Home AFCI Breaker Won't Reset. Any electricians out there?

Northern Cal got a crazy storm that was raining like crazy, and got hit with 50mph winds.

I woke up this morning and noticed that one room didn't have any power. Everything else in the home is just fine, but this one room. I went outside and saw that the breaker pannel had swung open in the wind. The weather is clear now so i have the panel open and the cover off. Nothing seemed that wet, but according to my home server, power went down in that room around 930pm and i think it was rainy/windy until close to midnight. I took the air compressor and tried to blow out any water. Some water came out from some of the breakers but wasn't too bad.


The breaker is a Eaton BRCAF115. I unplugged everything in that bedroom from the outlets just to be safe.

Anyone know if these things just need to dry out, or should i grab a new one? Some quick google searching, i'm having a hard time finding one locally. Can these be replaced with any AFCI?

 

How old is that breaker? If it trips easy, the spring may be worn. Its cheap to replace....

I'd seal the box better and maybe put dielectric grease on the terms.

 

You said you unplugged stuff, are all the light switches off?
Did you try to reset the breaker all the way off, sometimes it takes a firm push in the off position.
You'll need the same Eaton breaker if you need a replacement, Cutler Hammer might work though cuz they are a sister company.

If you feel comfortable, lift the wire from the breaker and try to reset the breaker without the circuit landed. If it still trips, the breaker got smoked.

 

What do you mean about Lift The Wire? Like pop the breaker out?

Yeah all the light switches are off

 

I pulled the breaker out and it will stay in the on position

Edit: I was looking at the back of the breaker and water dripped out. Yikes

 

House is about 6 years old. never had any problem with it before.

Yeah, gonna also put a nail through the latch moving forward

 

Nope, pull the dead front off the panel to expose the all the breakers. You'll see a screw where the wire is landed, back that screw off a little with the breaker in the off position.

ONLY if you feel comfortable in a hot panel. You could also turn your main breaker off and only the main breaker will have power

 

Turn it off before you plug it back in

 

Remove the ArcFault breaker and blow it out with some compressed air and reinstall.

Chances are it's wet, they're sensitive (neutral/white wire).

Or replace with a regular/ non arc and I bet it works. Land the neutral on the neutral/ ground bar if this is a metered main.

My 2¢, not professional advice as I'm still foggy from last night's festivities.

 

I would set a fan up in front of the panel and dry them out for a while. Be very careful, water dripping off the breakers could ground the bus bar.
I would turn off all the breakers you can when drying it out

 

Ok, i've got the breaker hanging down with one corner pointing down and a couple drips came out. Gonna let it sit like that for an hour or so.

Should i back both wires out or just one? Just back it off and re-seat the wire(s) or do something else? I've got some Wera insulated screwdrivers so its time to use them for their actual purpose. lol

 

I'm hoping its just wet. I've got it hanging down right now and a few drops of water came out. I'll hit it with some more air in an hour or so. i'll really hit the white wire area.

 

No, it should be good hanging like you have it. Just make sure to turn the breaker off before plugging it back in

 

Ok, i'll leave it hanging for an hour.

I ordered an exact match off Amazon but it wont arrive till tuesday. I see lowes has this guy:
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Eaton-Type...Function-AFCI-GFCI-Circuit-Breaker/1001352860
Would that work as a replacement? There aren't any gfci outlets on that room

 

Yeah, that should work. The gfi protection won't hurt a thing.

 

Ok, i'll go grab one.

 

You might be fine though after it dries out, give it a try before you open the new ones.

 

@bmf4069 you're an arcy sparky magic wielder, aren't you?

 

will do.

So i'm trying to decide if i should cancel the Amazon order for the same exact breaker, is it true that its not good to have more than one gfci outlet inline? So if a breaker were to die for a bathroom circuit that has a gfci outlet on it, then i would not be able to use an AFCI/GFCI breaker for a replacement and it would just need to be an AFCI breaker?
If thats true, then i wont cancel it, because it looks like its not easy to find a AFCI only replacment locally (they are all AFCI/GFCI), so it would be smart to keep a spare.

 

480v porn from work this week.

Testing out a new chicken switch. This will rack, charge, close and trip our station service breakers.

 

Wowza! You got bigger nuts that i do! I'm comfortable around 110v, anything more than that.....time to call in the pro's.

And if after it dries and it still doesn't work, i'll be wearing some gloves and eye protectors for sure...and like a mentioned before, i have Wera insulated screwdrivers.

Good call on having a couple extras....suckers aren't cheap though.

 

You can, but it's not necessary. You have to wire them up in parallel on the line side if you do

 

I find it hard to believe that you have a six year old house with a breaker panel on the outside of the house. Is that normal practice in many states, I haven't seen that kind of thing on any newish (nor older) houses in the South East?

 

Yeah, it worked pretty sweet.
Part of me doesn't like giving that up though, I like suiting up.

 

Was thinking the same, regardless of the age of the house.

Though it could be handy if your neighbours are thumping the tunes during a rowdy party when you’re trying to sleep. Click. What’s that noise?

 

I see your 480V porn and raise you a commercial microwave.

 

Oh yes

Just hope the company doesn't come up with a remote racking policy