AFCI breaker trips when garage door shuts hard

[Jraef]

We haven't determined whether it's the breaker or the circuit yet.

He said he replaced the breaker, no change.

 

[Jraef]

Tools. Buy tools first, then look for simple solutions. The guy that retires with the most tools wins!

The "R word" has entered my lexicon of late, I am likely going to be divesting myself of any tool I haven't touched in 10 years or more. That will barely make a dent though.

 

[LarryFine]

After replacing the breaker and moving it to a different spot in the panel, the same thing still happens.

I'm not clearly grasping what "the same thing still happens" means.

Which same thing? There is more than one possible constant.

Sorry if I'm not getting it.

I'm not sure if this helps with your questions.

I'm asking whether any breaker you put in a given spot, feeding a specific circuit always trips . . .
. . . or . . .
. . . does the same physical breaker trip no matter where, feeding any circuit, you place it?

I'm gathering that everyone else believes you mean the former; it's always the same circuit.

 

[Little Bill]

My theory is that slamming the door causes the button/control to "bump" the opener motor and the breaker doesn't like that.

Have you tried it with the opener unplugged?

-Hal

Hal, it's not the garage car door, it's the man door that is slammed and causing the trip.

 

[Little Bill]

I'm not clearly grasping what "the same thing still happens" means.

Which same thing? There is more than one possible constant.

Sorry if I'm not getting it.


I'm asking whether any breaker you put in a given spot, feeding a specific circuit always trips . . .
. . . or . . .
. . . does the same physical breaker trip no matter where, feeding any circuit, you place it?

I'm gathering that everyone else believes you mean the former; it's always the same circuit.

OP bought a new breaker
OP took out the old breaker
OP chose a new spot in the panel
OP installed the new breaker in the new spot
The new breaker in the new spot still gets tripped when the door is slammed.
Thus the "same thing happens"

Also, as I mentioned earlier, it points to a problem in the circuit wiring somewhere. Either the wire or connections.

 

[augie47]

My money is with Jraef, Post 14

 

[hbiss]

Hal, it's not the garage car door, it's the man door that is slammed and causing the trip.

Yes, I understood that. I had the issue of the man door slamming and causing the overhead door control button, which was on the wall right next to the man door, to close each time it slammed. As I said above, my theory is that that's what may be happening here. Momentarily activating the motor could cause a problem with the AFCI. It's a long shot, but would be confirmed by pulling the plug on the opener.

Other than that, use a 5 pound lump hammer and a piece of 2x4 on the flat and bang around the wall by the door.

-Hal

 

[hillbilly1]

I’ve had insulators drive a staple into the cable, hitting the ground and neutral, since it didn’t hit the hot, it didn’t burn the staple.

 

[Little Bill]

Yes, I understood that. I had the issue of the man door slamming and causing the overhead door control button, which was on the wall right next to the man door, to close each time it slammed. As I said above, my theory is that that's what may be happening here. Momentarily activating the motor could cause a problem with the AFCI. It's a long shot, but would be confirmed by pulling the plug on the opener.

Other than that, use a 5 pound lump hammer and a piece of 2x4 on the flat and bang around the wall by the door.

-Hal

Garages don't require AFCI.

 

[hbiss]

Garages don't require AFCI.

This is true.

this past weekend, they started having a 20A AFCI trip when they slammed their garage door too hard.

Has the OP replaced the breaker with a GFCI breaker?

-Hal

 

[qcroanoke]

I’ve got a customer who owns one side of a 2016 duplex with a Siemens panel. this past weekend, they started having a 20A AFCI trip when they slammed their garage door too hard. (I’m talking about the garage door going from inside the house to inside the garage, not the vehicle garage door). The panel sits about 8’ from the door and the breaker tripping controls the living room and dining room outlets, none of which are anywhere close to the garage. After replacing the breaker and moving it to a different spot in the panel, the same thing still happens. I’ve tried simulating the experience by whacking the panel, but it never trips when just rattling the panel. Only when the garage door is slammed shut. Has anyone had a similar experience?

Have they done anything in the living room and dining room? Hung pictures, replaced outlets? How about around or in the wall where the door is? If it's worked since 2016 and now it doesn't. Customers don't always remember or tell the truth......

 

[qcroanoke]

Breaker feeds living room and dining room. Not the garage.