Types of Circuit Breakers

Circuit Breaker Trio Ground Fault Interrupter Circuit Breakers High Voltage Circuit Breakers: Oil Circuit Breakers How Many Circuit Breakers? How to dd a !ew Circuit Breaker How to "ocate the Main #lectrical Circuit Breaker Is $ecycled or $e%ur&ished ccepta&le? !ew rc Fault Breakers 'hat are Circuit Breakers? 'hat (o #lectrical rcs Ha)e To (o 'ith Circuit Breakers?

Circuit Breaker Trio

There are three co**on types o% circuit &reakers+ The &asic parts o% a circuit &reaker are the switch and a *o)ing, conducti)e contact plate that *o)es the switch when electricity co*es into contact with it+ In the circuit &o- the contact plate is connected to a stationary plate that allows electricity to %low. &ut i% the circuit is o)erloaded the contact plate will %orce the switch to %lip and &reak the electrical %low+ *agnetic circuit &reaker uses electro*agnetis* to &reak the circuit+ The electro*agnet on this circuit &reaker gets stronger with the %low o% electricity+ 'hen the electrical load e-ceeds the prescri&ed currency the electro*agnet will &e power%ul enough to %orce the circuit &reaker le)er down and *o)e the contact plate which %lips the switch+ nother kind o% circuit &reaker is the ther*al circuit &reaker which uses heat to &reak the circuit+ 'ith a &i*etallic strip /two types o% *etal. one on each side0 this circuit &reaker responds to the e-tre*e heat o% the electrical current+ #ach type o% *etal e-pands di%%erently to &end the strip+ 'hen the electricity is too strong then the strip is &ent at an angle which will turn o)er the contact plate and &reak the circuit+ The third type o% circuit &reaker co*&ines electro*agnetis* and heat+ This de)ice has an electro*agnet that protects against sudden surges in the electrical load and a &i*etallic strip that protects against prolonged electrical o)erload and o)erheating+ 'hen purchasing circuit &reakers %or your ho*e you will need to discuss your options with your electrician and select the &est type o% circuit &reaker %or your needs+ 1ou can %ind a large selection o% circuit &reakers &y )isiting http:22www+relectric+co*

Ground Fault Interrupter Circuit Breakers

Basic circuit &reakers will detect a circuit o)erload and auto*atically 3trip4 or shut o%% in order to protect the electrical syste*+ Ground %ault interrupter /GFI0 circuit &reakers go one step %urther to detect pro&le*s due to electricity &eing 5grounded5 &y so*ething that6s not part o% the electrical syste*+ They6re used in places that are e-posed to water. %or instance, they6re what pre)ent you %ro* getting electrocuted e)en i% you get a hairdryer wet+ typical circuit &reaker has a 78 a*p rating and is used to handle lighting, and other electrical outlets in the ho*e+ 9o*e roo*s *ay re:uire *ore than one 78 a*p rating resulting in *ultiple &reakers+ GFI circuit

&reaker is used in wet areas such as &athroo*s, kitchens, laundry roo*s, garages, outside, etc+ The GFI &reaker is re:uired unless GFI protection is already installed at the outlet locations+ I% you are not sure that you ha)e the GFI protection in your ho*e &ecause you li)e in an older ho*e that *ay not &e 3up;to;code4 then you can ha)e an electrician inspect your circuit &reaker panel and electrical wiring to *ake sure you ha)e this i*portant protection+

High Voltage Circuit Breakers: Oil Circuit Breakers

Oil circuit &reakers are high;)oltage circuit &reakers that ha)e their contacts i**ersed in oil+ The s*aller oil circuit &reakers ha)e their poles in one tank o% oil. se)eral &reakers share one tank+ The larger high;)oltage industrial circuit &reakers re:uire a tank o% oil %or each pole The oil tanks are sealed around the oil circuit &reakers and electrical connections are *ade through porcelain &ushings+ Oil circuit &reakers work &y using oil to :uench an electrical arc. the oil causes current interruption when needed+ The oil cools the large arcs o% electricity so that the circuits do not o)erheat+ The *ain disad)antages o% oil circuit &reakers is the %act that the oil can &e %la**a&le and it *ay &e hard to keep the oil %resh and in good condition /re:uires changing and puri%ying the oil0+ I% you use oil circuit &reakers, *ake sure that you know how to *aintain the* correctly+ lways do your research and select the type o% circuit &reaker that will &est %its your needs+ (i%%erent types o% circuit &reakers including oil circuit &reaker &rands can &e %ound &y )isiting an electrical e:uip*ent co*pany like http:22www+relectric+co*

