Electrical gremlins...Non Car

"PartyPooper2012" (PartyPooper2012) 07/20/2020 at 09:53 • Filed to: None

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Our office has a fancy coffee machine. It is plugged into GFCI outlet 20A. That one outlet is connected to only one 20A circuit breaker in a panel.

From time to time GFCI outlet pops.

From time to time Circuit breaker panel makes crackling sounds.

This morning, the Circuit breaker panel was making the noise... then GFCI outlet popped.

Load wise, 20 A should be enough. I believe the coffee machine demands 1800 watts max when it’s heating up the boilers.

GFCI outlet has recently been replaced and it is still happening.

One option is that the coffee machine has some corrosion around boilers which requires more power to heat water and therefore it’s popping shit.

Another option is that the circuit breaker is having an issue and needs to be replaces.

Circuit breaker makes crackling sounds only sometimes. Not all times.

Any thoughts? 

Tekamul > PartyPooper2012 07/20/2020 at 10:06

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Replace the circuit breaker. Also have a qualified technician look at the wiring when replacing the breaker. It’s possible a poor connection on the backside is leading to arching, the source of the noise.

Edit : Just read again, you said "fancy". Does it have a built in grinder?

MiniGTI - now with XJ6 > PartyPooper2012 07/20/2020 at 10:16

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Could definitely be a bad connection from the breaker to the bus  bars in the box — I’ve seen it.

BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind > PartyPooper2012 07/20/2020 at 10:20

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I had this issue in an office too, across two circuits - we had two micros, and they both couldn’t be running without the circuit popping.

If it’s not a load issue, there might be some damage to the wiring in the wall or the coffee pot. Small nick, broken wire; something that’s causing an arc.

I’d say first try a new coffee pot (just a cheap $15 thing) or plug in something else alone, like a microwave,  to see if the issue persists. If it does, put in a new breaker.

PartyPooper2012 > Tekamul 07/20/2020 at 10:21

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umm... no. not that fancy. Grinder (not the dating app) exists, but is plugged in on a different outlet/circuit.

This fancy gizmo just makes espressos, Expressos, and cappucc inos

PartyPooper2012 > MiniGTI - now with XJ6 07/20/2020 at 10:23

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landlord is coming by later. I will ask him to have an electrician look at it, but he seems to think the fancy machine might be the culprit.

Odd that the GFIC outlet is popping tho. Those work by comparing current going in and coming back. if not same, pop. I don’t know if that would somehow be caused by circuit breaker. 

PartyPooper2012 > BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind 07/20/2020 at 10:27

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Ugh! This issue is so intermittent. When the coffee maker is heating up, it may or may not pop. Once it’s heated up and just maintains temp, it’s fine.

Microwave might not pull same amps. Regular coffee maker is definitely not gonna be anywhere near this demand.

Some folks on interwebs have reported having similar issues and that is caused by some wires inside being melted or brittle. I check. all looks fine as far as I can tell... but I didn’t examine every wire.

This is what we'll show whenever you publish anything on Kinja: > PartyPooper2012 07/20/2020 at 10:58

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Try a hair dryer or portable heater. They'll pull 1800w all day long, or until they overheat and shut down.

This is what we'll show whenever you publish anything on Kinja: > PartyPooper2012 07/20/2020 at 10:59

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Send it to me and I'll have a look at it. ;)

PartyPooper2012 > This is what we'll show whenever you publish anything on Kinja: 07/20/2020 at 11:42

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it’s in the mail

PartyPooper2012 > This is what we'll show whenever you publish anything on Kinja: 07/20/2020 at 11:44

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things to try... I will if its not fixed... i am afraid the fancy coffee maker might be the culprit tho. 

4kc > PartyPooper2012 07/20/2020 at 12:11

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Definitely sounds like arcing in the box or the wall 

facw > PartyPooper2012 07/20/2020 at 14:29

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I’m no electrician, but like you I really doubt that you are exceeding the load limit. Since GFCI is tripping it seems like you’ve got some bad wiring and/or a short somewhere. Is there another outlet where you could try the coffee maker to isolate it from the circuit and see which one is the source of your troubles?  

PartyPooper2012 > facw 07/20/2020 at 15:31

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Not in the office. it seems that is the only GFCI outlet near kitchenette. All other outlets have a different plug configuration.

Lets pretend it’s the coffee machine... why the hell would the circuit breaker in the panel be making noise?

However, if it’s the circuit breaker in the panel, why the hell would GFCI outlet trip?

oldmxer > PartyPooper2012 07/21/2020 at 00:33

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through the process of heat cycles the connections alon g the line can lose the tension necessary to maintain enough contact to prevent over heating as the amps have less and less material available, the sound is more than likely proof that the panel should be opened and checked. by the time this kind of thing happens there should be evidence of arcing where the screw meets the wire. we usually cut the oxidized part off the wire and hopefully there is enough slack that the wire will still be us able, but i would replace the breaker, these fluctuations in amps can cause the outlet to trip, it more than likely is ok but sometimes they too can be at the end of their life and keep tripping for no apparent reason, i wired my house and found some of these outlets are just too trippy from the factory

PartyPooper2012 > oldmxer 07/21/2020 at 05:25

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That.... makes some sense. I am not about to climb into a 200 amp panel, but landlord said he will send out an electrician to take a look.

Thanks for your words. Sometimes it’s the experience, not book learning that get you through a problem.

you wouldn’t happen to know where Jimmy Hoffa might be, would you? Long shot, but maybe you know...