# Mysterious Elec. Problem



## ajr4997378 (Nov 28, 2012)

In my kitchen I have the left side of the counter plugs on a 20 amp circuit, the right side on a 20 amp, and the center by the sink on a 20 amp circuit. The fridge and microwave are on a 20 amp circuit also. Last week I had too many items plugged into the left side circuit and it blew the breaker for it. However when I came back after resetting the breaker, the microwave needed reset and my wife said that it turned off and back on real quick when the breaker blew on her. The kitchen and fridge plugs are on different phases in the panel. I have the neutral and ground for the kitchen left side on the ground buss bar and the fridge and microwave neutral and ground are on the neutral buss bar. Anyone know why this is. I rewired everything else in the house because of knob and tube. Everything from new light fixtures, adding dedicated circuits, and putting in new plugs and switches and running all romex lines.


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## kok328 (Nov 28, 2012)

That's just the way they wired it.  As long as this is a properly installed "Main" panel, it will not make a difference.


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## ajr4997378 (Nov 28, 2012)

kok328 said:
			
		

> That's just the way they wired it.  As long as this is a properly installed "Main" panel, it will not make a difference.



I had an electrician do the service for the new panel. I added all of the circuits to it after that. I'm just wondering why the microwave and fridge would lose power for a second and come back on when the kitchen breaker would trip


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## nealtw (Nov 28, 2012)

Perhaps you have these two circuits together in a three wire and have the breakers tied together


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## ajr4997378 (Nov 28, 2012)

nealtw said:
			
		

> Perhaps you have these two circuits together in a three wire and have the breakers tied together



No I ran 2 separate 12-2 lines for these circuits and they are on single 20 amp GE breakers. I'm saying the fridge and microwave turn off for a split second every time the kitchen breaker trips.


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## nealtw (Nov 29, 2012)

Yup, that's a good question?


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## ajr4997378 (Nov 29, 2012)

nealtw said:
			
		

> Yup, that's a good question?



I can't figure it out either. I don't even have the neutral and ground for either of these circuits anywhere close to each other in the panel. I have the neutral and ground for the kitchen on the ground buss bar and the fridge and microwave neutral and ground on the neutral buss bar. When any other circuit trips in the house, I don't have any problems. I'm completely puzzled about this.


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## inspectorD (Nov 29, 2012)

Check all the box connections, make sure they are tight. Turn off the power first.
Also check the breakers, one may not be in fully.
Good luck.


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## Wuzzat? (Nov 29, 2012)

If you can reproduce the symptom you have a chance of finding the cause.


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## nealtw (Nov 29, 2012)

I went reading about harmonics. And I am still guessing but if the first breaker kicks off it can change the wave and the computer in the microwave looses the top of the wave will reset but never lost power???
http://support.fluke.com/find-sales/Download/Asset/1260362_6003_ENG_K_W.PDF


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## ajr4997378 (Dec 1, 2012)

nealtw said:
			
		

> I went reading about harmonics. And I am still guessing but if the first breaker kicks off it can change the wave and the computer in the microwave looses the top of the wave will reset but never lost power???
> http://support.fluke.com/find-sales/Download/Asset/1260362_6003_ENG_K_W.PDF



It's just the microwave that shuts off, not the fridge. Every time the kitchen breaker kicks, I have to reset the clock on the microwave, I've never noticed the fridge shutting off.  I just checked all connections on both the microwave and kitchen plug and they are as tight as they will ever be. It's a straight shot to the panel for both circuits (no junctions) and everything in the panel is tight


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## nealtw (Dec 3, 2012)

Like I said, I don't know much about this stuff but the microwave has a micoprosseser that runs on DC which is effected be the wave cycle of the AC when the breaker trips. Maybe someone who knows this stuff will come along and explain this.


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