What short circuit means
A short circuit is an unintended low resistance path, such as a hot wire touching a neutral or ground, that lets a large current flow and trips the breaker.
Where it matters on a electrical job
A breaker that trips the instant it is reset usually means a short. Isolate it by disconnecting sections of the circuit, and look first where work was recently done or where nails meet wires.
Work it out
- Licensing: Electrical license rules by state
- Tools, templates and guides: Free electrical resources