2. amps-preamps
  3. 152986-38712

Amp tripping circuit breaker.

I have a 20 amp circuit, AFCI breaker, with only my entertainment rack on it.  The breaker has been tripping periodically for about a year now.  Recently the problem has been worse and I suspected my amplifier.  Long story short, the breaker only trips when the amp is plugged in, with statistical certainty.  Unknown if it matters if amp is on or not.

Amp is a Monolith 7.  I opened the cover and saw no obvious signs of damage.  Everything is clean and dust free.

any thoughts?
magneplanman
millercarbon's avatar
millercarbon
12,531 posts
 
The AFCI part can trip based on modest ground currents.

AFCI is Arc Fault. GFCI is Ground Fault. They are completely different. One is an arc that can be a fire hazard. The other is more a nuisance (when it trips) than a risk.

Long story short, the breaker only trips when the amp is plugged in, with statistical certainty.  Unknown if it matters if amp is on or not.

If it happens with the amp plugged in and turned off there is a statistical certainty its not the amp.

 the reason I suspected the amp is because it’s own protection was tripping earlier in the summer, often immediately when powering from a cold start.

And yet this did not trip the breaker. This is what we call a "clue".


It ended up going away.
So the amp was a Walker?

Only thing I can think of that made the problem go away, was I went from having the thermostat set at 76 to 72, which definitely reduced the indoor humidity.

Fascinating.
gs5556
1,235 posts
 
Call in an electrician. The breaker may be doing its job, that is, there could be an arc fault somewhere in the circuit. Did you nail anything to a wall over that time period?
wolf_garcia
6,708 posts
 
I had a breaker fail once and (after shutting off the main power switch) I simply removed it, took it to Home Depot to make sure I bought the right replacement...installed it in a few minutes. Done.


jea48
4,451 posts
 
@OP

By chance is the electrical panel/ AFCI breaker in the panel a Square D type? By chance does it have a white test push button? If so it is a CAFI AFCI and you can test whether the breaker is tripping on over load or short circuit,  or,  if it is tripping on arc fault.

Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rw8exWpipJY

Here is another Link for a square D CAFI AFCI breaker. Click on the first video on the left hand side of the page.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Square-D-Homeline-20-Amp-Single-Pole-Combination-Arc-Fault-Circuit-Break...


*Do not attempt to change out the breaker yourself... Hire an electrician.



millercarbon's avatar
millercarbon
12,531 posts
 
Did you nail anything to a wall over that time period?


Do not attempt to hammer anything into a wall. Hire a carpenter.
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