Forum > Home Improvement
a switch is overloaded in the breaker box
chopin1397:
I’m in a home with 2 upstairs bathrooms. There are small floor heaters in both. If they are both on they trip the switch in the breaker box. Lights in both are no problem. It’s the wall receptacles that are apparently the problem. Seems to me the easy solution is to put a new switch in the breaker box (there are 8 available slots), then simply split off some of the wiring to the new switch to take the load off the existing switch. Would this work?
Bill:
JA is right. Unless you are ABSOLUTELY qualified to do this kind of wiring, DON"T. Hire an electrician.
Bill
chopin1397:
I definitely wouldn't just replace the breaker with a higher amperage. There are 8 free slots in the box. The switch that trips is no. 17 with a 15 amp rating. If there are 2 sets of wires going into 17 I don't think there is a risk if I split off one set of those wires to a new 15 amp switch in one of the free slots.
Bill:
If there are two sets of wires going into #17, it wasn't wired properly in the first place. Chances are the second set were added by someone other than the original electrician. But you're right, splitting one set to a new breaker would probably solve the problem. Be sure to turn off power to the Breaker box before going any further.
chopin1397:
I should have mentioned I haven't unscrewed the cover and looked behind the switch yet. So it might not be possible to fix it without new wiring which I would not attempt. I do not see a switch on the box that cuts off all electricity. Is that switch somewhere else?
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