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How
to replace circuit breaker |
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Caution Main breaker wires and lugs are HOT all the time, even when main breaker is OFF .... unless meter is pulled How to pull meter |
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If main breaker cannot be turned
off, then turn off all breakers located near the breaker to be replaced |
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General
instructions:
Turn off electricity at main breaker > > loosen screw on breaker > remove wire from breaker > pull old breaker off busbar > to remove breaker, grab the switch on breaker and jiggle breaker back-and-forth sideways to loosen from busbar > or use flat tip screwdrive between breakers to gently pry up breaker > rotate breaker up from busbar > remove other end of breaker off cleat or bar or metal rod > buy matching brand breaker > check busbar for damage > Connect wire to new breaker before installation > make sure no wire insulation is under the screw > Use solid copper wire only > install new breaker onto cleat or bar > rotate breaker down to busbar > push new breaker firmly onto busbar > double-tighten screw very tight against copper wire Read detailed steps below: |
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> Connnect wire first > Attach wire VERY firmly > attach wire end to rail > snap breaker down onto busbar |
Push
down 1" wide Push down breaker Plug-in breaker Buy single-pole: Choose from 15 to 60 amp Eaton CL series Siemens 15-60 amp Single-pole tandem breaker Tandem breakers |
Push
down 2" wide Push down breaker Plug-in breakers Buy double-pole: Choose from 15 to 125 amp Choose from 15 amp to 200 amp Eaton CL series circuit breaker Siemens circuit breaker Double pole GFCI |
QO
type QO circuit breaker snaps down onto flat busbar Fits QO type panesl and subpanel |
Snap
on 1" wide Push down breaker Snap-down breaker Buy single-pole: 20 amp single-pole QO circuit breakers at Amazon |
Snap
on 2" wide Push down breaker Snao-down breakers Buy double-pole: 20 amp double-pole QO circuit breakers at Amazon |
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Hook
on CH cutler Hammer Buy single-pole: 20 amp single-pole CH circuit breakers at Amazon |
Hook
on CH cutler Hammer Buy double-pole: 20 amp double-pole CH circuit breakers at Amazon |
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| Square D / schneider circuit
breaker Square D circuit breaker schneider circuit breaker Sqare D homeline homeline circuit breaker Murray MP breaker murray circuit breaker |
Federal
Pacific GE Breakers Thin series fits GE panels Buy: Federal Pacific circuit breaker |
GE
thin GE Breakers Thin series fits GE panels Buy: GE circuit breakers at Amazon |
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Detailed step by step starts here |
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| 1.
Tools
needed: Flat
tip screwdriver, ordinary electrical tester and sometimes, needle-nose
pliers
Use insulated tools See inside breaker box 2. Find main shut-off > it is largest breaker > the number 60, 100, 150 or 200 is printed on main breaker to show total Amps of service <> label all breakers before starting (look ahead to 32-37 below) 3. Mark bad breaker before removing cover <> buy matching brand breaker with identical Amp rating at electric supply or home center or hardware store <> identify brand by manufacture name on breaker box cover |
 
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 METER
PULL
4. No main shut off?  Or replacing main breaker, you need to pull meter to turn off electricity <> call electric company 5. A license might be required for a ‘meter pull’ or a ‘smart-meter turn-off’  6. If no license is required, electric company will remove locked collar from around electric meter, for a charge 7. Before pulling meter, turn off all circuit breakers in main breaker box to prevent sparking, arc and possible damage inside meter box when meter is put back. 8. Pulling meter out will turn off all electricity to house <> the meter has 4 prongs that stab into meter box, similar to an extension cord plugging into a wall socket <> the meter is held in place by friction, there are no screws 9. Pulling meter requires a stout pull downward and then upward <> usually you interlace fingers over top of meter and pull downward on top of meter and then push up, going up & down to loosen and remove meter > removing meter will turn off electricity to whole house including breaker box <> however meter box will still have live electricity <> stand on dry boards when pulling meter <> turn off all circuit breakers in main breaker box before pulling or re-installing meter 10. Do not put hand or screwdriver inside meter box  > meter box
still has live electricity > if kids are around, they will play
with
meter box
after you go inside to change breaker > for safety around kids,
turn the
meter upside down and push it back into place.
11. After work is finished, stab meter back into box and household electricity will resume. Electric company drops by later and puts collar back on [do not tamper with meter, they will find out and put your brother-in-law in jail] A METER PULL IS NECESSARY ONLY WHEN BREAKER BOX DOES NOT HAVE MAIN SHUT-OFF or if you are replacing main breaker |
 Latch on back of meter must be closed before meter can read Kwh Kilowatt-hours How to install meter on electric water heater |
 Avoid unnecessary investigation Do not tamper with electric meter Read more |
| 12.
