Show All
Show Answers
Show Open Questions
Show Most Popular
Oct 12, 2015
Standard electrical work or sub standard?
I had a contractor update about 85 to 90 percent of the electrical in my house. Since, I found out that there are 20 fixtures on one breaker. Included on this one breaker is the gas tankless water heater and the inside unit for central air. I understand it's about amps, but this doesn't sound right at all. These fixtures are spread out randomly between 8 areas. It seems like it was done out of convenience. I first started noticing this problem when my wife started tripping the breaker any time she used her hair dryer. All this seems wrong in so many ways but I'm not the expert. Does anyone have comments suggestions? I should also let you know I have let them know. The electrician came out and seemed more bothered with my complaint then anything. He said the arc breakers I have are very sensitive and that's probably why. He said he could come back later and wire the intake for ac to another breaker if that's what I wanted. He hasn't been back or contacted me. Now that breaker won't even stay on. I need to know if I should be getting someone more competent to deal with this as well.

Mike Goldberg answered:

Oct 16, 2015

I agree with answer 1.  The electrician should have had his work inspected by an independant electrical inspection agency.  they would place a sticker on the panel bos.  you can also contact the inspection agency yourself and have them do an inspection for you.  It sounds as if the electrician did not follow standard eclectic parctices or code.

Dec 10, 2015

Mike made a good point.....were any inspections done? What's the age of this home? Size of home? Size of original service v/s new panel? Was the re-wire part of a heavy-up? If done incorrectly, this can lead many problems.

Eric Dvorak answered:

Oct 14, 2015

You should find someone more competant, the major appliances should be on their own breaker (furnace on a 20a breaker and gas tankless on another 15 or 20a). It can be normal to spread out the circuit recepticals in a few rooms so if a breaker trips in a room there would be another receptical in that same room on another breaker so your not left in the dark. Also the panel should be properly labled. Good luck.

Feb 19, 2018

Arc faults can trip easily.  "Updated the electrical" is a broad term.  It is hard to judge if this is substandard work without knowing the scope of work or if permits were obtained.  Did they have permits and inspections?  If the work was permitted and completed poorly, you may have some other options of how to proceed if the electrician remains unresponsive. 

Are you a building professional?

Why not answer these questions like a pro?

Sign up free