Added light in crawlspace but now bedroom switch trips breaker
I added a switch and light in a crawl space located next to my bedroom. To do this, I tapped into a 15 amp lighting circuit in the crawlspace with wire nuts in a new junction box. From the junction box I ran a wire to a switch and from the switch I ran a wire to a new light fixture.
The new switch and light work fine but when it is on, and I turn on a light switch in the bedroom, the circuit breaker trips. I find it hard to believe that powering one additional 60W bulb is enough to overwhelm a 15 amp circuit. What did I do wrong?
Thanks,
Lyptus
Replies
Is this an AFCI breaker?
That will have test and reset buttons on it
Does it trip the breaker with the bulb out?
To use technical terms, you screwed something up.
If there is an AFCI, that could be part of the problem, if you crossed grounds or failed to match wire colors.
Otherwise you must have simply gotten something shorted or crossed a wire.
Hint: Draw out how you think the circuit should be and make sure you've got it all right.
It could be something stupid like a romex wire clamp screwd down too tight.
Go back, disconnect everything one part at a time until you get it back together and it doesn't trip.