Dryer trips circuit - Help!

[Flygirl58]

I am entirely electricity-anything-challenged. Lately, and suddenly, my dryer trips the breaker. Even with all things off (except say, clocks) it still happens. The dryer vent is clear and clean - yet it always happens about 15 minutes into the drying cycle. (Even with heat on lowest setting). Before my dryer blows up the house - could it just be a faulty CB? Don't have a clue how to test it. Any help before I hire an electrician would be lovely. Thanks!

[ray2047]

Is it a gas dryer or an electric dryer? I'm guessing gas dryer because you mention other things on the circuit. What else is on the circuit? What is the number on the handle of the circuit breaker, 15 or20?

[Flygirl58]

Hi, thanks.
It's an electric dryer. The outdoor CB box which trips is a double switch - labeled 60. The indoor CB box labeled "Dryer" is a 30-30, but it never trips.

Outdoor seems to be the main, so everything shuts off when it trips, but it resets easily.

Seems televisions, computer, water heater and lights are all affected by the one switch.

Does that help?

[thinman]

Sounds like you have a 60 amp main circuit breaker. That's pretty small for a residence. Any idea how old the main circuit breaker/panel might be? It could be on its last leg.

[french277V]

Maybe or maybe not.,

Let get to the facts first.,

Typical resdentinal dryer useally run 4800- 5800 watts which it will result of 20-25 amp range

Now with common run of mill electric waterheater which most of them useally have 4500 watt elements in there but most of them useally dont draw more than 20 amp the most unless you got 5500 watt elements you will get about 23 amps

so far you got 43 to 50 amp allready if both are on now with 60 amp breaker there is not much room left before it will trip.

Add few lights , computer et TV you are pretty much hit right on the spot there.

However if you have electric range { stove } it will pretty much seal the fate on this if you have more than two burners on.

It will be wise idea to call a electrician to come out and have them take a clamp on ampmeter.

That device will tell how much power it actally used so they can able rule it out if breaker going bad or other issue will show up.

Merci,Marc

[Flygirl58]

Merci...

While the stove is gas -- I'm not certain I understand why suddenly this began happening. However, I will take your good advice and have it checked. This is a mobile home (on a lovely lake) and the new CB box was installed about 6 years ago to accomodate a room addition. (Seperate box, however).

So the electric water heater and dryer are on the same 'load' - and perhaps it's shot.
Thank you for your time, and your input.
Susie

[ecman51`]

Oddily similar this year I get called to a condo where handiless tenant zaps dryer with hot terminal ends of new dryer cord (get ready) - after he first plugs the unhooked up cord into the recepticle! .

The indoor double-30 breaker stays on, along with all the inside breakers. But the outdoor 100 breaker, below the meter, trips. I do not believe he had hardly anything else running in the house at that time. He was home alone with the wife gone. Wife came home and was grateful I restored power to condo AND hooked up the dryer cord, rather than her husband.

[Flygirl58]

I still don't understand how - while historically - everything has run just fine, this could come up so quickly. As I said, in December, suddenly -- it trips it. So, if the amp load has changed, could it be the dryer, or more likely - the outside Circuit Breaker Box?
I assume I will get a reading and see... thanks for your time!

[french277V]

Originally Posted by Flygirl58

Merci...

While the stove is gas -- I'm not certain I understand why suddenly this began happening. However, I will take your good advice and have it checked. This is a mobile home (on a lovely lake) and the new CB box was installed about 6 years ago to accomodate a room addition. (Seperate box, however).

So the electric water heater and dryer are on the same 'load' - and perhaps it's shot.
Thank you for your time, and your input.
Susie

To be fair with you I really suggest you get ahold of electrician due some case I know from my past expernice which I allready dealt some of them used alum underground cable.

The last one I did it have #6 alum conductors and that person did used 70 amp breaker { I am not kidding } and burnt a bit of conductors in the box end up replaceing it with proper cable and with correct breaker size and after that never have any more issue with it.

How old is this mobile home is ? if less than 10 year old it should have 100 amp main breaker in there as long it have proper cable size there.

Some of mobile home parks pretty good percentage still use the #6 { it will come in either Alum or copper cable } with 60 amp on it.

Over the time the connections can get loosen up and get hot it can make the breaker tripped much earlier than it should.

Merci,Marc