Always turn off the power before working on anything and then confirm that it is off!
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Shorted Wiring Circuit Breaker Trips :
Assuming that the outlets worked and the circuit breaker is good and then just starting tripping the breaker and you do not see any obvious damage in or under the home. This is what I would do. The power comes from the breaker and goes to outlet "A" then outlet "B" and outlet "C" and so on. Outlet "A" would be the outlet that is closest to the breaker panel box in most cases. You need to make sure the power is off then take this outlet completely loose from the circuit. This should also isolate all the other outlets from the breaker. There should be a cable with a black (hot), a white (neutral) and a ground wire leading in from the breaker and one or possibly two cables leading out to other outlets down line to "B" "C" and so on. Cap these wires off to make sure they don't short out to each other. Once this is done turn the breaker on to see if it trips. If it does trip then the short is between this point and the breaker in the wire. If it does not trip then the problem is either at the "A" point or beyond. In which case you need to check the "A" point for bare wires or any obvious sign of shorting, such as burned spots. Remake the connection and turn the breaker back on. If that solves the problem fine, if not you need to do the same thing at each outlet down the line. I know this is time consuming and frustrating, but that is the only way to do it. I don't know your skill level or the tools and volt/ohm meters you have. This would be a way to troubleshoot with only a screw driver.
Aluminum Wire :
When working with aluminum wire some rules must be adhered to that you don't have to worry about when using copper wire. If you have to replace switches or outlets you need to find the type that is for use with aluminum. They will be designated AL or AL/CU. Most that you find are for CU or copper wire only. When stripping the wire do not scratch or groove the wire as this will cause weak spots and invite corrosion. I strongly recommend that you use an anti-oxidant compound. This is a corrosion inhibitor that you would sparingly apply to the bare wire before attaching to the screw down terminals (follow package directions). This compound can be found at most home supply and hardware stores. I have a 1 once tube that has lasted a long time. It is also a good idea to apply it to aluminum wires that are attached to circuit breakers and as a matter of fact is required by code.The use of aluminum wire was discontinued in 1976 in site built and mobile homes as branch conductors. Aluminum conductors are still widely used for main services and appliance circuits.
Mobilehome Switch and Outlets And How to Locate an Open Circuit :
Mobile homes use a "one piece" style box that, if you open it up and look, compresses the wire together in a "v" shaped slot. These I find over time will break connection due to heating up from the current load being passed through them. I can usually troubleshoot this problem by merely tapping on the wall next to outlets or switches on the circuit that has either quit working or is working intermittently and see if this causes the lights to blink. The scientific method is to determine in which direction a circuit is connected and using a volt meter find the last outlet that has power. Chances are that the open circuit problem is at this outlet the last one that has power, preventing the passing of current to the rest of the circuit. These can be replaced with same type found at a mobile home supply. However I prefer to remove the original type of device and install what is called a snap in box (also called an old work box) and then install either a outlet or switch of the standard home type to keep the problem from returning. I also feel this is the safest way to do it. Be sure to wrap the wire around the screws and not use the quick wire hole on the back of the device. Remember white wire on the silver screw, black wire on the brass screw and ground wire on the green screw. In the mobile homes I have owned I replaced all the switches and outlets when I first got them. This repair can be done with less expense than you might think, if done by you provided you feel comfortable doing this task yourself. See example of a single gang snap-in box, mobile home style outlet and switch insides below.
This was an answer to an email about replacing a Mobilehome light switch.
Yes, you can remove the old switch box, usually the two screws in the face of the box and use a "snap-in" or an "old work box" and insert this into the hole left by removing the old box tighten the screws to lock it in place. Then just install a standard house type switch. I am assuming that this is a single pole switch, meaning that the light is controlled from only one location. Inside the box twist the white wires together and cap them with a wire nut and connect the black wires to the screws on the switch. The bare ground wires will also just twist together in a pig tail fashion and then connect to the ground screw on the switch. Please be sure to make sure the power is off to the circuit and be careful.
Circuit Breaker Panel Box :
Remember to turn off the main breaker inside and outside the home before touching anything and make sure it is off, if you are not sure about what you are doing call a licensed electrician.
The circuit breaker panel box in a mobile home is not really a different than a standard home box. The major differences you may find are the mobilehome breakers usually have color coded handles and there are some combinational breakers such as a 20 amp and 30 amp double pole (240 volt) made together. Mobilehomes are now required most everywhere to have a redundant ground installed. This is a fourth wire that comes from the outside breaker box/meter. The breakers can quite easily interchange with breakers from a D.I.Y. store. Murray will interchange with GE and so on. If you need to replace a defective breaker take it with you to match it up. Check to figure out why the original breaker went bad. Was it just fate or is there a problem with the wiring. Since the power is off this is a good time to check the tightness of all the connections in the box and look for wires that appear to have got hot. These wires will be discolored at the end of the insulation and may be blistered. If you need information on the assembly and installation of a power pole I suggest you contact your local Planning and Zoning Dept. for help. Our local Dept. has a handout with diagrams and instructions on constructing a power pole use the link below.
Location of Circuit Breaker Panel Box :
Where is the circuit breaker panel box in a mobile home? The easiest way to find it is to look under the home at where the service entrance conduit from the outside circuit breaker panel box goes up into the home. The inside breaker panel box should be directly above the conduit entrance point usually between 3 to 5 feet above the floor level.
Questions or comments? Please feel free to contact me.