How To Install A Main Circuit Breaker

Download Article

Download Article

Installing a circuit breaker is sometimes considered the most intimidating part of dwelling electric work. In fact, virtually people cull not to do information technology themselves out of fear of beingness shocked. However, installing circuit breakers into most residential electrical panels doesn't have to be unsafe or overly complicated. By understanding the layout of your electrical panel and taking acceptable precautions during the installation process, you can safely install a circuit billow in your home.

1. 1

   Turn off the power supply to the electric panel. Locate the Service Disconnect or Main excursion breaker in the console and set it to the "Off" position. This circuit breaker is likely to have the largest amp value and will be located either at the top or lesser of the console.^[1]

   • If you don't come across a circuit breaker labeled "Service Disconnect" or "Main" in the panel, information technology is probable in another panel in the building or in the meter socket enclosure (a separate, commonly grayness box that houses the utilities meter for many houses and mobile homes and that is continued to various circuit breakers throughout 1 section of a building). Look for other console(s) as needed until you lot find this main circuit breaker.
   • Turn off all computers in your home before switching off the power, as they may be damaged by suddenly losing ability.

2. 2

   Audit the circuit breaker arrangement for unused locations. Look for a blank surface area on the electric panel that could accommodate a circuit breaker, paying particular attention to unused spaces at the top and bottom of the cover. Some manufacturers of electrical panels have removable knockouts or plates at these locations, but the console itself lacks provisions to mount a circuit breaker.^[2]

   • If the unused location has a knockout plate over it, yous'll have to eventually remove information technology earlier completing the installation process. For at present, you merely need to identify a infinite where you tin can install the excursion breaker.

   Advertisement

3. 3

   Remove the electrical console cover. Use a screwdriver to remove 3 of the screws supporting the cover. Then, use one arm to concord the console cover in place as you lot unscrew the terminal screw. Finally, pull the embrace away from the panel.^[3]

   • Exist sure to concord the console encompass tightly in identify every bit you remove the screws; if the cover slips and falls, it could damage the billow handles.
   • If you're unable to hold the panel comprehend in identify with 1 hand, enquire a friend to assist y'all.

4. 4

   Test the panel to brand sure the power is off. Use a test lite or meter set to bank check for the presence of power. Bear on 1 probe to basis (the bar that has blank or green and white wires connected) or neutral (the bar that has only white or just blank or green wires connected) and impact the other probe to the spiral terminal of a circuit breaker that has a black, red, or bluish insulated wire connected. If 120 (or more) volts is indicated, the panel is nevertheless being powered and will need to be turned off before proceeding.^[four]

   • Make sure your test light is set up to the highest AC voltage range bachelor (and is set at minimum to 120 volts).
   • If the Service Disconnect or Main circuit breaker is in this panel, it will e'er indicate ability on the terminals that have cables continued. The output of the Principal or Service Disconnect when located in the panel, connects to the bus bar. The coach bar should have no ability nowadays when this breaker is OFF. Testing at the Service Disconnect or Main circuit billow is not recommended due to this "seemingly conflicting" data.
   • It is not rubber to install a circuit breaker in an electrical panel that still has power flowing to information technology. Do not go along if power is present on a excursion billow other than Service Disconnect or Main circuit billow, until the ability source has been shut off.

5. five

   Notice an unused space next to or between existing excursion breakers. The new circuit billow you install will need to be placed side by side to a circuit breaker already in place. Carefully compare this location to the cover that was removed earlier to make sure it aligns with an unused location on the embrace.^[5]

   • It's very important that the cover has provisions for exposing the new excursion breaker by removal of the knockout plate. If there's no plate to be removed, the excursion breaker will have to be located in a unlike place on the panel.

   Advertisement

1. 1

   Brand certain you have the correct circuit billow. The panel label will list all the approved types of circuit breakers that can be installed in the panel. Diffusive from the listing is a code violation and voids any UL, FM or other list services' approval. For maximum safety, use only those circuit breakers that are allowed to be installed in the console.^[6]

   • Typically, the merely breakers allowed to exist installed are from the aforementioned manufacturer of the panel - fifty-fifty if other make breakers are labeled every bit "fits (brand proper noun here) panels".
   • The breaker should be of an ampacity that does non exceed the excursion conductor's rating. This is typically 15 amps for #xiv copper, 20 amps for #12 copper and 30 amps for #10 copper conductors or wires. Consult the lawmaking book to decide sizes for other circuits.
   • The terminal size should be large enough for the wire to fit. The demand to remove strands of wire to fit the terminal is an indication of an mistake somewhere forth the line.

2. 2

   Prepare the excursion breaker handle to the OFF position. The circuit billow has iii possible positions: ON and OFF and a mid position when TRIPPED. Button the handle towards the OFF position before installing the billow to ensure your own rubber during the installation procedure.^[7]

3. three

   Align the circuit billow with the bars in the panel. Tilt the circuit billow and so that the concord-on clip on the bottom of the billow is attached to the plastic "grab" bar in the panel. Once attached, pivot the excursion breaker on the mechanical contact and roll towards the heart of the panel - making sure the coach bar of the console is nevertheless aligned with the slot or opening on the circuit breaker example.^[viii]

   • You may have to utilise pressure to the breaker for it to become attached to the plastic bar.

4. four

   Firmly printing on the circuit breaker to seat it onto the bus bar. Use your pollex to press firmly simply gently on the excursion breaker until it snaps into place on the autobus bar. Yous don't accept to spiral the breaker into identify; it'due south held in identify by spring clips and the panel cover.^[9]

   • While information technology will crave firm even pressure to be seated, it should non take to be forced.

