Can a circuit breaker go bad?

[Joy]

Last night we had a thunderstorm and this morning, one entire circuit in our box is dead.

The breaker was not tripped. I even turned it off and on again but that did nothing.

One other breaker was off, but that only goes to the indoor tub\\jacuzzi which is not working so I MAY have turned it off myself a while ago, but I don't think so. I turned that back on.

The dead circuit is for the garage door openers and some lights and outlets in the upstairs bathrooms for the most part.

Any ideas of what may have happened?

Thanks so much.

Joy

[HeyBub]

Yes it could be the circuit breaker. Could also be a bad connection on the circuit.

If there's not 120 on the hot side of the circuit breaker, the circuit breaker is the culprit.

[HeyBub]

Yes, you're right. But don't you mean "reset?"

[Jeff Wisnia]

Uh, don't you mean the "load side" (its output terminal)?

We should also remind Joy that sometimes one needs to push the circuit breaker lever firmly towards the OFF direction before moving it back to the ON position to achieve a recet.

Jeff

[Joy]

I am such a dolt. My electician neighbor asked me what was on the circuit and then took 5 seconds to suggest checking the GFIs in the bathrooms. I immediately remembered this happened years ago and I went right to the GFI in the powder room.

Problem solved. Probably tripped by the thunderstorm.

Might be a sign of old age or an over-full brain.

Thanks for the help I know I would have received.

Joy

[Jeff Wisnia]

That "thwock" you just heard was me, giving myself a dope slap on the forehead.

So.......

Don't push on that button again, You've pushed it until it's worn thin. It ain't no reset, On that you can bet, So wipe off that shit eating grin.

Jeff

[Davebf303]

I do a lot of handyman work and you would not believe how many times that I find a non-working garage door is simply the result of a GFI that has been tripped by a hair dryer or heater plugged into the bath circuit. Don't feel too bad that you didn't catch it earlier. What you went through is very common.

[SteveB]

I do a lot of handyman work and you would not believe how many times that I find a non-working garage door is simply the result of a GFI that has been tripped by a hair dryer or heater plugged into the bath circuit. Don't feel too bad that you didn't catch it earlier. What you went through is very common.

I have a house I bought nearly two years ago. Just a few days ago, I finally found out ALL the outlets that go out when a GFCI pops in the bathroom. One really feels stupid when this happens.

Steve