How To Reset A Circuit Breaker

Did you know that almost 25% of all electrical power loss service calls could be avoided by knowing how to reset a circuit breaker? Sounds simple but our electricians in Mesa routinely go on commercial and residential electrical service calls to find a tripped breaker that just needs to be set correctly.

Dolce Electric Co schedules an electrician Mesa AZ homeowners and businesses can call and consult with free of charge to discuss their electrical needs. Our in-office electrician in Mesa AZ is available to take your call Monday thru Friday, during normal office hours.

You might already know how to reset a tripped circuit breaker, but what if resetting the lever does not correct the problem? Use this step-by-step tutorial to get your power restored.

This can and will often require a little more effort than just pushing the lever to the on position. In fact, many times a circuit breaker that has tripped will not indicate a problem and look likes it’s still on. Here’s what you need to know before scheduling our Mesa AZ electricians:

Locate The Tripped Breaker In Your Panel

A tripped circuit breaker won’t reset itself. You will need to open up your electrical panel and look for a tripped breaker. It Should be indicated with the actuator lever in the off or straight out position.
Once found, push the lever completely to the off position and then to the on position. In most cases this will reset the circuit breaker.

Note: A tripped circuit breaker will not always look show signs of tripping. Often times the lever will get stuck in the on position even though the internal mechanism has opened.

Turn All Circuit Breakers Off And Back On Again

Turn off all computers before you begin this step.
If you cannot find a circuit breaker tripped (with the lever in the straight out position), firmly push the lever of the first circuit breaker to the off position and then back on again.
Repeat this “off and on again” process until all circuit breakers have been re-energized. Often times a tripped breaker will feel different than the others when you move the lever.
Once you have shut off and turned on all the circuit breakers, see if your power has been restored. If it has been restored, make a note as to which breaker it was in case it trips again.

Unplug Everything On That Circuit And Try Again:

If a breaker trips again while doing the “off and on again” circuit breaker reset process, try unplugging everything on that circuit. A circuit breaker will not reset if a shorted out device is plugged into it. Unplug everything and reset circuit breaker again. If your power is restored, the problem was caused by a plugged in device and not the wiring.
If you have tried resetting a circuit breaker as advised above and your power is still not restored or the breaker tripping continues, it’s time to call an electrician.

More Information:

If your circuit breaker keeps tripping don’t try to restore the power excessive times. You could do more damage. Try it once now that you know how to reset a circuit breaker. If it won’t energize or trips again give our local Mesa electricians a call.

Licensed, bonded and insured for both commercial and residential electrical contracting, Dolce Electric Co schedules electricians Mesa AZ businesses and homeowners can call for expert advice. Tell them what has happened, they may ask you a few simple questions to clarify why they suspect your circuit breaker keeps tripping. After getting the details, they might ask you to try a few safe but important possible fixes. They may be able to save you the cost of an electrician providing a service call!

If the circuit breaker that’s tripped cannot be cleared up over the telephone our local electricians in Mesa will have all the necessary information about the matter. They will have already ruled out several possibilities too. This will save you time and money if an in-home appointment is needed.