Why does my welder keep tripping the breaker?
The reason your welder keeps tripping the breaker is due to inadequate breaker size, using an old breaker, and the wrong welder settings. An old electrical wiring or malfunctioning welder could also cause your welder to trip the circuit breaker.
Inadequate breaker size
A circuit breaker helps protect your home or garage from fire outbreaks. They work by causing a break in electricity flow when the amperage (energy demand) gets too high. The electromagnet in the circuit causes the switch to flip off and open the circuit, breaking the flow of electricity.
Welders are powerful tools that demand a lot of electricity. The power rating of the welder is usually found on the pack’s body or in the instruction manual.
The circuit breaker powering your welder must be designed for high amperage. The standard breaker installed in most homes is not usually large enough for this. If they are not, when you plug in your welder, it will pull too much electricity from your circuit. To protect your home, the circuit breaker will trip.
Old breaker
Now that we understand how the circuit breaker helps keep your home safe. We have established that you will not be able to demand more from your electrical systems than they can handle.
However, the protection of a breaker does not last forever. Over time, rust develops on the inside of the breaker, which affects its efficiency. When this happens, the circuit breaker trips before reaching its power rating. So, if you have been using your welder on your breaker and it suddenly starts tripping, you should look into the age of your breaker.
Wrong welder settings
Nowadays, modern welders come with dual voltage welders. These options allow you to set your energy consumption based on how much power you need for welding.
However, most people only consider the lower power option while installing a breaker. Therefore, if you switch to the higher option deliberately or by mistake, without increasing the breaker’s power, your breaker will trip.
An old electrical wiring
Older wiring decay and depreciate over time. Loose connections or melted wires can fuse to cause problems in your electrical system. It may not even be the wirings to the outlet your welder is connected to. Any device connected to the electrical system your welder is also connected to may function improperly and cause it to trip.
Malfunctioning welder
Sometimes the breaker and electrical systems might work just fine, and your welder will still keep tripping them. This often occurs when the welder is malfunctioning. If your breaker trips immediately after you connect it, this is likely the problem.
How to fix a welder that keeps tripping the breaker?
To fix a welder that keeps tripping the breaker, you should inspect your electrical system, replace the circuit breaker with a more powerful one, adjust the settings of your welder, and repair faulty welders.
Troubleshoot your electrical system
Old wirings or circuit breakers can cause your welder to trip the breakers continuously. Follow this guideline to inspect, troubleshoot and fix it.
- Turn off your circuit breaker before you do this.
- Check through the whole of your wirings, as much as you can, to check for any obvious loose connection.
- Ensure there is no faulty appliance connected to the same line.
- Remove all other appliances connected to the same line. They might be eating into your amperage.
- Check the dates the wirings and breakers were installed. If it has been more than ten years, they might be due for a change, especially if they have been used generously.
Replace the circuit breaker
An old circuit breaker or one with a lower amperage than your welder requires will trip when you try to use your welder. Follow this guideline to replace the breaker:
- Ensure the circuit breaker is due for replacement. Next, check the amperage on the body of the handle. You can proceed with the rest of these steps if it is lower than your welder.
- If your welder has the dual voltage, use the higher power option.
- To ensure your wires can handle the new power demand, you may need to revamp them too.
- Depending on where you live, you might need a licensed electrician to handle the wiring and breaker installation.
- Replacing a breaker often cost a pretty penny, around $600 to $4000, depending on whether you will revamp your wiring and other factors. Ensure this is within your budget before you proceed.
Adjust the settings on your welder
Using the wrong settings can cause your welder to trip your breaker.
- If you use a dual voltage welder and suddenly start to have this problem, try running your tool on the lower power setting.
- Consult your user manual to check for the amps sucked at each setting level.
- Cross-check this with your circuit breaker to ensure you have enough power to match the amperage.
Repair a faulty welder
Sometimes, the fault of a tripping breaker might lie with your welder. Contact the manufacturers to ask for intrinsic guides to troubleshoot and repair the problem. You may need to give it to a professional to repair.
Why does my welder keep tripping the GFCI outlet?
Your welder is tripping the GFCI outlet because of an inadequate GFCI size or a worn-out outlet. Using the wrong welder settings or a faulty welder can also cause welder to trip the GFCI outlet.
The GFCI outlet helps protect the rest of your electrical system from power surges. For example, if your welder tries to suck more current through the outlet than its rating, it will trip.
I advise opting for a GFCI outlet with higher amperage, inspecting your electrical system, and using a central circuit breaker instead. You could also adjust the settings of your welder if it has dual voltage options. If all these fail, the fault might lie with your welder. Take it out for repair with a professional.
Why is my welder blowing a fuse?
Your welder is blowing a fuse because of loose or short connections in the wiring or windings. A faulty welder can cause the welder’s plug and extension boxes’ fuse to blow.
If you have a multi-meter, you can try to do a continuity test with the welder unplugged. Go between the earth, neutral, and live pins to see the readings. You should have an open circuit all the time.
You need a mega meter to load the windings to check for breakdown and shorts for improved test results. Then, take the welder to a local electrician for better safety tests.
Why is my welder tripping the RCD?
Your welder is tripping the RCD because your RCD has inadequate amperage or is worn out. Using the wrong welder settings or a faulty welder can also cause the welder to trip the RCD.
The RCD is a life-saving device that helps protect the rest of your electrical system from power surges. For example, if your welder is trying to get more current through the breaker than its rating, it will trip.
I advise opting for an RCD breaker with higher amperage, inspecting your electrical system, and using a central circuit breaker instead. You could also adjust the settings of your welder if it has dual voltage options. If all these fails, the fault might lie with your welder. Take it out for repair with a professional.
Why is my spot welder tripping the breaker?
Your spot welder is tripping the breaker because your breaker has an inadequate size or is worn out. Using the wrong welder settings or a faulty welder can also cause a spot welder to trip the circuit breaker.
Your circuit breaker is a life-saving device that helps protect the rest of your electrical system and home from power surges. However, if your welder is trying to get more current through the breaker than its rating, it will trip.
My advice is to opt for a circuit breaker with higher amperage, inspect your electrical system, and use a central circuit breaker instead. You could also adjust the settings of your welder if it has dual voltage options. If all these fails, the fault might lie with your welder, take it out for repair with a professional.
Why is my plasma cutter tripping the breaker?
Your plasma cutter is tripping the breaker because your breaker has inadequate amperage or is worn out. The wrong plasma cutter settings or a faulty plasma cutter can also cause a plasma cutter to trip the circuit breaker.
The breaker is a life-saving device that helps protect the rest of your electrical system and home from power surges. However, if your plasma cutter is trying to get more current through the breaker than its rating, it will trip.
I advise opting for a circuit breaker with higher amperage, inspecting your electrical system, and using a central circuit breaker instead. You could also adjust the settings of your plasma cutter if it has dual voltage options. If all these fails, the fault might lie with your cutter. Take it out for repair with a professional.
