Being in a situation where the circuit breaker starts malfunctioning or not working as desired is frustrating.
It’s common to look at the circuit breaker and wonder whether or not it’s in working condition. However, the real issue may have something to do with the circuit as a whole.
One of the main issues a property owner will face is when a circuit breaker trips at night.
If a circuit breaker trips at night, this means the circuit is overloaded, there is a fault in the line, or the connections are damaged. To fix the issue, turn off the power supply, reduce the load by disconnecting unused appliances, and check the connections. Once done, reset the circuit breaker by toggling it back on.
Most people will look at the time of day to determine what the root cause is. Sometimes, the circuit breaker is simply not working the way it is supposed to and then starts acting up at night.
Always start with the basics and make sure the connections are fine. This includes checking how much load is being put on the main electrical circuit during the night.
This guide is going to help break things down for those dealing with a circuit breaker that is tripping at night.
Table of Contents
Best GFCI Extension Cord (EDITOR’S CHOICE)
No products found.
How To Fix A Circuit Breaker That Trips At Night
1. Cut Off The Power Supply
When a circuit breaker is tripping at night, you will need to find the root cause. This is the only way to resolve the issue or the breaker is going to continue to trip at different times of the day including the night.
In general, the best place to start will be at the breaker panel.
You will want to cut off the power.
Since the circuit breaker tripped, you will likely know where the issue is in the house. This includes taking a look at where the power is going and where it is not.
Look at the tabs to see what the main problem area is.
Once you do this, you will want to cut off the power to the rest of the house too. This will allow you to work on the main circuit without trouble.

2. Reduce Load On The Circuit
You will want to reduce the load on the circuit.
The main issue when it comes to a circuit breaker tripping at night has to do with overloading. When there are too many appliances and/or devices connected to the electrical circuit, it will overload the setup.
This is something you can only fix by removing appliances from the circuit.
If it is possible to do this, always unplug specific appliances and/or devices that are not required to be connected to the circuit during the night.
You will also want to think about distributing how the appliances and/or devices are linked to the circuit.
Sometimes, having too many of these devices in one part of the house can overwhelm the electrical circuit too.
3. Check The Wiring
Next, you are going to take a look at the connections.
This is going to start at the breaker panel to see if something has been damaged when the overloading took place.
Look at each connector in the breaker panel.
You will also want to take a look at the connectors running into the circuit throughout the house. This includes wiring that is damaged or showing signs of being burnt or frayed.
These wires should be replaced.

4. Reset The Circuit Breaker
Once you are sure everything is good to go, you will want to reset the circuit breaker.
The goal is to make sure you are toggling the tab back on at the breaker panel. This will allow power to flow back to that part of the house whether it’s the day or night.
You will want to be patient when doing this and test the circuit as soon as you can.
If the issue is fixed, the circuit breaker will not trip anymore.
Final Thoughts
These tips will go a long way if a circuit breaker trips at night.
If a circuit breaker trips at night, the most likely cause is overloading due to too many appliances or devices connected to the circuit. To fix the issue, turn off the power supply, inspect the wiring, reduce the load on the circuit by disconnecting appliances/devices, and then reset the circuit breaker.
This will ensure the problem goes away and the circuit breaker does not trip at night.
This is important when you want to do things the right way and ensure the circuit doesn’t get ruined at a deeper level.
Read More On Outlets:
- Steps To Replace Breaker Without Cutting The Power
- Why Does Circuit Breaker Only Trip In One Room?
- Surge Protector Vs. Circuit Breaker And A Power Strip
- Why Is The Outlet Not Working After Circuit Breaker Tripped?
- Why Is There No Main Breaker In The Service Panel?
- Reasons 15 Amp GFCI Breaker Continues To Trip