How to Change the Amp Breaker in House Circuit Breaker Box

When an amp breaker isn't working, there's no "safety net" for the electricity flowing through it. That means that if the current surges, it could short out any lights or appliances which are attached to it. Shorts can also cause fires if they are unattended. Accordingly, a faulty amp breaker needs to be swapped out for a new one as soon as you determine that it isn't working. The good news is that you can change amp breakers yourself without having to hire an electrician. So long as you operate with a healthy respect for electricity, the job is quite easy.

Things You'll Need

• New amp breaker Rubber shoes Rubber mat Screwdriver Electrical tape Multimeter

Instructions

1. Put on a pair of rubber shoes and stand atop a rubber mat on a dry patch of floor. They will ground you in the event of an unexpected electrical surge.

2. Open up the circuit box and turn off the main power to the whole house. Unscrew the panel frame to the circuit breaker box and set it aside.

3. Locate the faulty amp breaker and turn it to the off position. Set a multimeter to the "Volts AC" setting, then attach one prong to the terminal screw on the faulty breaker and the other prong to the ground screw. The multimeter should not pick up any electricity at all (meaning you won't get a nasty jolt while you work).

4. Detach the faulty amp from its housing. With some circuit breaker boxes, you'll need to use a screwdriver. With others, the amp breaker will just pop right out.

5. Unscrew the terminals on the faulty amp breaker and detach the wires. Note which wire goes to which screw so that you can replace them in the appropriate terminal on the new breaker. If necessary, mark the wires with a labeled piece of masking tape to differentiate them.

6. Turn the new breaker to the "off" position if it is not there already. Connect the wires to the terminals in the new breaker, taking care that each wire goes to its proper terminal. Tighten the terminals with a screwdriver to hold the wires in place.

7. Snap the new breaker into position or screw it into the housing, depending on how the circuit box holds its breakers.

8. Switch the main power on, then turn the new switch to the "on" position.

9. Test the new switch with the multimeter, the same way you did in Step 3. It should register the same voltage as the other breakers.

10. Screw the breaker panel back into position and close the breaker box.

Tips & Warnings

• Replacement amp breakers need to match the amperage of the faulty breakers precisely. Check yours before you begin and make sure the amperage is exactly the same.

• When the multimeter is hooked up to the amp breaker, electricity is likely flowing through it. That means you should never touch the bare metal of the prongs if you don't want to get shocked. Use the insulated rubber grips when you grasp it.