If
the breaker box has a main shut off, a meter pull is not
necessary. Turn off main breaker and
remove front panel to reveal breakers
13. Do not stand on bare
soil or damp surface of any kind
when working with electricity
14. Lay plywood or boards
down so you do not contact any
possible ground surface
15. Wear dry clothes and
dry shoes <> read these instructions carefully
<>
and don't sweat
16. Do not lean against
or touch washing machine or any
metal pipe, metal duct or metal object, do not put metal screwdriver in
mouth. Remove metal from pockets.
|
 Larger image |
17. Use
extreme caution inside breaker box <> the
big wires that attach to main breaker are still hot unless meter was
pulled > do not
touch or get
near the main breaker see
image
MAIN BREAKER STILL HAS HOT ELECTRICITY even when main breaker is turned off. Stay away from main breaker unless meter is pulled.  18. Notice that a circuit breaker box has two vertical rows of breakers 19. Behind each breaker is a busbar > there are two busbars, one for each row of breakers 20. Busbars carry electricity from main breaker to the individual breakers 21. No screws hold breaker to breaker box. Breaker attaches by friction. 22. Breakers have one or two wires attached with a screw <> these are hot wires <> 120 Volt breakers have one hot wire <> 240 Volt breakers have two hot wires <> notice that white wires attach to exposed metal bar called the neutral busbar <> it is 'generally safe to touch neutral busbar assuming white wires are not loose. The ground wires are connected to the Ground busbar. The Neutral and Ground busbars are bonded (connected) together. See image of breaker box and busbars 23. Main breaker is OFF, but double-check electricity is turned off to small breakers. To do this, leave individual breakers turned on 24. Put tester on breaker screw where wire attaches and touch other prong of tester to neutral busbar where white wires attach <> or test between screw on breaker and nearby copper ground wire or bare metal part of breaker box. 25. Test several breakers to check electricity is off 26. If electricity is on, you can proceed at high risk: be careful not to touch hot busbars <> for safety, turn off all individual breakers |
| 27. Replacing
the breaker:
mark bad breaker before removing cover <> use
camera
to record image if necessary
28. Remove wire(s) attached to breaker 29. Breakers are held in place at both ends <> one end locks into a cleat -or- snaps onto metal rod <> other end of breaker rotates to busbar and then 'stabs' onto the busbar see image 30.Removing breaker <> start removal at end with no wire <> remember this end of breaker is stabbed onto the busbar and it is usually pretty tight <> put a flat-tip screwdriver between breakers and gently pry breaker up and off busbar 31. Once breaker is loose, it will rotate out > sometimes old breakers fall into pieces > make sure these pieces don’t drop behind other breakers > use insulated needle nose pliers to remove all pieces > if main breaker is turned off, and you checked with a tester, then busbar carries no electricity and is safe to touch while removing broken circuit breaker. Or use insulated needle nose pliers. |
 32. Burned
and damaged busbar? Look at busbar where
bad breaker was connected
> if busbar is burned and broken, then new breaker will
have to fit
into another slot33. If you do not have another slot available, then there are three solutions: A. Buy: a tandem breaker with same Amp rating as replaced breaker B. Double up on another breaker with same Amp rating C. Install a subpanel* Read more at bottom |
| 34. When no extra slot is
available, easiest solution is tandem breaker. If no tandem breaker is
available,
then you can double up on another breaker and
that breaker will now serve 2
circuits. Doubling up is ok for 120V circuits when you double up two
lightly-used circuits. For example attic lights and spare bedroom. This
will buy time until you can install subpanel.
Maximum 12 boxes per circuit breaker is code. 34a. Note the difference between 120V and 240V: Doubling a burned out 240 breaker invites more problems. For 240V breakers, a subpanel is best idea since each 240V appliance is given its own dedicated breaker to meet specific amp draw of that appliance. So don't double up 240V breakers. How to install a subpanel 35. If you double up 120V, then double on same size breaker as being replaced > for example, if bad breaker was 20 Amp, select another 20 Amp breaker. Do not attach wire to breaker rated for more amps than original <> for example, damaged breaker was 20 amp, do not double on 30 Amp breaker <> connecting wire to oversized breaker is clear fire hazard especially since replaced breaker burned up most likely from heavy use. 36. When you double up, refer to your panel door where all breakers are labeled and find which nearby breaker is not being used heavily > then attach wire from bad breaker to the chosen double up breaker. It may be necessary to add additional length to wire to reach double-up breaker <> use same gauge wire. See standard wire gauges See how to twist wire together 37. Avoid doubling up on 'dedicated' breaker <> for example a microwave oven draws so much wattage that a single breaker is dedicated to that appliance. Avoid refrigerator breaker for same reason. When in doubt, simply add up wattage of each item drawing power from breaker <> take total wattage and divide by 120 V <> this gives total Amps on that circuit <> if the Amp draw is lower than your 20 Amp breaker, then the circuit should be safe until you install subpanel. Read about Volts, Amps, Watts |
| 38.