How Many Circuit Breakers

The circuit &reaker panel in your ho*e contains separate circuits %or )arious areas in your ho*e+ #ach circuit can handle a certain power load+ I% this load is e-ceeded &ecause so*ething is drawing too *uch power /a stripped wire, %or instance, or e)en <ust running too *any appliances at once0 the circuit &reaker will interrupt that particular circuit+ 9o i% you only lose power in one or two roo*s o% your house, you should check the &reaker panel &e%ore you call the power co*pany+ Because o% the growing popularity o% electrical appliances and 3toys4 like ho*e entertain*ents syste*s, &ig tele)ision sets, and co*puters, *any e-perts will agree that you should plan %or your power use to grow, and install *ore circuit &reakers rather than %ewer+ 'hen &uilding a new ho*e you should *ake sure that you *eet with your electrician to speci%y how *any circuits to set up throughout the house+ There are codes and regulations that the electrician *ust %ollow, so you can6t ask the* to wire your house in a way that would &e unsa%e+ It is wise to re:uest a *ini*u* o% a =>> a*p circuit panel with ?> circuit &reakers+ !ow ?> *ay sound like too *any and you *ay not use the* all right away, &ut i% you purchase new e:uip*ent or decide to add on to the house, you will ha)e your circuit &reakers all ready wired and all you ha)e to do is tie the* into the *ain syste*+ Installing enough the circuits during construction will sa)e a lot o% work later+ dding a circuit to an e-isting house re:uires running *ore wire through the walls+ I% the circuit &o- is already wired %or *ore &reakers it is si*ple to connect the additional circuit &reakers in the ho*e+

How to !dd a "ew Circuit Breaker

I% your ho*e does not ha)e enough circuit &reakers to handle the electrical load o% the household then you *ay ha)e to add additional circuit &reakers+ n o)erloaded circuit can trip o%% o%ten or *ay e)en &eco*e an

o)erheated circuit &reaker+ In order to relie)e so*e o% the pressure you can install an additional circuit &reaker in the circuit panel+ Be%ore adding a new circuit &reaker you will need to *ake sure that you ha)e enough a*ps to handle the e-tra load and check &uilding codes to see i% you need to get a per*it %irst+ Once you ha)e co)ered all the &ases then you are ready to add a new circuit &reaker+ I% you aren6t a certi%ied electrician, you should ha)e one co*e and do the work %or you+ I% you know the proper procedures, you can proceed with the new circuit &reaker installation process+ First, turn o%% the power to the *ain &reaker and *ake sure there are no li)e wires in the circuit panel+ !ow, re*o)e the panel co)er and the knockouts so that you ha)e space %or the new circuit &reaker+ !e-t, using insulated tools install the proper ca&le connector allowing enough %ree ca&le to snake around the &reaker &o-+ @sing an insulated ca&le stripper proceed to strip the outer insulation o% the ca&le wires and %eed the* into the correct locations+ Connect the ground wire &y running it to the ground &us wire+ single;pole &reaker /7=>;)olt circuit0 will ha)e the white wire connected to the neutral &us &ar and the &lack wire connected to the &reaker+ Once the wires are connected then you will install the circuit &reaker and push it into place+ The last step is to test the circuit to *ake sure it works properly+ I% it does not work then you connected the wires wrong or there is so*ething wrong with the new circuit &reaker+ To purchase electrical circuit &reakers you can )isit an electric distri&utor such as www+relectric+co* %or a wide )ariety o% circuit &reakers and other electrical de)ices and e:uip*ent+

How to #ocate the Main $lectrical Circuit Breaker

The 3*ain circuit &reaker4 is usually located at the top o% the circuit &reaker panel, and it looks like two connected circuit &reaker switches+ It6s i*portant to know where this power &o- is located in case o% an e*ergency or natural disaster+ In *any cases you will need to turn o%% the power to your ho*e i% you ha)e an e*ergency such as a %lood, hurricane or earth:uake+ I% the power lines to your house are da*aged or e-posed, they can &e e-tre*ely dangerous+ The *ain circuit &reaker, o%ten called the 3(ou&le Aole 9er)ice (isconnect4 supplies power to the ho*e+ It will turn on or o%% all o% the power to the entire house at once+ The electrical power to a ho*e co*es directly %ro* the electrical co*panyBs power line through the electric *eter to your *ain circuit &o-+ #ducate your %a*ily on the location o% the *ain &reaker &o- that powers your household+ Make sure they know how to disconnect power in an e*ergency+ This in%or*ation *ay help pre)ent disaster, in<ury or e)en sa)e a li%e+

Is %ecycled or %efur&ished !ccepta&le

The growing awareness o% the i*portance o% reusing and recycling *aterial and e:uip*ent ha)e opened up new doors %or all kinds o% products+ 9o*e electrical e:uip*ent and de)ices can &e sa%ely recycled and2or re%ur&ished %or reuse+

