Symptoms
- Breaker trips shortly after turning the heater on or on its highest setting
- Trips more often when other devices share the circuit
- Heater works fine on a different outlet or circuit
Likely causes
- CommonHeater on a shared circuit with other devicesMost space heaters use close to the full capacity of a standard 15-amp circuit by themselves.
- CommonHeater set to its highest wattage settingHigh settings can draw 1500 watts or more, right at a circuit's typical limit.
- PossibleUsing an extension cord or power stripCords not rated for heater loads add resistance and heat, and some heaters won't work safely through them at all.
- PossibleA genuinely weak or overloaded circuitAn older or already-loaded circuit may trip even with normal heater use.
What to do
- Unplug other devices from the same outlet and nearby outlets on that circuit.
- Plug the heater directly into a wall outlet, not an extension cord or power strip.
- Try a lower wattage setting on the heater.
- Test the heater on a different circuit, ideally one with nothing else running.
- If it still trips alone on an empty, different circuit, the heater itself may be faulty.
- Avoid running space heaters on the same circuit as other high-draw devices.
- Consider a dedicated circuit if you use a space heater in that spot regularly.
When to call a pro
Have an electrician add a dedicated circuit if you regularly use a space heater and keep tripping breakers.
Safety
Use caution
Never run a space heater through an extension cord or power strip, and don't leave one running unattended.