I'm often times called out on service calls because a customer has lost power and can't get their breaker to reset. I always try to help the customer on the phone with a couple pieces of advice.
#1. Breakers work off the heat produced. As more power is used the heat rises in a breaker until it hits the trip point of the breaker. So when a breaker hits the limit and trips it will not reset until it has cooled. In most cases it will reset after cooling. This isn't to say it won't trip again if the circuit is still overloaded. Never over size the breaker to the wire size, that's how fires start.
#2. Many times a main breaker will trip and even after cooling won't reset. Most the time these breakers aren't catching when turned to the off position to reset. If you take a hammer and apply as much pressure as possible to the off position most of the time it will eventually reset. I've had many customers tell me that they tried my method to reset and the breaker was no good only to make a service call and reset it like I described.
Keep in mind that there are two reasons for a breaker to trip. Drawing too much power through it and the breaker itself can become weak and not operate properly. In most cases the main breaker will need to be replaced with in the near future.
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