How to Find Bad Circuit Breakers
Circuit breaker are electrical switches that are designed to cut off electrical current if a power surge occurs. Unlike fuses, they can be used over and over again without replacement. Nevertheless, sometimes you do need to replace circuit breakers because they have gone bad and don't function anymore. If you think you have a bad circuit breaker, you can perform a simple test without any tools or special electrical knowledge by following the steps below. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Go to the circuit breaker box and look for signs of bad circuit breakers. Bad circuit breakers will trip often. They may also show signs of electrical damage. You may notice that the switch does not click into place or shows signs of corrosion. These circuit breakers may also show signs of water damage, charring or burn marks around them.
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Choose one of the suspected circuit breakers and determine which area of the house it affects. Turn it off and then unplug all of the electrical devices that are associated with that circuit breaker. Go back to the circuit breaker box and reset it by flipping it back into the on position.
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One by one, plug all the electrical devices that you just unplugged. If the circuit breaker trips again, you probably have a bad circuit breaker. If it stays on, it could have been a onetime problem or another electrical problem.
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Go back to the circuit breaker box and repeat the above steps with any other circuit breakers that you may think are bad.
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Tips & Warnings
Working with electricity is dangerous and should be done only by experienced, trained individuals. The signs of a bad circuit breaker can also be signs of a serious electrical problem. If you see sparks or fire of any kind, you should call a licensed professional electrician for help.
