Can I replace a 20 amp circuit breaker with a 30 amp?

Yes, and that will also bring the fire department! Never, never, NEVER replace a breaker with a higher rated one!

The wiring in your walls is rated to handle the circuit breaker's trip current safely. The purpose of a circuit breaker is to keep your wiring from being overloaded and starting a fire in your wall. If you put in a higher rated breaker, you defeat the protection the circuit breaker provides and run the risk of burning your house down from overloaded wiring.

Plug some items into outlets on another circuit. That is the only safe and reasonable immediate solution.

Odds are you can't legally replace it with a 30 amp breaker. A 20 amp circuit requires a number 12 wire while a 30 amp breaker requires a number 10 wire based on the national electric code. Your 20 amp breaker doesn't have a big enough wire to support a 30 amp breaker. This breaker is probably 24 years old and should just be replaced with a new 20 amp breaker. These breakers do wear out over time and trip because they're faulty not overloaded. Replacing a breaker is a pretty simple task even for a novice but electricity can kill you so if you're not comfortable I suggest getting help. If you're inexperienced I suggest killing the main breaker (probably 200 amp) that feeds the entire panel. By doing this the only wires that are hot are the main feeder wires going into that 200 amp breaker. There should be a black wire attached to your 20 amp faulty breaker. Simply loosen the screw holding the wire and remove the wire from the breaker. Pull the breaker away from the panel gripping it from the end where the wire was attached. Once it's away from the panel pull slightly away from the center of the panel to remove it from the hook that keeps it on the panel board. To install the new one simply repeat these steps in reverse. Put the right or left side of the new breaker under the hook in the center of the panel depending on which side the breaker is on then push the other side of the breaker flat to the panel. Once it is snapped into place put the wire under the screw and tighten it down. Turn your main breaker back on and turn on the 20 amp breaker and you should be off an running. Never stand in front of an electrical panel when you turn it on, always stand to the side so if it should explode you're not directly in front of it. If you still have problems with the new breaker tripping your circuit is overloaded and you should hire a qualified electrician to move some of the outlets on that circuit to a different circuit.

30 Amp Circuit Breaker

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RE:

Can I replace a 20 amp circuit breaker with a 30 amp?

I have two computers and a space heater (at about 2100 watts total) on in my room. Whenever I then turn on my coffee maker it trips the circuit breaker. Some times it trips when just the second computer is turned on. So, if I replace the 20 amp circuit breaker in the electric box with a 30 amp...

30 Amp Breaker

No . It is not safe. The 20 amp circuit breaker is there to protect wires

that can only handle 20 amps max.Allowing over 20 amps on those wires

will cause them to overheat and perhaps start a fire.

The best thing to do ,if you have room in your breaker box,

is to install another 20 amp breaker and run another 12 gauge electric

wire off that breaker to some new outlets in the room,

or put one of the old outlets on the new breaker and wire.

The 12 ga wire + a 20 amp breaker has an overload safety factor built in. By replacing the 20A breaker with a 30A, you eliminate the safety factor. Sure, you will probably get away with it, but why take the risk?

As someone else has pointed out here, you can probably solve your breaker issues by replacing it with a new 20A breaker and I would also suggest the replacement of your receptacles as well, especially if they are 20 or more years in service.

Some might say older receptacle replacement is not necessary, but neither is replacing the spark plugs in your car.

Way easier than rewiring the circuit - and way smarter than rolling the dice on a 30A breaker.

It all depends on the gauge of the wire. 20 amp breakers are recommended for 12 gauge wire. You would need a 10 gauge wire for 30 amps.

You have too much load for a 20 amp breaker...And no you should not put in a 30 amp breaker unless the wiring would carry the extra 10 amp. load...Could cause a fire

What you propose is not only a code violation, it is also a common way to start an electrical fire. If you value your life and your property, you will keep the breaker as is since it is doing the job it was meant to do - preventing an overloaded circuit. You would be far better off installing a separate circuit for your space heater.