Breaker is humming

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james wuebker

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Location
Iowa
OK, this customer call me and told me that his 120 volt breaker was humming in his panel. He has his camper plugged in to this circuit. Only recep. on this run. He said when he started the microwave it kicked out his 120 volt circuit breaker. He then when down to the panel and reset it. Microwave started again but when he was down at the panel he could hear this breaker humming. This is a Sq. D QO type. Told him to shut it off until I could make it out there. Again, I haven't seen the problem in person yet. Wondering if anyone has experience this while in the field.
Thanks!
Jim
 
Re: Breaker is humming

The guy called back and said that his frig.,lights,TV were on this circuit running at the same time. It sounds like when he starts up the microwave the circuit is loaded to it's max. Everything is OK when he's not running the microwave. I'll just go out there tomorrow to see what I can find.
Jim
 
Re: Breaker is humming

Originally posted by james wuebker:
This is a Sq. D QO type.
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That pretty much answers the question for me right there. I can't tell you why, but 9 out of 10 "buzzing" or "humming" breaker complaints I field are QO's. Don't get me wrong, I like Square D just fine, but it does make me long for the old Pushmatic residential bolt-ons every time I see one of these humming breakers or burned buss bar fingers.

[ May 19, 2005, 09:36 PM: Message edited by: mdshunk ]
 
Re: Breaker is humming

mdshunk which finger do you find that is usually burned out? I find the third from the main breaker is usually burnt or arced to a point of no use.
 
Re: Breaker is humming

The humming may be a nuisance but, unless the breaker is heating greater than is acceptable don't worry about it. Remember that there are steel parts inside the breaker. Also remember that alternating current flowing through the breaker induces a magneting field in those steel parts. In addition the alternating current causes the magneting field to alternate. If that steel part is not supported of held in place securely if can vibrate. Dangerous? No, as they say "When it hums it just doesn't know the words."
 
Re: Breaker is humming

There is a bogus adapter on the market that allows a 30 amp 120 volt trailer power cord to be plugged into a 15 amp or 20 amp branch circuit. This is not intended for the purpose of allowing the trailer to be occupied but rather to be able to run a dehumidifier when the trailer is not in use.

What your customer is better off to do is to install a 30 amp 120 volt branch circuit and outdoor outlet. He may need a 50 amp 120/240 volt outlet. If he is using the trailer as an extra bedroom for house guests a faucet and sanitary sewer hookup would also be nice.

In the case of my girlfriend's front yard there is a test tee/cleanout about halfway between the house and the sanitary sewer main that could be adapted in a pinch. If I should win the lottery and have a chance to renovate her house I would just simply buy a motor home and use it as temporary quarters.
 
Re: Breaker is humming

mc5w, found out that is what they are doing with the cord. They are living in their camper until their new house is finished. Should be an easy fix. Thanks everyone for the information.
Bye now,
Jim
 
Re: Breaker is humming

Originally posted by templdl:
No, as they say "When it hums it just doesn't know the words."
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Originally posted by allenwayne:
Or maybe it hums becayse it simply doe not know the words....TAAA DAAAAHHHHHH :D
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Originally posted by hurk27:
Don't quit your day job Allen.
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Also, read the thread before posting.
;)
 
Re: Breaker is humming

Don`t be such a stuff shirt if we can`t jest then this is a stuffy old sparky war story sight.I reregistered in o5 i think but I was originally here under the old and was kinda taken back with the original change but it is coming back around to a fun and knowledgable site
 
Re: Breaker is humming

Allen, of course you can jest.

Just try to be funnier, or at least original. :p

Try this one next time: "Maybe it forgot the words. Ta daa."

Or: "Maybe it's humming because it just realized it's crammed into a small box with a dozen or so beings that look similar to itself, and it suffers from a case of agoraphobia and perhaps a little claustrophobia, coupled with the childhood fear of not 'standing out in the crowd', which compels it to hum in an expectant yet nervous anticipation that perhaps, some other entity might come along and notice it, and perchance pluck it from it's own private hell and servitiude and grant it's release into the wild, or as it is more commonly referred to the trash can. To wit, our trash can might be another being's heaven. Ta daa."

Maybe.
 
Re: Breaker is humming

Oh no, the forumaholics are already turning their handicap into a political advantage. Is it too late for me to admit that I might have a problem?

Edit: I forgot to mention that it couldn't hurt to put an amp clamp on the conductor to the breaker. I'm not saying you'll necessarily find anything abnormal but current is what's behind the buzzing. And I get the impression they wouldn't think twice to overload a circuit.

[ May 21, 2005, 07:45 PM: Message edited by: physis ]
 
Re: Breaker is humming

I have a 2p 30 for a package unit on my work shop (homeline) that buzzes when compressor kicks in.Not loose no burnt buss bar all tight connections.annoying yes but One of these days I might get around to changing it when I get an urge.Till then Oh well
 
Re: Breaker is humming

Went out to check what was going on. Found that they had a 100' 14-2wg cord from the camper to a recep. in the garage. This was on a 15 amp breaker. Checked out the amp draw and was max. to the limit. Voltage was also lower than normial. I went ahead and install a 30 amp temp. circuit for them until they move in their new house. The 30 amp 125v plug is what the camper required if they were using the A/C and the other items that draw more. As you remember they had the 30 to 15 amp plug installed at the camper which wasn't enough for what they were using. I re-checked everything and is OK now. They can run everything in the camper now and they are happy. Also changed out the 15 amp breaker that was humming. Thanks for your ideas.
Bye now,
Jim
 
Re: Breaker is humming

When testing circuit breakers on long time test utilizing a high current test set it is not unusual to here humming in the circuit breaker. Humming generally gets louder right before the circuit breaker trips. Circuit breakers are thermal magnetic devices, typically overloads fall into the thermal range (1X to 3X the circuit breaker rating) while faults and large starting currents (4X to 10X the circuit breaker rating) are in the magnetic trip. This varies from manufacture to manufacture and with breaker type.
 
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