If
busbar is OK and has no damage > then new breaker goes
back in same slot where bad
breaker was 39. A matching brand breaker with same amp rating is necessary <> do not get creative and put in larger amp breaker 40. Attach wire(s) to breaker before pushing breaker in place see image <> tighten screw(s) very tight against copper wire 41. The wire-end of breaker attaches first. 42. Once wire-end of breaker is seated, rotate breaker down onto busbar <> firmly push new breaker down on busbar <> push hard and make sure new breaker sits even with all other breakers |
| 43. To
prevent later problems, tighten screws on other breakers
<> DO NOT touch main breaker or wires going to main
breaker
44. Tighten screws on neutral busbar where the white and bare copper wires attach <> be very careful around main breaker <> don’t let your screwdriver slip 44. After screws are tight, re-attach front cover panel temporarily with 2 screws |
| 45. Turn
on main breaker and
check new circuit
46, If circuit is working, then finish by putting all screws on cover panel > wiggle panel around so screws go in > extra panel screws available at home center 46. Cover must be tight to prevent sparks from exiting breaker confine |
| * How to install a subpanel
(see line 33)
Subpanel lets you add more breakers and circuits to existing breaker box. Subpanel is a breaker box without a main breaker. It is usually added next to main breaker box. Just like main breaker box, subpanel has 2 hot busbars and 1 neutral busbar. Subpanel receives power from main breaker box through a 240V breaker inside main box. For example, remove any 240 breaker in main box, and install 60 amp breaker in its place. Then run 6 gauge wire from new 60 Amp breaker over to the subpanel. see wire gauge chart. The #6 wire connects to busbars in the subpanel. This will power additional breakers, and give added circuits. |
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How to figure breaker size and wire size |
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Typical
household breakers 240Volt breaker is twice as wide as 120Volt breaker Tandem breaker can replace single 120Volt breaker |
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3-pole
breakers Use for 3-phase circuits Buy: 3-phase breakers at Amazon Resources Read about 3-phase |
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Quad
breaker 240Volt and two-120volt Buy: Quadplex breaker at Amazon |
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Quadplex
breaker Two 240Volt Buy: Quadplex breakers at Amazon |
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Ordinary 2-pole 240Volt breaker Example showing 240Volt QO type breaker snapped down onto flat busbar Two Hot busbars in residential single-phase service Breaker snapped onto rail, and then pushed down onto the hot busbars Buy: 2 pole breakers at Amazon |
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Single pole breaker in 3-phase box 3-phase box has Three Hot busbars, instead of Two Hot busbars Example shows QO breaker that snaps down onto flat busbar Resources: How to wire 3-phase Difference between single-phase and 3-phase |
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GFCI breakers Many local areas require arc fault. Arc-fault Wiring identical to GFCI, but Arc-fault helps guard against arcing that can cause fire. Buy: GFCI breakers at Amazon |
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Wiring Ordinary circuit
breaker (no GFCI or Arc
fault) Buy: GFCI breakers at Amazon Arc fault breakers at Amazon Resources: How to wire GFCI outlets and combo-switches CH Type 120Volt Arc fault breaker GFCI protection + Also mitigates damage from arcing fault Instructions: Breaker stabs onto busbar. Hot connects to breaker in typical fashion. White Neutral connects to breaker. Coiled White connects to Neutral busbar. Buy: GFCI breakers at Amazon Arc fault breakers at Amazon Resources: AFCI-GFCI circuit breaker installation and troubleshoot/ pdf Eaton AFCI-GFCI/ pdf How to Install a Ground Fault Circuit Breaker/ pdf Installation Instructions for G-Frame Ground Fault Circuit Breaker/ pdf Arc fault breaker troubleshoot/ pdf |
 Re-install cover over
breaker box |
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What is 3-phase electric: power plant to end
user Basic household wiring Troubleshoot household wiring |
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