I% you li)e in an older ho*e it *ay &e i*possi&le to %ind the right &rand and *odel o% circuit &reaker to *atch the other circuit &reakers in the &reaker &o-+ This can *aking changing a circuit &reaker ne-t to i*possi&le+ I% this is the case then a re%ur&ished circuit &reaker *ay &e your only choice+ There are co*panies that sell re%ur&ished, o&solete circuit &reakers and other electrical de)ices+ These co*panies will certi%y the re%ur&ished e:uip*ent &y testing the %unctionality o% the parts and repairing any pro&le*s+ Aurchasing re%ur&ished parts can &e done sa%ely &y doing so*e research %irst+ 1ou should always purchase recycled parts %ro* a reputa&le co*pany+ $esearch the co*pany &y searching the Internet, getting re%erences %ro* %riends or consulting an electrician+ Check the Better Business Bureau in order to *ake sure the co*panyBs record is clean+ Once you ha)e %ound a reputa&le co*pany then you should &e a&le to sa%ely purchase a worka&le part to use in your ho*e+ For new, re%ur&ished and o&solete circuit &reakers and electrical parts you can )isit www+relectric+co* +

"ew !rc Fault Breakers

Traditional circuit &reakers are designed to switch o%% when there is a circuit o)erload+ This %eature is supposed to help pre)ent wires %ro* o)erheating &ecause the power is cut when the electrical circuit &reaker trips, &ut electrical %ires are still a risk with traditional circuit &reakers+ In %act, while these &reakers are designed to protect the wire &ehind the walls and the outlets, they do not ha)e %ire protection or %ire stopping %eatures+ Fire producing arcs o% electricity can occur in the wall &e%ore traditional &reakers ha)e ti*e to react+ Because o% electrical %ire danger and the reality o% electrical %ires in ho*es it *ay &e worth the in)est*ent to purchase new arc %ault &reakers %or your house+ The added protection not only gi)es you 3peace o% *ind4, &ut it *ay also sa)e you thousands o% dollars in %ire da*age+ 9taying up;to;date on new circuit &reaker in%or*ation is e-tre*ely help%ul %or ho*eowners+ The new arc %ault circuit &reaker %unctions si*ilarly to a traditional circuit &reaker &ut it has s*all %ilters and detection de)ices that sense an intense arc <ust as it is a&out to spark+ I% that was only true with relationship trou&les+ 'hen arcing conditions are present then the &reaker will %lip instantly+ The new arc %ault &reakers are readily a)aila&le at *ost electrical supply stores+ 1ou can %ind the* online at www+relectric+co*+

'hat are Circuit Breakers

Circuit &reakers are electrical de)ices used to auto*atically 3&reak4 an electrical circuit when it &eco*es o)erloaded+ This sa%ety *echanis* can sa)e a ho*e or &uilding %ro* ha)ing a *a<or electrical disaster+ 'hen electrical wires are %orced to carry an electrical current that is o)er their set capacity, the circuit &reaker %lips o%% the electricity+ I% you ha)e an older electrical syste*, an electrical short *ay &low a %use, which is a little di%%erent than a circuit &reaker+ &lown %use has to &e replaced, &ut a %lipped circuit &reaker can usually &e reset+ I% the circuit &reaker continues to kick o%% the electricity when reset then the situation *ay &e *ore serious than <ust an accidental short circuit %ro* a power surge or electrical o)erload+ In this situation the wiring to the circuit should &e inspected and tested &y a pro%essional either an electrician or so*eone %ro* an electrical e:uip*ent co*pany+ In so*e cases, howe)er, you *ay <ust &e trying to use too *uch power at once+ Ha)ing *any appliances on at one ti*e can o)erload a circuit+

'hat (o $lectrical !rcs Ha)e To (o 'ith Circuit Breakers

I% youB)e e)er seen a welder working on a &uilding, you know a little &it a&out the power o% an electric arc+ Aut si*ply, itBs a strea* o% electrons passing through space %ro* one *aterial to another+ This strea* o% electrons can &e )ery strong, strong enough to *elt *etal or, in the wrong circu*stances, start %ires+ 9o how does this apply to circuit &reakers? Basically, circuit &reakers are <ust switches+ I% e)erythingBs working, the switch is closed, and electricity %lows across the &reaker into your ho*e+ I% so*ething happens to o)erload the circuit, howe)er, a de)ice in the &reaker %lips the switch open so that no *ore electricity can cross+ ThatBs when arcs &eco*e i*portant+ I% enough electricity was going through the &reaker when it opened, thereBs a chance that e)en a%ter the contacts o% the switch separate electrons could continue to pass &etween the*, creating an arc that will continue to supply too *uch electricity to the circuit and &eco*e a separate haCard to anyone who tries to use the circuit &reaker panel to turn o%% power+ Because o% this, *ost circuit &reakers are e:uipped with special de)ices that are designed to 3&low out4 or dispel an arc &e%ore it can cause pro&le*s+ ItBs i*portant to learn a&out these de)ices and *ake sure you pick &reakers that suit your power needs+ 1ou can %ind all kinds o% &reakers at www+relectric+co*