International Compliance Association (ICA) Home Inspector Practice Exam

How does the electrical service size affect the frequency of circuit breaker tripping?

1. Smaller services trip less frequently

2. Tripping is unrelated to service size

3. Larger services trip more frequently

4. Smaller services trip more frequently

The correct answer is: Smaller services trip more frequently

The frequency of circuit breaker tripping is closely related to the electrical service size. Smaller electrical services have a lower capacity to handle loads. When the demand for electricity exceeds the service size, the circuit breakers are more likely to trip to protect the system from damage. This occurs because the breakers are designed to prevent overheating and electrical failures by disconnecting the supply when the current exceeds their rated capacity. For instance, in a smaller service, if multiple high-demand appliances are operating simultaneously, it can quickly surpass the capacity of the service, leading to frequent trips of the circuit breakers. In contrast, larger services can handle more substantial loads without tripping, as they have a greater capacity to support multiple high-demand devices at once. This relationship underscores the importance of selecting an appropriate service size for a household or building, as an undersized service can lead to increased nuisance tripping of breakers, which affects the overall reliability of the electrical system.