Why Does My Coffee Machine Keep Tripping the Breaker?
The main reason that a circuit breaker trips on a coffee machine is when a high rate of current flows through the breaker.
- Power plug is damaged or faulty
- Coffee machine is overheating
- Overloading
A breaker is part of the safety system of your house. It trips to protect your house and family from fire.
The problem may not necessarily be with the breaker. The breaker trips to protect you from something potentially dangerous.
With advancing technology, technology has come up with even more sensitive breakers to prevent fires, and this technology has saved many lives.
Now, what could be the reasons behind the tripping of the breaker?
- A coffee machine triggers the breaker to trip when the heater element’s insulation breaks down and touches the metallic frame of the coffee machine. This leads to a short circuit, which causes a high current flow, ultimately leading to the circuit board’s tripping.
- There are many parts in a coffee machine that can cause high heat and high current flow. It could be due to a component failure that the insulation breakdown happens. Since water is present and is not good to be around electricity as it is a good conductor, it is a common issue.
The electrical code will prohibit everyone from using a low or sub-standard breaker.
A breaker is a very crucial part of the safety system of your house. You can change your breaker and replace it with a new one. But if the problem continues and it keeps tripping, you may want to replace your appliance.
You must get in contact with an electrician to find out the exact problem.
How to fix the coffee machine tripping the circuit breaker?
Many of the electrical repairs can be done without the use of spare parts. This means that you can do some of the easy repairs at home. I will now take you through a few simple ways by which you can prevent your circuit breaker from tripping.
- Unplug your coffee machine from the power
- Use a screwdriver totighten every connection inside the plug.
- Your coffee machine now will stop tripping the breaker.
Plug Defects:
A defect like a loose connection can affect the performance of the device’s plug, which leads to the tripping of the breaker.
A loose connection can worsen the situation over time. A loose connection can cause overheating, leading to a short circuit. Such an issue, if not treated on time, can cause irreplaceable damage.
Overloading
Another plausible cause of tripping the breaker can be overloading. Maybe your coffee machine is plugged in for a long time, and it is being used very often; this can lead to overheating, and as I mentioned earlier since it uses water, it will heat up faster and heat up more.
Reduce the load on your coffee machine, and don’t use it for a long time at one stretch.
Overheating
The breaker trips due to overheating caused due to a few different reasons like prolonged use and poor ventilation.
- Turn off your coffee machine for around 10-15 minutes and let it cool.
- Ensure there is enough space around the coffee machine for it to be able to release the heat.
- Make sure there are no blockages around the vents or the fans.
Fixing these problems can prevent the circuit breaker from tripping.
If taking these measures don’t help with the problem, get in touch with the appliance repair professional or an electrician.
Why is my espresso machine tripping the GFCI outlet?
Many users complain about their GFCI tripping because of their espresso machines. This problem can be common in espresso machines like a Breville Barista Express BES870.
Customers say that after pressing around one or two cup buttons, the machine will normally pour the coffee, and afterwards, it trips the GFCI outlet.
Why does a GFCI outlet trip?
So, GFCI outlets don’t trip for no reason. It is a part of the safety feature. If your GFCI outlet is repeatedly tripping, it might be signaling that your appliance is faulty.
Sometimes, the GFCI can be faulty too. Try replacing your GFCI outlet. If it continues to trip, it strongly indicates that the problem is with the espresso machine.
I recommend that you do not use any other non-GFCI outlet since a GFCI outlet is a life-saving device, and if it trips, it is most likely telling you that the problem is with the appliance.
Why does my coffee machine fuse keep blowing?
Fuses protect the branch circuits at the fuse-box by 15 to 20-amp fuses. These fuses run with the use of 12 to 14-gauge wire.
Fuses protect against short circuits. Just like breakers, fuses also prevent overcurrent conditions and are a feature of the safety measure. They also protect your house from fire-like situations.
Every fuse can handle a certain amount of current. Appliances are made and used accordingly.
If a higher current consumption appliance is used or if many appliances are used at once, more current will pass through the fuses, which will cause overheating. When it overheats, it will trip to prevent any short circuit leading to the fire.
These are the ways by which you can prevent your fuses from blowing:
- If the fuse keeps tripping, replace it with another fuse that can handle more current. So, a higher power fuse can be the solution to this problem.
- Too much heat can degrade the conductors and wires leading to a fire. Thus, you can either reduce the load on the circuit or change the fuse.
- You can reduce the load by spreading the connection of the appliances across other circuits. Do not connect many appliances to one switchboard, and don’t run them for a prolonged time.
- A panel upgrade is advisable. But before doing, that you should always consult an electrician for the best solution.
Espresso machine tripping circuit breaker
Customers often complain about their espresso machine tripping the circuit breaker. A Lelit Mara PL62S-T, Breville BES870 Espresso are a few espresso machines that cause the circuit breaker to trip.
The machines usually cause tripping after a good period, when they become older. You may find the issue occurring after 18 months or 20 months of regular use.
The tripping of the breaker will happen after a few other problems. First yo may not get any steam, and then no water, and then ultimately tripping of the breaker.
Like I’ve said before, the breaker trips due to a higher rate of flow of current than usual and overheating.
- An espresso machine triggers the breaker to trip when the heater element’s insulation breaks down and touches the metallic frame. This leads to a short circuit, which causes a high current flow, ultimately leading to the tripping of the circuit board.
- There are many parts in an espresso machine that can cause high heat and high current flow. It could be due to a component failure that the insulation breakdown happens. Since water is present and it is not good to be around electricity as it is a good conductor, it should be noted as a common issue you might face.
Intermittent faults are comparatively more difficult to troubleshoot.
If the trip occurs when you hit the brew button or when it’s auto-filling, that is an indication that maybe that is the area where the problem lies. So, start by looking at a problem in that area.
If you are unable to align the timing with the occurrence and it is just heating up, there is a way to approach that. When the machine trips the breaker, unplug it and with a multimeter check if there are any earthing faults.
If you are successful in finding the problem with the earthing, solve that, and the breaker should not trip anymore.
Other causes like overheating and overloading can also cause the tripping of the breaker.