Question for an electrician

[weekender7]

I have a chandelier light with 5 bulbs that I have used for 25 years in my old house. Now trying to install it in my new house. House is wired with 12ga and new required 20amp arc fault breakers in my box. The light trips the breaker when I install the third bulb (5.5 w led) every time. Doesn't matter which slot. I tried the old none led bulbs and it trips on the 2nd bulb. I tried a different arc fault breaker and it still trips on the 3rd led bulb, doesn't matter which slot. I put the old style breaker (non arc fault but won't pass inspection) in and I can install all 5 bulbs without issue. I have tested with my meter that there are no shorts.
I have two other chandelier lights burning 6 of the same 5.5w led bulbs each, plus a ceiling fan each all on the same breaker without issue.

What could cause the one light to trip the breaker like that?

 

[Hondo0925]

Is it an arc fault/ground fault combo breaker? I would think it’s an arc fault not ground fault but anyway…..
Have you really checked continuity between everything in each socket?
Hot to neutral
Hot to ground
Neutral to ground?

Check in the canopy as well and make sure everything is in order.

 

[Hondo0925]

Also Afci/Gfci breakers can be a real pain Good luck!!!!

 

[87TT]

I was going to say needs rewired. Now what I would do........................put one bulb in so it works until after inspection, then put a regular breaker in.

 

[Hondo0925]

Exactly what 87TT said!!!!

 

[HuntHarder]

Have you tried a different AFCI breaker? Not uncommon to have an overly sensitive breaker. They work by essentially monitoring the Amperage thru the breaker and tripping with erratic current spikes. Have you tried installing all bulbs and then flipping on the light switch? Hard to completely diagnose without actually being there. Is the light fixture 3 wire or 2?

 

[Mikido]

Have you tried a different AFCI breaker? Not uncommon to have an overly sensitive breaker. They work by essentially monitoring the Amperage thru the breaker and tripping with erratic current spikes. Have you tried installing all bulbs and then flipping on the light switch? Hard to completely diagnose without actually being there. Is the light fixture 3 wire or 2?

This. Change the afci.

 

[Yoder]

If you bought the house, who is inspecting it? Unless it is an area close to water I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[Wrench]

If the new breaker still trips, I'd suspect neutral to ground fault in the fixture. If it were only doing it on led bulbs it could be a bad driver in the bulb, but you're saying it does it with incandescent bulbs too.....which are just a simple load.

 

[BLJ]

Is it an arc fault/ground fault combo breaker? I would think it’s an arc fault not ground fault but anyway…..
Have you really checked continuity between everything in each socket?
Hot to neutral
Hot to ground
Neutral to ground?

Check in the canopy as well and make sure everything is in order.

I would thoroughly check the fixture as well. A 25 year old fixture may have not survived the move. In my experience, they aren’t the most robust to begin with.

 

[journeyman713]

Not sure why there would be a GFI breaker, for a ceiling light. But it sounds like the ground wire could be, carrying some current back. Could be the common wire rubbed through the insulation, on the light fixture.
If the wall light switch is a grounded dimmer style, I wouldn't rule that out.
I'd inspect all connections from the breaker, to the light, and switch, are tight as well.

 

[GSPHUNTER]

Not sure why there would be a GFI breaker, for a ceiling light. But it sounds like the ground wire could be, carrying some current back. Could be the common wire rubbed through the insulation, on the light fixture.
If the wall light switch is a grounded dimmer style, I wouldn't rule that out.
I'd inspect all connections from the breaker, to the light, and switch, are tight as well.

That, about breaker.

 

[Catchfish]

I had a similar problem that was intermittent and found the fixture wires inside has rubbed the insulation off and was shorting.