My dryer keeps flipping the breaker. Not just it but about a fourth of downstairs. Just started this a month ago. We have flipped the breaker 5 times today. What the hell is the problem?

Dryer should be on a home run 240 breaker

I think it is?

Sounds like somebody tied into one of the hot legs of the dryer and used that to get 120 to the rest of the basement that would explain the rest of the basement going out

I've changed out weak breakers on two central air units,they'd run a while and trip,swapped breaker out and no more problems

Nothing should lose power bit the dryer of the breaker trips

Is it a front glass loader. If so, mine did the exact same thing. Wire somehow came loose and grounded out the dryer kicking the breaker. The wire was over the drum in the harness.

Not glass. There is not any consistency in how many others trip. Sounds like I'll be changing a breaker tomorrow,

Hire an electrician to find the problem before your house burns down. Seriously.

X2

I have one coming Tuesday, Dad.

So it's different breakers tripping... I.e. Dryer breaker is the only one that is constantly tripping? Could be a lot of things. Could be unbalanced phases. I am a card carrying electrician. I will say this: hire an electrician (sounds like you may already have this handled), do not just change a breaker. That could be like putting a band aid on a gunshot wound. It's easy to speculate from behind a computer. Nothing substitutes for boots on the ground.

lug bolts are loose or need tighten . i'm surprised the main breaker aint tripping , if so .

Not trying to hi jack, but a hair dryer will black my whole house out.

It ain't. Get that other stuff off that circuit.

Listen to DP. He does it for a living.

Dryer should definitely be on a dedicated circuit all to itself.

Also check your dryer vent. Make sure it is not full of lint. If the dryer isn't "breathing" it has to work harder, which means it is drawing more current.

Could also be an old breaker that is wearing out.

But as stated earlier, dryer should not have any other plugs feeding off of it.

Alright. I'll get it on its own breaker. I'm not sure why it isn't. This house is only 3 years old.

If I was you I would stop resetting the breaker while you're still ahead

If your panel is full and someone added any new outlets of lights, or anything. I have seen where someone just picked up a hot by sliding new wire into one of the 240 breaker connections to feed the additional work. NOT good.

X3
Do not keep resetting the breaker until the fault is cleared! People don't realize that breakers can explode if they fail inturnally

check the wire size and breaker size. some of the newer dryers has to have a 50 amp circuit which requires a 50 amp breaker and 8 gauge wire. The older ones will run on a 30 amp breaker with 10 gauge wire. You may have a bigger heating element which needs the 50 amp circuit and it is wired with a 30 amp circuit. Check the name plate on the dryer and see what amps it takes to run the dryer.

House is 3 yrs old, with load on the circuit get someone that has an amp probe and measure the load, sometimes even when sized right, a breaker will get weak and trip under proper rating.

Nearly burned my house down many years ago with a window AC unit. Breaker didn't flip but did a slow burn. My fault - I'd added a window unit to an overloaded circuit. I hire an electrician now.

This^^

X3 Somebody has done some wiring they shouldn't have. The dryer should be on it's own breaker.

Looks like I may have found one of the problems. I pulled the receptacle from the dryer and one of the wires in to the post was loose/just touching/not tightened.I'm not sure if that is all. Dad is still coming tomorrow to look at it.