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I have used a table top oven -- not a toaster oven but a real oven you can bake a cake in -- for years and recently almost every time I use it, it causes the circuit breaker to flip. It isn't consistent but at least 75% of the time the electricity for that portion of the house is interrupted when I use that oven. I've heard that when an appliance is about to go out it pulls more electricity than it used to and can cause a circuit breaker to flip off. Is this true? I'm not using any more high useage appliances than normal so I don't believe that is the problem. It only happens when I'm using the table top oven.
I have used a table top oven -- not a toaster oven but a real oven you can bake a cake in -- for years and recently almost every time I use it, it causes the circuit breaker to flip. It isn't consistent but at least 75% of the time the electricity for that portion of the house is interrupted when I use that oven. I've heard that when an appliance is about to go out it pulls more electricity than it used to and can cause a circuit breaker to flip off. Is this true? I'm not using any more high useage appliances than normal so I don't believe that is the problem. It only happens when I'm using the table top oven.
you could try it on a different circuit (in a different room) that has the same breaker rating. That would tell you if it is the appliance or the circuit breaker causing the problem.
If it is a 15 amp breaker, try plugging it into a circuit with a 20 amp breaker. If it is already on a 20 amp circuit, find out whether there are other heavy load items on the same circuit (heavy load - things that make heat, cold, or move). If it is on a 20 amp circuit and no other heavy load items are on the circuit try plugging some other heavy load item like a toaster in there. If the toaster does not blow the breaker, throw the oven away and buy a new one.
Thanks for the advice. I'll borrow a toaster and see what happens. That particular circuit has the refrigerator, the kitchen lights, bedroom lights and anything in use in the bedroom (computer and a room heater on low). I think it's probably time I threw the table top oven away and got a new one. It's 15-20 years old, at least.
As long as you're not running the oven at the same time, the circuit won't flip. Cheaper way is to find a different 15 or 20 amp circuit of course.
This is clearly a waste of money and effort, when it's pretty apparent that the reason for the breaker tripping is its being overloaded- and not by "just" the oven.
Thanks for the advice. I'll borrow a toaster and see what happens. That particular circuit has the refrigerator, the kitchen lights, bedroom lights and anything in use in the bedroom (computer and a room heater on low). I think it's probably time I threw the table top oven away and got a new one. It's 15-20 years old, at least.
15 amp circuit can handle about 1800 watts. The toaster oven in combination with either the room heater/refrigerator by themselves could put you over that. Likely if you turned that heater up to high you'd have same issue especially when the fridge turned on.
Breakers get weak when they are overloaded for long periods. The maximum continuous rating for a breaker is 80% of the listed amperage, so a 15 amp breaker is only good for a 12 amp continuous load. A 20 amp breaker is only good for 16 amps continuous. The maximum current rating is only there to accommodate temporary surges, like the refrigerator motor starting.
Either throw away your tabletop oven and don't replace it, or keep it and spend some money bringing your kitchen wiring up to code.
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I'll borrow a toaster and see what happens. That particular circuit has the refrigerator, the kitchen lights, bedroom lights and anything in use in the bedroom (computer and a room heater on low). I think it's probably time I threw the table top oven away and got a new one. It's 15-20 years old, at least.
