Turning lights on trips circuit breaker

If the switch makes a noise when turned on and the breaker pops it is NOT anything not controlled by the switch..

I'm ASSuming this is an exterior light?. Wall mounted? Most likely needs replacement - but the wiring needs to be checked as well. If you are handy, turn off the breaker, and remove the light. Check the wiring closely, and with the wires "nutted off" (put wire nuts on the end of each wire to be sure they cannot ptouch anything) see if it pops the breaker again after turning the breaker on and then flipping the switch on.

Which light pops the breaker - and is it a lamp that is only controlled by one switch??

I say call an electrician or an experienced electrical handyman to check it out - see my previous post.

You english comprehension or your electrical comprehension are lacking.

There are more than oneSUB-CIRCUITS on the breaker. The TV and other stuff are on the same breaker - which IS a circuit, but the TV is not on the switched sub-circuit. (he/she described it as "piggybacked")

The question was, can the REST of the circuit be used safely if the light switch is left off - and the answer is a "qualified" yes.

The "somehow" is the critical verbage - they are connected in that they share the same breaker - but they are not "downstream" of the switch.

I have had bulbs short internally - much more common in low voltage bulbs like automotive tail lamps etc - higher current per watt of output and more vibration may have something to do with it - but #1157 dual fillament bulbs are well known for this failure mode.

I HAVE had it happen on 115 volt (or 120 - whatever you want to call them) bulbs - the most recent one being a tri-light.

Big if though. Does not sound like ANY of the receptacles are switched

- only several lighting circuits.

Actually, they use SIGNIFICANTLY LESS.

A whole lot of wasted time and effort - you can bank on it.

Roy is trying out for group moron. It's a tough competition but he's up for it.

Per inch, sure, but large plasma TVs suck a lot of juice.

That's amazing. It sounds like at least 4 separate bulbs. In the

Tri-light? A two filament bulb, with three settings?

I wouldnt leave the troubled circuit as is, best to get it fixed. rather than leave a unknown issue hanging. since no one knows exactly whats wrong it could be a larger problem, and cause a fire in the future......

I unplug everything on any circuit that repeatedly trips a breaker, its free easy and fast. plus it narrows down the issue. before paying for a electrician its a good idea

one thing the pop means whatever it is is a dead short, which is easier to find than one that trips occasionally, for no apparent reason. I hate intermittents

in any case unplug everything on that breaker, does the breaker still trip when reset?

then replace all light bulbs or just remove them does the breaker still trip?

if these dont help the OP should call a electrician, better safe than sorry.....

They can, and do, fail this way. More common failure is to short the high and low filament, but there was one brand of 1157 bulbs - cannot remember the name, that failed shorted with allarming regularity about

Yes.

In , aemeijers wrote in part:

I once saw a fixture short. The cause: The wires leading to the socket got twisted, because the socket had turned, because someone screwed bulbs in too tightly. The insulation on the wires got soft when the bulb was on and making heat, then POW!

Actually, that time the short was not a dead short. Instead of the breaker popping immediately, the fixture spewed purplish flame for about half a minute.

LCD TVs use less electricity than CRT TVs of the same size. But many people have gotten bigger TVs than they had before. And external audio equipment that is on when the TV is on.

Yeah if it fails when the light is turned on that narrows the problem down a lot. Just hope its not a nail through the cable that has been sitting there for 30 years to finally get ya.

Jimmie

Would you PLEASE killfile the thread?

It really is a sign of weakness to admit that you feel compelled to read every post just because it's there. BTW, you've already claimed that you killfiled me. Didn't bother me then and it's not likely to now.

I kicked the ghost out