The shutdown was triggered by the circuits breaker (orfuses) in your homes service panel.
What Is an Electrical Circuit Overload?
An electrical circuit overload comes up whenever you draw more electricity than a circuit can safely handle.
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How Do Electrical Circuit Overloads Work?
Electrical circuitsare designed to handle a limited amount of electricity.
The electricity usage of each equipment (when running) adds to the total LOAD on the circuit.
If any of these problems persist after youve taken steps to prevent circuit overloads, contact an electrician.
Mapping circuits are simple (if repetitive): Get a notepad and a pencil.
Next, walk through the house and try all the lights, ceiling fans, and plug-in appliances.
Write down everything that doesnt have power, and note the room it is in.
You dont necessarily have to go through the entire house for each circuit.
Repeat the process for all of the 15 and 20 circuits.
Calculating Circuit Loads
Your circuit map tells you which devices are powered by each circuit.
Now you have to calculate how much power those devices are using.
To do that, you need a quick lesson in electrical energy.
Compare thetotal wattageof each circuit to the load rating of that circuit.
The circuits with 15 breakers are rated for 15 amps.
Solutions
The maximum load on each circuit isnt the ideal target.
National Fire Protection Agency.
