Installing Circuit Breakers

Electrical Panel Upgrade: Should You Replace the Entire Box? Basic Steps for Installing a Circuit Breaker Circuit Breaker Installation: Electrical Wiring and Electrical Codes Circuit Breaker Panel Rough in Circuit Breaker Panel Upgrade: !o" #uch $oes it Cost? !o" Should You %est a Receptacle &'CI? !o" to %est Your Circuit Breaker &'CI Installing &round 'ault Circuit Interrupters %ips for Upgrading the Circuit Panel What are the %hree %(pes of &'CI)s?

Electrical Panel Upgrade: Should You Replace the Entire Box?

If (ou li*e in an older ho+e or (ou ,ust need to upgrade (our electrical panel- there are so+e things (ou +a( "ant to consider .efore (ou +o*e for"ard "ith the pro,ect/ !ere are so+e things to think a.out/ 0 panel upgrade generall( re1uires replace+ent of the entire .reaker .ox and installation of ne" circuit .reakers/ So+e of the old .reakers +a( .e a.le to .e reused .ut not if (ou are upgrading the a+p capacit( as "ell/ You +a( ha*e to e*en upgrade the "ires co+ing into (our ho+e fro+ the po"er co+pan(/ %his upgrade +a( or +a( not .e at (our expense it depends on the po"er co+pan( and their policies/ In order to add +ore a+p capacit( (ou "ill need ne" "iring in so+e sections/ Replacing the panel .ox alone "ill not do the trick/ You "ill need to consult an electrician or utilit( co+pan( representati*e in order to deter+ine (our load re1uire+ents/ 0ll possi.ilities like the things listed a.o*e should .e explored and considered "hen proceeding "ith electrical panel upgrades/ Replacing and installing circuit .reakers and ne" "iring can .e expensi*e/ Essential upgrades should .e done together in order to +ake it "orth (our ti+e and +one(/ Electrical de*ices and e1uip+ent such as circuit .reakers and other parts can .e purchased at http:22"""/relectric/co+/

Basic Steps for Installing a Circuit Breaker

%he +ain reason for installing a ne" circuit .reaker in an existing ho+e is to take so+e of the load off of another circuit .reaker/ If there is one circuit .reaker that is connected to too +an( electrical de*ices then it +a( .e "ise to install another circuit .reaker and split the .urden/ %he first step to circuit .reaker installation is to shut off the po"er at the +ain panel/ It is extre+el( i+portant to +ake sure the circuit .reaker panels or su. panels do not ha*e an( li*e "ires/ !o+eo"ners "ho are not experienced "ith electricit( should not atte+pt to "ork "ith electrical "iring/ When the po"er is shut off- unscre" the .reaker panel/ %he large .lack "ires that feed the +ain .reaker "ill still .e li*e so (ou need to test the inco+ing "ires "ith an electrical tester to +ake sure there is no electrical current in the "ires that (ou "ill .e touching/ %his "ill help (ou +ake sure it is safe to .egin installation/ %he second step is to install a ne" ca.le cla+p/ In order to do this (ou "ill need to locate the knockout around the panel and use a scre" dri*er to ha++er one of the knockouts so that (ou can scre" the ca.le cla+p in/ 3ext- run the ne" "ire to the circuit panel and cut the "ire off the ,ack to the circuit cla+p/

%he third step is to connect the ground "ire into the ground .ar/ %he ground "ire is the "ire "ithout insulation/ %he tightening should .e done carefull( in order to pre*ent the "ire fro+ .reaking/ %he fourth step is to place the neutral "ire into the neutral .us/Cut off the insulation around the end of the "ire and slide the .are "ire into the neutral .us- tightening it gentl(/ %he fifth step is to install the actual circuit .reaker de*ice/ %o do this (ou loosen the scre" on the .otto+ of the .reaker and place the last "ire under the scre"4 this "ire "ill .e .lack/ When the .lack "ire is in place- tighten the scre" and hold the "ire in place/ Use the three prongs on the .ackside of the circuit .reaker to hold it in position/ 0lign the .reaker in the space and push the prongs in/ #ake sure the .reaker is secure/ %he last step is to re+o*e the knockouts fro+ the panel co*er and place it o*er the circuit panel in order to secure and protect all of the circuit .reakers/ Circuit .reaker installation is t(picall( done .( a professional speciali5ing in electrical procedures/ If (ou need to purchase a circuit .reaker- (ou can find all kinds of the+ online at http:22"""/relectric/co+

