Discolored or Singed Outlets: Have the outlets in your home started to discolor or appear singed? This may be due to wire overheating as a result of your circuit breaker not working properly and it is time to replace one or several circuit breakers. How to Change a Circuit Breaker Circuit breakers are designed to take the brunt of electrical surges and fluctuations in electricity flowing through your home. Safety precautions are a must if you intend to replace a circuit breaker on your own. Locate the main circuit breaker box and inspect to see if you can find the defective breaker.
If you do find a faulty breaker, take a voltage tested and check for voltage. Now the important part. Shut off the power supply, but do it in this order. Cut off the power to the branch breaker boxes. Then the main power. And finally, make sure there is no power running to the individual breakers. Inspect the entire circuit breaker box and individual breakers for any kind of singing, rust, or discoloration. Again inspect for any melted components, singing, frayed wiring, and debris. Once you have located the circuit breaker that needs to be replaced, loosen the breaker wires that are connecting it to the panel.
Remove the faulty circuit breaker and discard it. Replace the old circuit breaker with the new one and affix the wiring in the same manner that it was affixed to the old breaker. Screw-in tightly. Test each circuit with your voltage tester to ensure they are all set and working properly. Why do I need to learn how to balance a ceiling fan? Standard circuit breakers are the commonest type, used for most electrical outlets in the home, especially for those serving large appliances.
They may be single- or double-pole. GFCI circuit breakers will cut power to the circuit not only in the case of a overload or short circuit, but also when they detect a line-to-ground fault.
They are required in parts of the home where electrical outlets are located close to water sources, such as outdoors and in the kitchen and bathroom. AFCI circuit breakers interrupt the power supply when they sense an electrical surge or abnormal path that could cause an electric fire.
These are required by code in all new home construction, replacing standard circuit breakers. Figure Out the Breaker Size You Need In order to choose the best-size circuit breaker for your particular household needs, check the wire size printed on the cable that is to be connected to the circuit breaker. This article was updated November 12, Sirena Rubinoff. Get Free Quotes. Service Needed. Even though you may not need an exact match identifying an existing circuit breaker will help our team determine what type of circuit breaker your panel will accept.
This strategy works best for circuit breakers that are close in amperage. No problem! Our sales team is happy to assist. Hours Hours of Operation Mon - Fri:. Sign In Toggle navigation.
Other sizes, voltages and configurations are available.
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