I have a 15A circuit in my house that trips every single night; often multiple times. It started to do it once a month or so not long after we had our house rewired after Harvey, but just in the last month or so it's started happening at least once per night.

It's only wall plugs, and the load hasn't increased. I'm not sure what it would be. Anyone have an idea? My first thought is to replace it with a 20A breaker, but I'm open to other ideas.

I would replace the breaker with a 15A breaker.

You can't upsize the breaker without replacing the electrical wire it feeds. A 15A circuit breaker is wired with 14/2 and a 20A would be 12/2. You could be one of the lucky ones where the electrician ran all 12/2 but just put a 15A breaker in the location, in this case you could upgrade the breaker. Typically 14/2 has a white jacket and 12/2 has a yellow jacket. This isn't always the case in older homes so verification is definitely needed before proceeding.

If you replaced the breaker without upgrading the wire, the wire will burn up before the breaker trips causing a fire and I can definitely say your insurance policy will not pay for it.

I actually just caught you mentioned it was re-wired after Harvey. In this case, they probably had to upgrade all your breakers in livable spaces with arc-fault protection breakers. There have been issues with false tripping with these breakers but for the most part they are a needed upgrade.

There could be a connection the electricians didn't get tight enough and could be loose causing arcs to form thus tripping the breaker. This arcing could be either line to neutral or line to ground and could be located at an outlet or switch on the circuit.

The older breakers were thermal overload only and would only trip on overheating caused by the ampacity passing through breaker.

Drop a new breaker in and see if it's just an aging/weak breaker.

I'd also recommend (while it's off) checking every device on that circuit and verifying that the connections are tight, and do not use the stab connections on the rear of plugs. A connection that is slightly loose can further loosen over time. The loose spot will manifest as a higher resistance and the wire will expand. When the current drops the resistance drops and the wire cools. Hundreds or even thousands of cycles and this connection can become steadily looser and the heating just grows progressively worse. It can eventually heat to a point of causing a fire..

If it continues get an electrician in there.

Olag00 said:

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I actually just caught you mentioned it was re-wired after Harvey. In this case, they probably had to upgrade all your breakers in livable spaces with arc-fault protection breakers. There have been issues with false tripping with these breakers but for the most part they are a needed upgrade.

There could be a connection the electricians didn't get tight enough and could be loose causing arcs to form thus tripping the breaker. This arcing could be either line to neutral or line to ground and could be located at an outlet or switch on the circuit.

The older breakers were thermal overload only and would only trip on overheating caused by the ampacity passing through breaker.

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This is most likely the answer. If it was a permitted re-wire, you have arc fault breakers now. They are stupid sensitive and can build a "memory" where they trip easier and easier. I've seen them trip due to a razor knife cut in the insulation that opened up on a bend in the wire and as mentioned its commonly due to a loose joint or device screw. You'll need to check every box on that circuit for loose joints, screws and damages to the insulation.

I had an arc fault breaker that tripped every time the Keurig turned on. It got replaced.

Azariah said:

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I have a 15A circuit in my house that trips every single night; often multiple times. It started to do it once a month or so not long after we had our house rewired after Harvey, but just in the last month or so it's started happening at least once per night.

It's only wall plugs, and the load hasn't increased. I'm not sure what it would be. Anyone have an idea? My first thought is to replace it with a 20A breaker, but I'm open to other ideas.

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What happens every single night? Is a headboard on the other side of said wall plugs?

Step 1: Remove garbage arc fault if its installed, else just remove old 15A
Step 2: Put new non-arc fault 15A breaker in
Step 3: Profit

Save the stupidly expensive arc fault breaker for if you ever need to sell, you can install it again. Dont upgrade to 20A, that can be dangerous if you actually have something overdrawing the current.

Is there a GFI on the circuit if so that could be the problem. If you have an arc fault breaker, replace it with a regular breaker. I have had nothing but problems with them. Appliance repair men will tell you all sorts of problems with them.

I had something similar, breaker kept tripping and finally had an electrician come out. Checked all the connections and found nothing wrong, so he replaced the arc fault with a regulars one and no problems since. He said once those start tripping they get weaker and weaker.

Thanks guys. This wiring is all less than five years old, and is all 12/2. I'm not sure what the electrician's reasoning was for mixing 15 and 20A breakers.

It sounds like the best solution is to just replace that breaker. I will get to that soo.

FatZilla said:

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Step 1: Remove garbage arc fault if its installed, else just remove old 15A
Step 2: Put new non-arc fault 15A breaker in
Step 3: Profit

Save the stupidly expensive arc fault breaker for if you ever need to sell, you can install it again. Dont upgrade to 20A, that can be dangerous if you actually have something overdrawing the current.

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Had one tripping recently. Electrician came out and did this. And he did in fact profit.

I wouldn't be so quick to replace an AFCI breaker that's tripping with a non-AFCI. I had one that was tripping and I tracked it down to a connection at a switch that was indeed arcing.

What brand is the breaker? Eaton had enough issues with theirs that they'll send you free replacements. Or so Reddit says.

I've replaced 5 and counting in a 2019 construction home. 2 more starting to fail currently.