Circuit Breaker Installation: Electrical Wiring and Electrical Codes

3e" electrical "ires or circuit .reakers and other electrical e1uip+ent in the ho+e need to +eet the 3EC 63ational Electrical Code7/ %his electrical code is a nation"ide set of re1uire+ents/ Electrical "ork has to .e up to code in order to pass an inspection/ #ost electrical "ork- like upgrading a circuit .reaker panel or running ne" electrical "ire in the house- re1uires a per+it and cit( inspection/ If (ou atte+pt to do +a,or electrical changes in (our ho+e and do not get a per+it- (ou could .e su.,ect to fines and other repercussions/ %he 3EC code "as de*eloped to protect consu+er and ho+eo"ners fro+ dishonest contractors and "iring +istakes that could result in fire risk- electrocution or fatal accidents/ %he electrical code is updated periodicall( and an( ne" "ork is re1uired to +eet the ne" code specifications/

Circuit Breaker Panel Rough in

$uring ne" construction- all electrical s(ste+s are roughed in- .ut sta( disconnected until the( pass inspection and the house is far enough along in the .uilding process to handle electricit(/ %he circuit .reaker panel is a 8rough in9 until it is connected to the electrical s(ste+/ It is i+portant to speak "ith (our electrician .efore the rough in so that he can run the right "ire si5e to allo" a large a+p rating and installation of the proper nu+.er of *olts in the .reaker panel/ Electrical capacit( and *oltage should .e discussed ahead of ti+e so that the electrician can plan the "ire design and purchase the correct supplies/ 0n electrical rough in is created in the "alls and interior of the ho+e ahead of ti+e so that the( can .uild around the "ires/ %he electrical "ires or circuits are tied in at the circuit .reaker panel along "ith the installation of s"itches- electrical outlets- etc during the final phase of construction/

Circuit Breaker Panel Upgrade: !o" #uch $oes it Cost?

Circuit panel upgrades can cost an("here fro+ :;<== to :><== depending on the cost of la.or in (our area/ #aterial costs are prett( standard no +atter "here (ou li*e- .ut la.or cost "ill *ar(/ Installing a "hole ne" circuit .reaker .ox to replace a fuse .ox re1uires extensi*e ne" "iring procedures and circuit .reaker installation/ If (ou are pa(ing for the pro,ect then (ou +ight as "ell +ake it "orth (our ti+e and +one( .( installing circuit .reakers to handle a larger capacit(/ Replacing a fuse .ox "ith ne" circuit .reakers is not a $IY pro,ect4 the task should definitel( .e done .( an electrician/ %he pro,ect could take a professional an("here fro+ ? to ;= hours to co+plete depending on the co+plexit( of the re"ire and the upgrade capacit(/ %he expense +a( sting at the ti+e of pa(+ent- .ut the upgraded electrical s(ste+ "ill .e "orth the +one(/

!o" Should You %est a Receptacle &'CI?

You can test (our receptacle &'CI "ith the assistance of a s+all night light and a fe" si+ple procedures/ %esting should .e done often to ensure the opti+u+ protection pro*ided .( this electrical de*ice/ !ere are so+e "a(s to perfor+ a test on (our receptacle &'CI "hich acts like a speciali5ed electrical circuit .reaker/ Prepare the unit for testing .( resetting it/ %est the electrical current .( plugging in the light and turning it on/ If the light "orks- the current is flo"ing/ Push the test .utton on the &'CI and the light should go off/ %ouch the reset .utton again and the light "ill turn .ack on/ @nce (oukno" the &'CI "orks- (ou can rest eas( kno"ing that (ou are protected fro+ possi.le danger/ If the &'CI did not pass the test- (ou +a( "ant to seek the assistance of a 1ualified electrical professional/