5. five

   Connect the excursion wiring to the electrical panel. Afterwards making sure the excursion breaker is still in the OFF position, connect the white neutral wire and the black hot wire to the billow. Loosen the screw over the breaker'southward connection last, insert the wires into the appropriate final locations, then tighten the screw until snug.^[x]

   • Your excursion billow should accept a label that indicates where to insert the neutral and hot wires.
   • If you're installing a double pole billow, you'll connect it to both the black and red hot wires. But make sure you're using a switch that'south designed to exist used as a double billow.^[11]
   • Note that at that place'southward no need to bend the terminate of the wire into a claw; it just needs to exist straightly inserted into the connection final.

   Advertisement

1. one

   Remove knockout plates from your cover as needed. Bring the cover up to the panel to compare the new circuit breaker location to the comprehend openings. Apply a pair of pliers to remove any knockout plates on the embrace location where the circuit billow volition be located.^[12]

   • To remove the knockout plate, only grip with the pliers and movement the metal back and forth until information technology comes away.

2. two

   Clean all foreign objects out of the console and reinstall the cover. Remove any tools, wire scraps, or other strange objects that could cause a short circuit from the interior of the panel. And so, place the cover on the panel to check that the circuit billow has fully been seated at both contact points and fits through the comprehend. Finally, rescrew the comprehend onto the console.^[13]

3. 3

   Turn on the chief billow and test your new circuit breaker. Standing to the side of the panel, restore power to the console by setting the Service Disconnect or Primary to "On" and then set the new circuit breaker to "On". Cheque for right operation of the new circuit (lite, outlet, etc.) with a test low-cal or meter.^[xiv]

   • Clear any curt circuit before attempting a reset if circuit breaker instantly trips.

4. 4

   Characterization the circuit breaker. Locate the panel's circuit directory on the inside of the panel door. Determine the circuit breaker location (or "excursion number") and write a description of the circuit (load type such as "refrigerator" or a location such as "living room") in the space provided. Be sure to edit the directory if any circuits were moved to install the new circuit.^[xv]

   Advertisement

Add New Question

• Question

  Should I install an additional excursion breaker in my home?

  

  Jesse Kuhlman is a Master Electrician and the Owner of Kuhlman Electrician Services based in Massachusetts. Jesse specializes in all aspects of habitation/residential wiring, troubleshooting, generator installation, and WiFi thermostats. Jesse is also the author of four eBooks on home wiring including "Residential Electrical Troubleshooting" which covers basic electric troubleshooting in residential homes.

  

  Chief Electrician

  Expert Reply

  

  Back up wikiHow by unlocking this skillful respond.

  The simply reason you'd really need an boosted excursion breakers is if ane of your circuits is overloaded. For instance, if yous take an Air conditioning in your bedroom window and you put 1 in some other chamber and those rooms are tied on the same circuit, that billow will probable exist overloaded and trip.

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your electronic mail address to go a bulletin when this question is answered.

Submit

Advert

• Voltage levels as niggling every bit 50 volts can be lethal under the right conditions. Most residential electrical systems are 2 to 5 times this value. Shut off power whenever working on circuits and never continue if unsure or uncomfortable performing the steps higher up.

• E'er stand to the side of an electric panel when turning circuit breakers "on". The corporeality of energy existence transferred is directly proportional to the amperage value rating on the circuit breaker. While a unmarried pole 15 or 20 amp short circuit would probably non cause catastrophic damage, a double pole 100 or 200 amp short circuit certainly could. Continuing off to the side takes a person largely (though not completely) "out of harms mode".

• Never install a circuit breaker into a panel for which it was not designed. Many excursion breakers will physically fit into dissimilar panels, yet only those identified on the panel'southward label are approved for use. Using improper circuit breaker causes forfeiture of UL, Factory Mutual and all other "listings". Use of unlisted devices is a code violation and in extreme cases, may result in denial of a merits to the insurance visitor in the effect of a loss.

• Prior to using whatever tester or meter, be certain it works by first checking on a known alive circuit. If the device fails to indicate properly, do non utilise until repaired or replaced.

• In the US, 120/240 systems (the type most ofttimes found in a residence or abode) use a color code for wiring; Blackness, Red, Blue "hot wires" and White neutral wires. In addition to 120/240 volt systems that announced in residences, many commercial and industrial settings also have 277/480 systems. These higher voltage systems use a different colour scheme to immediately alert the electrician of the higher voltage panel. The color scheme used for these systems is Chocolate-brown, Orangish, Xanthous (retrieve "BOY") "hot wires" and Gray neutral wires. Exist sure new wiring is installed in the correct panel.

Advertisement

Things You'll Need

• Screwdriver
• Voltage Tester or Meter
• Pliers

• Installing an extra circuit breaker can help if one of your circuits is overloaded and trips oftentimes.^[16]

• If you lot accept a circuit breaker that's been overloaded for a long time, and information technology's been tripped repeatedly, it may need to exist replaced entirely.^[17]

Advertisement

About This Article

Commodity Summary X

To install a circuit breaker, starting time by turning off the power supply to the electrical panel and removing the cover over it. Make sure you use a test light or meter to verify that the ability is off since it's unsafe to install a circuit breaker in a panel that however has ability. Once you lot've verified that the power is off, discover an unused infinite adjacent to or between existing circuit breakers and press the new excursion breaker into the space, making sure the circuit breaker is in the "off" position beforehand. Finally, connect the circuit wiring to the electrical panel. To learn how to choose the right circuit breaker for your installation, scroll down!

Did this summary help you?

Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 491,040 times.

Did this article help yous?

Source: https://www.wikihow.com/Install-a-Circuit-Breaker

Posted by: shepherdcousemen.blogspot.com

Share this post