Main main breaker keeps popping after I put in a pond lite and run the electric dryer. Could this be a ground problem or what else it just started

Yes they get weak over time.
The main will trip when it senses heat.
Use hand to feel if main breaker is getting hot.
http://waterheatertimer.org/Troubleshoot-household-electricity.html#stress
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-replace-circuit-breaker.html

If you need further help, I’m available over the phone at https://www.6ya.com/expert/gene_9f0ef4df2f9897e7

You need an electrician before there is a fire.
If the breaker is not tripping, then the breaker is bad.

Act now before the heat damages the box and you need full replacement.
Absolutely put the metal cover back over the breaker box and keep the door closed.
Move all flammables away fro breaker box area.
Put a smoke detector right there.
Put a fire extinguisher nearby.
You don't put water on an electrical fire.

Before the electrician gets there, turn off as many electrical devices as you can.
Don't run all at one time.
Run just when needed.
Electric water heater.
Space heaters.
Vent fans.
Electric Stove.
Electric Oven.
Microwave.
Heat AC.
Electric Dryer.
Washing machine.
Power tools.
Big screen TV.
The outdoor lights, and swimming pool pump.
Turn off as many indoor lights as possible.

Now the freezers and refrigerator have to stay on.
Clean out the grilles so they run more efficiently.

Reducing your power consumption will be good practice.
When you call the electrician, tell him the brand and amperage of your main breaker.

If the whole box needs replacement, you might want to upgrade the service to 150Amp.
Some areas, it's code that old panels have to be upgraded to more amperage ... but the electrician will know the details. Call local electric supply house to double-check what the electrician tells you.

It sounds like he was running something at 200 volts using both sides of the breaker, If not, he is definitely using the white wire someplace as the hot and just waiting for somebody to get zapped on it. The breaker could be bad, might be the problem, they do go bad. Just turn off the main, keep away from the big wires feeding the panel, take off your watch and rings, pop out the breaker, pull the wires off, put the wires on the new beaker, pop it back in, turn on the main, if it still breaks, you gotta chase down that white wire, cause something is wrong, I would check whatever it is that it powers to make sure it is right at the receptacle end. It should be marked. Hope this helps.

I just read the properly grounded part, if he is using the ground for the neutral, that is the problem, most newer boxes are polarized, meaning ground and neutral are separate, check out that wire, and see where it goes. If it is running something at 220 volts, mark the wire with black tape, and you should run a neutral to it to be safe.

I think I know what the problem is, this actually happened on a dryer I repaired at one point. Low line voltage to me means that one or more hot leads is not feeding enough voltage to the heating elements (and the heating elements need both hot leads to run) which means the circuit breaker, although on, may be malfunctioning or weakening. You can check this by running your dryer and taking the cover off your circuit panel and checking voltage on the breaker. You should see 110V on each terminal to ground (put leads from one terminal to the grounding bar in the panel). If you see less than 110V on each lead to ground and less that 240V across the terminals it needs to be replaced. (You can get one for under $25.00 depending on brand). NOTE: THE BREAKER USUALLY POPS RIGHT OUT OF THE PANEL, BUT WHEN WORKING IN PANEL TURN MAIN BREAKER OFF TO THE HOUSE AND HAVE SOMEONE HOLD A FLASHLIGHT FOR YOU. IF YOU TOUCH THE LIVE BUSS BAR THAT BREAKER GOES INTO YOU WILL GET SEVERELY HURT. TURNING OFF MAIN BREAKER WILL DISENGAGE THE POWER FROM THE BUSS BARS; NOTE THAT MAIN WIRES ARE STILL POWERED SO BE CAREFUL.

You must find the reason the main breaker is popping ...

I'd start by unplugging everything and remove all breakers. Turn the main on ... does it pop? If it pops here look between the breaker panel and the end of your cord. Turn the power off - reinstall the first breaker - turn power back on. What happens ... keep doing this until the main or individual breaker pops - investigate that circuit to find your short.

If you get all breakers back in with out popping anything ... start plugging stuff back in. Something is shorting somewhere.

Let me know what you find please.

thanks

a

check your main breaker box first, see if it tripped, if the breaker looks okay then turn off the breaker for the dryer and reset the breaker switch, if this still doesn't work then a fuse has popped on the circuit board.

this is nothing to fool around with call someone who can fix it the dryer has a short in the t-stat or the element!!!!!!!!!

The fuse may not be good. Check continuity with a test lite or Ohm meter. Try turning the breaker off 2 or 3 times and if it still dosn't come on you may have a short somewhere in the dryer and its flipping the breaker off like it should. Test with a test lite or a volt meter. No power check both main power legs to ground and see if one reads grounded It should because the motor used is a 110v usually only the elements are 220.

If no power when checked you'll have to dig and find the short but remember to remove the motor from your search so you can look for grounds on the heater circuit.

Hello rarakaki,
I assume that you are referring to an electric dryer and that when you run it, it trips the main house breaker. If that is correct, then you may be running too many appliances simultaneously and that will draw curent , beyond the maximum rated value of your house main breaker. It is also possible that your main breaker may be going bad and tripping below it rated current value. I suggest you do the following: Shut off other appliances or electrical equipment in other rooms and then try running your dryer. If it operates and does not trip the main breaker , then the comments stated above are the problem. You may need to have an electrician replace your main breaker and/or change your service to a higher value. Please get back to me if I am incorrect in understanding your problem. Regards,
Rick

First off, be sure the pigtail is wired correctly to the back of the unit. Black and red to the outside terminals, white to the middle, green to the frame or cabinet (should be a green screw close-by). If that is ok, you probably have an issue with possibly a bad pigtail, bad outlet, wiring issue, or possibly a bad circuit breaker or breaker box. Probably going to be more of a electrical problem than a appliance problem. Good Luck!!!!