Sometimes a circuit issue causes a breaker to trip too frequently, wearing down the internal switch linkage, leading to breaker failure. Or, if you have repeatedly turned on and off the power via the breaker switch, failure can result.
Avoiding this poor habit is advised. Use the circuit breaker switches exclusively to shut off the electricity when maintaining the circuit; do not repeatedly turn on and off circuits.
Circuit breakers have also occasionally been harmed by power surges and lightning strikes. Failure may also be brought on by water damage from leaks or flooding.
Whatever the cause, the solution to a breaker failure is to remove the old one and install a new one. As long as you have some knowledge of electrical concerns, replacing circuit breakers is both cheap and simple.
Since it entails working at the main service panel with the safety cover off, this is not a task that everyone feels confident doing out. Although the procedure is not challenging—in fact, it’s far simpler than many common wiring tasks—the major power bus bars will be exposed as you change a circuit breaker, and if you’re not careful, there is a risk of major shock.
Professional electricians are obligated by law to install a circuit breaker when they replace an outdated standard circuit breaker if the circuit calls for it. This implies that you must follow the same procedure if you wish to completely comply with the law.
Prior To Starting
Determine the brand, kind, and size of the breaker you’ll be replacing before you start replacement. The producer of the specific circuit breaker panel you have owns the rights to the circuit breakers.
For instance, two popular breaker panel designs that only take breakers made for their panels are Square and Homeline. A thin-line breaker produced by GE is also only appropriate for specific GE panels.
Even though a variety of breaker types will fit into panels made by different manufacturers, do not mix and match them unless they have been tried and certified.
Breakers are available in a wide range of sizes and shapes. A breaker from one manufacturer should never be replaced with another. Despite the fact that they appear to be the same, they differ in terms of tension, how they link in the holder, and how firmly they mount to the bus bars.
Take a close look at the circuit breaker’s front. The necessary identifying numbers are on a little placard that is located next to the reset lever. Take note of these details and get a matching replacement.
Take Out The Previous Circuit Breaker
Find the replacement breaker now that the lid has been removed. By moving the reset lever of the breaker to the OFF position, you can shut it down. When extending the black shielded circuit wire from the panel if it is firmly folded along the panel’s sides, take care to avoid touching any other wires or the panel itself.
Now, firmly grasp the edge of the old break at the panel’s inner centre and turn it outward toward the panel’s outer side. The breaker ought to release and move away from the panel with ease.
Avoid touching the metal bus bar where the breaker was attached at all costs. The breaker is assured to be inactive after it is removed from the panel because it is no longer in direct contact with either of the hot bus bars.