!o" to %est Your Circuit Breaker &'CI

0 circuit .reaker &'CI is located in the circuit .reaker .ox- "hich is t(picall( in the .ase+ent or utilit( roo+ of a ho+e/ %esting the &'CI .reaker is i+portant/ !ere are so+e steps to follo" "hen testing (our &'CI circuit .reaker/ Aocate all of these t(pes of .reakers on (our circuit .reaker panel/ #ake sure the .reaker toggle is on/ %hen- press the test .utton on the circuit/ %his should cause the toggle s"itch to trip i++ediatel(/ 3o" reset and return the toggle to the on position to restore po"er/ If (our test is successful- (our &'CI circuit .reakers are "orking "ell- .ut if the test failed then (ou should consider tr(ing to pinpoint the pro.le+ and deter+ine "hether or not (ou need to install ne" circuit .reakers in the circuit .reaker panel/ You can find &'CI and other t(pes of circuit .reakers at http:22"""/relectric/co+/

Installing &round 'ault Circuit Interrupters

%he &'CIs are i+portant circuit .reakers to ha*e in (our ho+e/ %he( are re1uired .( code to .e installed in certain areas of the house like the .athroo+ and kitchen "here "ater +a( co+e into contact "ith electricit(/ %hese specialt( circuit .reakers protect against electrocution and other dangers/ It is i+perati*e to ha*e relia.le &'CIs in (our house/ %here are three "a(s to test the relia.ilit( or a &'CI/ ;/ Use onl( certified &'CIs that ha*e .een tested .( a nationall( recogni5ed co+pan(/ >/ !ire an electrician to install the &C'I circuit .reakers in (our ho+e/ B/ %est (our &'CIs after se*ere "eather or once a +onth to +ake sure the( are "orking correctl(/ #ost &'CI outlets 6like the ones in the .athroo+7 ha*e CtestC .uttons/ &'CI circuit .reakers are essential/ %hese de*ices can protect fa+il( +e+.ers fro+ electrocution/ %est (our &'CIs often and keep the+ in "ork order at all ti+es/ If (ou suspect +alfunction or trou.le "ith the &'CIs in (our ho+econsult the ad*ice of a professional and get the+ repaired i++ediatel(/

%ips for Upgrading the Circuit Panel

Circuit .reaker installation in an older ho+e is often necessar(/ If (our ho+e has a fuse .ox instead of a circuit .reaker panel- (ou +a( "ant to upgrade/ S"itching to circuit .reakers instead of fuses is not essential- .ut so+eti+es the fuse panel is not e1uipped to handle the a+pere load of e*er(da( appliances and the high a+p usage of ne" electrical e1uip+ent/ If (ou need to upgrade the capacit( of (our electrical s(ste+- (ou +ight as "ell install circuit .reakers in the ne" electrical panel "hile (ou are changing the panel/ Upgrading the a+p capacit( re1uires adding +ore "ire to handle the larger a+ount of electrical current/ #a,or changes and i+pro*e+ents should .e done .( a certified electrician "ho is fa+iliar "ith ne" "iring procedures and electrical codes/

What are the %hree %(pes of &'CI)s?

%here are three t(pes of &round 'ault Circuit Interrupters/ %he first +ost co++on t(pe is a Dreceptacle t(pe) &'CI "hich is si+ilar to a "all outlet/ %he second t(pe is a circuit .reaker &'CI that is often used to replace regular circuit .reakers .ecause of the &'CI protection it offers/ %he third kind is a te+porar( or 8plug in9 &'CI/ %hese are used on construction ,o.s and outside for e1uip+ent like la"n +o"ers- tri++er and other de*ices/ Each t(pe of &'CI is useful and pro*ides protection again electrical dangers/ When installing circuit .reakers in (our ho+e (ou should consider the &'CI circuit .reakers for specific roo+s and location in the ho+e in order to ensure the safet( of (ou and (our fa+il(/ &'CI and other circuit .reakers can .e purchased online at http:22relectric/co+