Tripping Circuit Breakers and Damaged Appliances

It's easy to miss the connection between a damaged appliance and a constantly tripping Siemens circuit breaker. If you are frequently going to the breaker box to reset Pushmatic breakers or other types, do a quick check around your house or apartment; has someone recently dropped a hair dryer? Has any other appliance been damaged recently? A loose wire or connection inside a damaged appliance can create conditions that cause your circuit breakers to trip.

It is a simple (but time consuming) thing to narrow down the list of possible appliances by unplugging them all and operating each one on a particular circuit one by one. If your Siemens breaker trips with a toaster or hair dryer, but not with a different type of appliance drawing about the same electrical load, chances are you've found your damaged appliance. It may be possible to unplug the device, inspect it and tighten or reconnect a loose wire, but doing so may void your warranty. Double check before attempting any do-it-yourself repair work .