Breaker keeps tripping because of computers etc.

[Regularjake55]

We have a room that has our router, a mini fridge, 2 desktop pcs and some other stuff like phone chargers, a clock, and our monitors. The breaker keeps tripping in this room and it is EXTREMELY annoying. And thing is, we can't just "move the stuff to another room" because our computers need to be in this room and we need the router in there so that way we have an ethernet connection, and we need the fridge for obvious reasons, same with the clock etc.

Is there ANYTHING that I can do to prevent the breaker from tripping besides unplugging everything?

Computer 1 Specs:
FX-6300
8 GB RAM
XFX RX480 8GB
CX600M
MSI 760GM-P34(FX)

Comp 2 Specs:
FX-8370
32 GB RAM
MSI R9 370 4GB
I think a 1000W PSU that is 80+ Gold
Gigabyte Mobo (can't remember which exactly)

Monitors: Viewsonic XG2401
LG Flatron W2252TQ
Acer GN246HL
and just some random 1080p 2ms Viewsonic monitor

Fridge is made by Emerson not sure exact model

 

[NorseVikingr]

Looks like a lot of power going from 1 room to the breakers. The wires inside the wall only go so high before they're over loaded. That's probably the cause. Also unfortunately, that's the extent of my knowledge on that subject, but I know enough to watch out for it. Do some research in that, or maybe someone else can help.

 

[James Mason]

The Mini fridge is the biggest power draw in the room.
I assume you're in a college/university dorm room or something?

Does every single outlet in the entire room turn off when you blow a fuse/trip the breaker?

The fridge is the thing you might need the least.

 

[Hamperking68]

What type of breaker is it? Is in a Overcurrent Protection breaker or a GFCI / RCD? (GFCI's/RCD's Have a test button)

I can almost guarantee that it's overloading because of the fridge if it's an overload that's the issue.

However, a tripping breaker can also be cause by a live to earth fault. It's normal for current to be leaked in most electronics however it generally shouldn't Exceed 30ma.

You should contact an electrician. They can install a cable which has the ability to carry more current.

Don't try any DIY..... It might just be the last thing you try.

 

[TMTOWTSAC]

You've probably got a 15 amp breaker, which maxes out at 1800 watts. But that's peak draw, not sustained. Sustained loads should be below 80% of max, so 1440 watts. Over that and it starts overheating until the breaker trips.

Odds are the culprit is the mini fridge. While they don't draw all that much power while running, they draw a large amount to start up their compressors. My 1.7 cubic foot fridge draws up to 1.6 amps (192 watts) while running. But, when it first starts up it draws 5.6 amps, so up to 672 watts. That's probably enough to trip the breaker combined with everything else.

You should call an electrician to replace the wiring and install a 20 amp breaker. Don't even think about slapping a 20 amp breaker in yourselves without having a certified electrician check for faults and inspect the existing wiring. Otherwise, the wiring itself could overheat and start a fire inside the walls, and those kinds of fires can kill everyone inside.

 

[Geekwad]

Sounds like what you really need is a 'soft starter' to reduce your 'surge current' from the refrigerator (which many times can be 3-4 times the operating current).

A farm and barn store near you may have something like this for sump pumps and the like (another common use for soft starters). A swimming pool supply store or a renewable energy contractor (like a solar installer) would also be good contacts, as they also deal with load leveling and mitigation techniques often as well.

 

[Regularjake55]

The Mini fridge is the biggest power draw in the room.
I assume you're in a college/university dorm room or something?

Does every single outlet in the entire room turn off when you blow a fuse/trip the breaker?

The fridge is the thing you might need the least.

I actually have had the fridge unplugged for the past few days and the breaker still trips.

 

[Hamperking68]

The Mini fridge is the biggest power draw in the room.
I assume you're in a college/university dorm room or something?

Does every single outlet in the entire room turn off when you blow a fuse/trip the breaker?

The fridge is the thing you might need the least.

I actually have had the fridge unplugged for the past few days and the breaker still trips.

