Never Fix a Tripping Breaker with a Bigger One
A breaker is sized to protect the wire behind it. When it keeps tripping, the tempting fix is a bigger breaker. That lets the wire carry more current than it’s rated for, and that’s how wires overheat inside walls.
Breakers do wear out. After years of trips, heat and loose connections, a breaker can trip too easily, or worse, fail to trip at all. Scorch marks, heat or a burning smell at the panel mean it needs attention now.
Brand matters. Breakers have to match the panel they’re installed in. Federal Pacific Stab-Lok and Zinsco breakers are known for failing to trip, and replacement parts are hard to find. In many cases, replacing the panel is the safer fix.
