When multiple electric space heaters are used at the same time, even more electricity is drawn from the home's electrical system. This can quickly overload a home's wiring and cause a circuit breaker to trip.
Because space heaters use a lot of power, they can push your circuit toward an overload, at which point your circuit breaker will flip to avoid burning itself out. That's when the power cuts off and you're suddenly outside with a flashlight, flipping breakers, or, alternately, calling your irritated landlord.
With that, you can really only do one heater per 20 amp circuit. If you put 2 heaters, the breaker will trip within a minute.
Because space heaters use a lot of power, they can push your circuit toward an overload, at which point your circuit breaker will flip to avoid burning itself out. That's when the power cuts off and you're suddenly outside with a flashlight, flipping breakers, or, alternately, calling your irritated landlord.
This means that a 1500-watt space heater can potentially trip a 15-amp breaker, especially if other devices are connected to the same circuit. It is important to note that some space heaters may have a higher wattage, which further increases the likelihood of tripping a circuit breaker.
Use Dedicated Circuits: Whenever possible, plug your space heater into a dedicated circuit. This is a circuit not shared by other appliances, reducing the risk of overload.
If you're dealing with an overloaded electrical outlet or circuit, the first step is to reset the tripped circuit breaker. However, if the circuit breaker trips repeatedly, it's important to unplug whatever you can from the circuit and call a professional electrician to diagnose the problem.
Space heaters should always reside preferably on a 20 amp dedicated circuit and the breaker won't overload or trip. Most space heaters are approximately 1500 watts. For example, if plugging in two space heaters onto the same circuit, most likely the circuit breaker will overload and trip.
If the heater trips the breaker after a few minutes, it could be short cycling. A short circuit happens when a hot wire contacts a neutral or ground wire, creating a surge of current that trips the breaker as a safety precaution.
Space heaters usually consume between 400 and 1500 watts of electricity, and the majority use around 800-1000 watts. If an electric heater is used for 3 hours a day, then it could add up to 90 kWh of electricity to your monthly electricity bill, which could be an additional 5-10% of your total monthly electricity cost.
Installing dedicated outlets for space heaters is key to prevent overloading your existing circuits and mitigating the risk of electrical fires. Dedicated outlets should also optimize your heater's performance to provide a secure and uninterrupted power supply.
Ideally, you should spread as many outlets around your home as possible and assign them to a single circuit. Just keep in mind the maximum load for a single circuit. A good rule of thumb is to assume that there will be a maximum power draw of 1.5 amps for each outlet, allowing 10 outlets for a single 20-amp circuit.
Generally, hair dryers use between 1,500 and 2,000 watts (W) of electricity, depending on the model. hair dryers usually use between 15 and 20 amps and connect to a 120-volt outlet. How much you use your hair dryer has the biggest impact on how much electricity it uses over time.
Overloaded electrical outlets, or circuits that supply power to several outlets, is a major cause of residential fires. Overloaded outlets and circuits carry too much electricity, which generates heat in undetectable amounts. The heat causes wear on the internal wiring system and can ignite a fire.
Notice that we specifically said wall outlet: Manufacturers advise against plugging space heaters into surge protectors, extension cords, plug timers, GFCI outlets (the kind with the test and reset buttons), or really anything that's not a wall outlet.
On one 20 ampere 120 volt circuit, a 1500 Watt heater will draw 1500 W / 120 V = 12.5 amperes, so only one heater may be used, since two will draw 25 amperes together. On a 240 volt 20 amp circuit, each 1500W heater will draw 6.25 amperes.
Unfortunately, they can pose significant fire and electric shock hazards if not used properly. Fire and electrical hazards can be caused by space heaters without adequate safety features, space heaters placed near combustibles, or space heaters that are improperly plugged in.
Circuit Overload
The first reason your circuit breaker could trip is if there are too many devices running on the circuit. The electrical load capacity is the maximum limit a circuit can hold. All breakers have an amperage rating, typically 15-amp or 20-amp.
Will a surge protector stop breakers from tripping? No, tripping breakers are usually caused by current (amperage) overloads. Surge protectors protect against voltage surges and spikes.
30 amps (at 120 volts) is 3600 watts. With a 80% safety rating, you get 2880 watts. You could probably manage to run two electric space heaters (rated at 1500 watts each).
To size a circuit breaker for a heater, you should select a breaker that is rated at 125% of the heater's rated amperage , which means choosing a breaker that is 25% larger than the calculated amperage draw of the heater.
Plug space heaters directly into a wall outlet. Do not use an extension cord or power strip, which could overheat and result in a fire.
While the most obvious sign of a circuit overload is when a circuit breaker trips, other indicators can be present. Some signs of an overloaded circuit include: Flickering or dimming lights, especially when using other lights or appliances. A buzzing sound from switches or outlets.
A tripped breaker typically won't fix itself automatically. When a breaker trips, it interrupts the flow of electricity to prevent overload or short circuit conditions, protecting your home from electrical hazards.
The typical cost of circuit breaker repair is $195, but common types of circuit breaker repair or replacement projects can range from $145–280 nationwide, according to Yelp data.