Maintaining Circuit Breakers And Fuses

Always use extreme caution when you are working on or around your home electrical system. If you have any doubts about completing any of the following steps, leave your electrical system alone and promptly telephone a trained professional.

While you are most likely not an electrician, it is still important for you know how to care for your circuit breakers or fuses in the event you should lose power to your home or throw a switch or blow a fuse.

The first step is locating your circuit breakers or fuses. They will be in a metal box - sometimes in your basement and sometimes located outside. The box is typically grey, but colors can vary.

All of the circuit breakers should be labeled on the door so you can easily reset the switch or replace the fuse if there is an issue. If this is not done on your panel door you will need the assistance of one other person who can tell you what areas of your house lose power when you remove a fuse or turn a switch off, unless you are willing to run back and forth as you turn switches and/or remove fuses.

You will need to know how to reset your circuit breakers or remove fuses in the event one is thrown or a fuse is blown. In most incidences the switches are clearly marked on or off. Prior to resetting or replacing circuit breakers or fuses you should turn off everything that was drawing power when you lost power. Failing to do so will cause the exact same thing to happen again.

Sometimes a circuit breaker can appear to be on when it is actually off. That is why labeling your switches is so important. If you have an issue in a specific area of your house and your switches are labeled you can easily flip the exact switch and restore power.

If you have tried all of the above and still have no power, you may need to turn on and off the main power switch and then reset each individual circuit breaker. If this fails to solve your issue, it is time to call a professional.

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What Are Circuit Breakers?

Circuit Breakers are devices that stop the electrical current of a circuit in the event of excess or very high voltage. Circuit breakers are handy, not only because they can protect against electrical fires but also because they can be reset. When a fuse blows out, it must be replaced each time, whereas circuit breakers are easily reset when tripped.

Each appliance in your home receives electrical currents by way of electrical circuit breakers. Circuit breakers are considered to be either main or individual. The main circuit breaker controls power to the entire house while individual circuit breakers transmit power to individual appliances.

Electrical circuit breakers are probably the most important safety feature in a building. A circuit breaker measures the amount of heat produced by the current or by the magnetic field created by the small coil inside the breaker. When the current becomes too high, the breaker will cut off the circuit to stop it. Fuses serve the same function but can only be used once. Anyone who has blown a fuse can tell you it is much easier to have circuit breakers.

Electrical circuit breakers are also useful for shutting down power to the entire house. If you need to do some electrical maintenance, either for the entire structure or individual electrical wires, shutting down the main breaker can be a safety tool. Although electrical waves are invisible, we all know they have great potential danger. You should label each individual electrical circuit breaker so it is easily accessible for future use.

Direct current, or DC circuit breakers, are commonly used in automobiles. DC circuit breakers, unlike alternate current (AC) breakers, only deliver currents in one direction. These types of circuit breakers are a renewable energy delivery source, and special precautions should be taken when using them.

Since all batteries have the capability of producing enormous amounts of energy when short-circuited, care should be taken to properly install the breaker, fuse and disconnects in a vehicle. Autos should have additional protection against over current for the battery and each of the branch circuits. Vehicle fires sometimes result when the owner does not take proper precautions.

DC circuit breakers often have plastic beads inside of the fuse. When the current becomes too heavy, these plastic beads can melt and fill the void inside the fuse and prevent an arc from forming. If the current is very heavy this can cause electrical fires. While DC circuit breakers are effective in preventing damage from an overload of current, they are only effective to a certain degree. Any power source using DC technology should have a backup master fuse to protect the vehicle against total short-circuit.

Circuit Breakers Info provides detailed information about circuit breaker panels, circuit breaker manufacturers, plus advice on how to replace and install circuit breakers and where to buy used and surplus circuit breakers. Circuit Breakers Info is the sister site of Electricians Web.

How to Buy Used or Surplus Circuit Breakers

For homes or businesses trying to cut costs, used circuit breakers may be an option for their electrical needs. You can visit several online stores that carry all sorts of brands of used circuit breakers. Finding a used circuit breaker can also be useful in locating obsolete or outdate breakers. Many companies only sell used circuit breakers that have been tested for quality and safety.

Because used circuit breakers are usually old, it is necessary to test them prior to purchase or using them. Testing used circuit breakers is essential for safety as well as for functional reasons. In older used breakers, the naked eye simply cannot determine if the contacts are corroded. If the contacts are indeed corroded, your circuit breaker may not function properly or safely. Most electricians recommend not to use used circuit breakers to ensure your safety, because prices on new circuit breakers are generally reasonable.

Sometime a company may have too many circuit breakers or breakers that have become obsolete for their needs. In cases such as this, many companies decide to sell their surplus circuit breakers to dealers. In turn, these dealers test, refurbish and resell the products. This can mean huge savings to the consumers who purchase surplus circuit breakers.

Online auctions, web directories and bulletin boards are all excellent tools to buy or sell surplus circuit breakers. The widespread use of the Internet has opened up a whole new world of buying and selling these goods. Traditionally, a business owner interested in buying surplus had to fly to the location to examine the product before purchase. Now, however, the sellers can upload pictures and the important information for the consumer to review before purchasing. Some experts estimate that the surplus selling business has become a multi-billion dollar industry, even within the past five-to-ten years.

If you decide to pursue the purchase of surplus goods online, you should ask some important questions first. Find out if it is an original, factory direct product and whether it is new or used. Does it have any noticeable cracks or fractures? When was it last used? What are the testing procedures to ensure it functions and is safe? What is the refund policy?

Finding this information beforehand is vital in securing a good quality surplus circuit breaker. You can save a lot of money by buying an outdated, unused or obsolete circuit breaker if you know the right questions to ask. Consumer advocates encourage you to keep in mind the old adage, “buyer beware” since the online marketplace opens up new possibilities for fraud. Marketplaces such as Ebay offer consumer protection against fraud and SurplusRecord.com does their best to screen but ultimately it is the responsibility of the buyer to ask questions. Knowing what you are buying can mean the difference in getting junk equipment and equipment that is functional, safe, and meets your needs.

Circuit Breakers Info provides detailed information about circuit breaker panels, circuit breaker manufacturers, plus advice on how to replace and install circuit breakers and where to buy used and surplus circuit breakers. Circuit Breakers Info is the sister site of Electricians Web.