Why does my new microwave keep tripping the breaker?

The answer: The microwave is overloading the electrical circuit. In other words, the circuit is rated to handle a certain amount of amps (unit of electrical current), and the microwave is exceeding that amount, causing the breaker to trip.

How do you stop a microwave from tripping the circuit breaker?

Plug the unit into an alternate outlet, in an area of your home where the breaker has a higher amperage, such as in a garage or workshop, or into an outlet with a guaranteed dedicated circuit. If the appliance trips the breaker, the problem lies with the microwave, and you’ll need to either repair or replace it.

What size breaker do I need for a 1000 watt microwave?

20 Amp
A 1000 watt microwave requires about 1700 watt of wall power. That would be 14 Amps. You need at least a 20 Amp circuit for a microwave.

What size breaker should a microwave be on?

20 amp
Require a 120 volt individual, properly grounded branch circuit with a 3 prong grounding type receptacle, protected by a 15 or 20 amp circuit breaker or time-delay fuse. Over-the-range models should be on a dedicated circuit.

Can a faulty microwave trip a breaker?

Generally, two common microwave problems cause tripped breakers. These are either a damaged fuse or faulty switches. The first and easy way of troubleshooting a microwave is to check its fuse. If it’s burnt, has broken glass, or broken wire, then it needs to be replaced.

Should a microwave be plugged into a GFCI outlet?

A GFI or GFCI outlet is needed if the microwave is located less than 6 feet from a water source such as the edge of the sink, toilet, shower, etc. It is also needed if located outdoors, garages, kitchen counter tops, near laundry, utility sinks, wet bar sinks and near swimming pools.

What to do if an appliance keeps tripping?

Unplug all appliances on that problem circuit and switch off any immersion heaters (if you have one). Switch the tripped switch to the ON position and plug in the appliances one by one until the trip goes again. Leave that appliance unplugged, and have it repaired by a qualified electrician.

How many amps does a 950 watt microwave use?

5 Amps
The microwave oven needs 120 volts of electricity in the form of alternating current to operate, and draws 5 Amps of current during use, according to the information on the label.

Is a 1000 watt microwave powerful enough?

What microwave wattage do I need? A 1,000-watt microwave will cook quickly and efficiently, so that’s a great baseline. Microwaves with 700 watts or less are slower and may not cook evenly. In general, the higher the wattage, the faster the cooking time.

Why does my circuit breaker keep tripping?

If your circuit breaker keeps tripping, it’s usually a sign of something wrong with the circuit. There could be a short circuit in one of the appliances or somewhere in the wiring. There could be a ground fault causing the breaker to keep tripping. There could be a circuit overload.

Why does an appliance keep tripping?

Three of the most common reasons why this may happen are: Too many electrical appliances are in use together, which overloads the circuit. One of the electrical appliances in the house is faulty. There is a faulty power connection in one of the appliances.

Why does my microwave trip the breaker when I use it?

The reason that your microwave trips the breaker whenever you use it is because you are overloading the circuit. Electrical circuits are rated to handle a specific number of amps.

Why is my microwave overloading my circuit?

If it turns out that your microwave is overloading the circuit because the circuit can’t handle the amps, then you need to install a dedicated circuit to your kitchen. This isn’t uncommon, especially when considering that the microwave is probably running at the same time as numerous other kitchen appliances.

How do you fix a microwave that won’t turn on?

Try a using the microwave on a different circuit with nothing else running on that circuit. If the microwave works fine on other circuits, and you’ve already ruled out a GFCI, then you might have a faulty circuit breaker which will need to be removed and replaced. Consult an electrician to replace the breaker.

How do I know if my microwave is on a dedicated circuit?

Look in the breaker box for a breaker labeled “Microwave”. This means the microwave is on a dedicated circuit. If you don’t have one labeled for the microwave, check to see which breaker is tripping. If it’s labeled “Kitchen” or something similar, then the microwave is not on a dedicated circuit.