Why Is My Microwave Tripping the Breaker?

Microwave ovens transformed kitchens throughout America when they hit their market during the 70s. Since then, these amazing appliances have advanced a lot in terms of options, smaller sizes, and greater capacity for cooking than ever before. With more power comes higher consumption of power; however, when your microwave is turning off the fuse in your home, it's an indication that your appliance is overloading its electrical system. The question is, what's the reason, what is the cause, and what can you do to fix the issue?

REASONS WHY YOUR MICROWAVE IS TRIPPING YOUR BREAKER

When an appliance like the microwave oven keeps triggering an electrical circuit breaker, you're overburdening the circuit's electrical components, and it's designed to handle a certain amount of ampere. When the microwave is over the limit, the circuit breaker is shut down, and electrical flow is stopped. To allow this kind of reaction to happen, it must be the result of two problems in play:

• Many items are connected to the same circuit the microwave oven is operating on and can result in overloaded.
  
• It is inoperable and draws a lot of electricity.

Finding the root of the issue involves just a few steps:

Make sure to check whether the microwave is equipped with its own circuit.

A dedicated circuit serves just one appliance. It helps safeguard your electronics and home. When you place several major devices connected to an electrical circuit, it is in danger of overloading your circuit and possibly triggering the circuit breaker. The breaker's repeated tripping can cause it to degrade, and if it happens, it could result in the wiring overheating, and it will place you and your family at risk of an electric fire.

A microwave requires its own circuit with a 20 ampere to avoid an overload. If it is on an exclusive circuit, the breakers that have tripped must be identified by the term "microwave"--if it's not, it's probably an open circuit. No matter if the microwave is on an exclusive circuit, it is a good idea to proceed to the next step to make sure the appliance is functioning properly.

Check the microwave to see whether it's damaged.

Plug the appliance into an alternative outlet, either a part not within your home where the breaker has greater amperage, for instance, in a workshop or garage or in an outlet that has a designated circuit. If the appliance causes a trip to the breaker, then the issue is in the microwave, which means you'll need to fix or change it.