not hot, I'm positive it was just a loose connection. I installed two ground rods also, easy shit.

Unfortunately I want to upgrade to 200 amp service and electric company wants an inspection afterwards. So some day
 
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