Something is wrong. Call an electrician, I'd recommend keeping the breaker open (off) until it's checked.

 

[Regularjake55]

The Mini fridge is the biggest power draw in the room.
I assume you're in a college/university dorm room or something?

Does every single outlet in the entire room turn off when you blow a fuse/trip the breaker?

The fridge is the thing you might need the least.

I actually have had the fridge unplugged for the past few days and the breaker still trips.

Something is wrong. Call an electrician, I'd recommend keeping the breaker open (off) until it's checked.

What do you think would be wrong? The breaker has only tripped 1 time since having the fridge unplugged, when it normally would trip every day when we had it plugged in

 

[Hamperking68]

The Mini fridge is the biggest power draw in the room.
I assume you're in a college/university dorm room or something?

Does every single outlet in the entire room turn off when you blow a fuse/trip the breaker?

The fridge is the thing you might need the least.

I actually have had the fridge unplugged for the past few days and the breaker still trips.

Unless your running some super computer a breaker shouldn't be tripping from that load.

I'm suspecting there is a cable fault which is where the cable is damaged and shorts once enough current is being pulled through.

Something is wrong. Call an electrician, I'd recommend keeping the breaker open (off) until it's checked.

What do you think would be wrong? The breaker has only tripped 1 time since having the fridge unplugged, when it normally would trip every day when we had it plugged in

 

[TMTOWTSAC]

Are you completely sure there is nothing else on that breaker? It's quite common to have multiple rooms on the same breaker with older wiring. When the breaker is off, does anything else lose power in the rest of the building? You can go around with a corded lamp when the breaker is off to see which outlets are on the same circuit.

As Hamperking68 said, either there's some kind of fault (dangerous) or else there's more on the circuit than just what's in that room.

 

[Regularjake55]

Are you completely sure there is nothing else on that breaker? It's quite common to have multiple rooms on the same breaker with older wiring. When the breaker is off, does anything else lose power in the rest of the building? You can go around with a corded lamp when the breaker is off to see which outlets are on the same circuit.

As Hamperking68 said, either there's some kind of fault (dangerous) or else there's more on the circuit than just what's in that room.

I'm pretty sure it's just for that room, at least that is how the breaker is labeled, and the lights don't go out anywhere else

 

[Hamperking68]

Are you completely sure there is nothing else on that breaker? It's quite common to have multiple rooms on the same breaker with older wiring. When the breaker is off, does anything else lose power in the rest of the building? You can go around with a corded lamp when the breaker is off to see which outlets are on the same circuit.

As Hamperking68 said, either there's some kind of fault (dangerous) or else there's more on the circuit than just what's in that room.

I'm pretty sure it's just for that room, at least that is how the breaker is labeled, and the lights don't go out anywhere else

That just strengthens the reason to have a sparky check it out.

Dodgy cables start fires. Not a matter of if... Only when

 

[VincentP]

Lights wouldn't normally be on the same circuit as power.
What is mains voltage in your country?
What is the labelled current on the breaker?

If one of the devices in the room is tripping an RCD, it might not be over current at all.
Try adding devices one by one and see if it trips.
See if having a particular device removed makes a difference.

 

[Regularjake55]

Lights wouldn't normally be on the same circuit as power.
What is mains voltage in your country?
What is the labelled current on the breaker?

If one of the devices in the room is tripping an RCD, it might not be over current at all.
Try adding devices one by one and see if it trips.
See if having a particular device removed makes a difference.

I do know that when Computer 2 is off it never trips. Even if the fridge is plugged in

 

[VincentP]

It could be a fault in the PSU. See if that machine plugged in with nothing else will trip the breaker. Certainly the one machine won't be enough to exceed the current rating. It may be a 1000W PSU, but it won't be drawing more than 450W at the wall with those components.

The other thing you can do to test current is buy a cheap power meter, e.g. arlec and plug this into the wall socket with everything else running off a power board. The powerboard should have its own overload protection and should cut out if overloaded but the max current draw recorded by the meter should prove if this was the issue.