How to Replace a Bad Circuit Breaker
Circuit breakers respond to heat caused by current flow. When the heat exceeds the breaker's engineered limit, the circuit "breaks"--and current flow stops. Circuit breakers protect the electrical wires and devices "downstream" from the breaker, preventing overload damage and fires. Damaged or inoperative breakers must be replaced promptly. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Screwdriver
- Battery-powered work light
- Pliers with wire-stripper blades
- 2-prong circuit tester
- Replacement circuit breaker
Instructions
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Determine the make, model and amperage of the bad breaker and buy an exact duplicate as a replacement.
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Locate the main breaker panel and all branch panels. Make sure you have your battery-powered work light with you. Turn all the panels off, branch panels first. Note that there is also a main panel breaker in each branch panel. We will get to this main panel breaker in the branch panel in a moment. Don't confuse this with the main breaker panel, which is the first panel between your electrical provider and the branch panels in the house.
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Go to the branch panel with the bad breaker. Set up your battery-powered light and focus it on the panel. Turn off the main breaker at the top of the panel. Turn off the rest of the breakers. The panel will have a cover on it. Use a screwdriver to remove the panel's screws. Take the cover off and put it aside.
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Use your circuit tester to be sure that there is no power on the panel by locating a hot wire (black) and a neutral wire (white) and putting one of the circuit-tester's lead prongs on each. Don't test the wiring associated with the bad breaker; use a wire from each of two other breakers instead. If the tester's light comes on, you still have power; it not, you can proceed.
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Remove the black wire attached to the bad breaker by unscrewing the connection. Bend the wire out of the way.
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Use your screwdriver to lift the breaker out of the panel by inserting the tip between the inside edge of the breaker and the panel element next to it and gently prying upward. Put the old breaker aside. Attach the black wire you removed from the old breaker to the new breaker with your screwdriver.
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Put the lip at the outside edge of the breaker under the ledge inside the circuit breaker receptacle and gently, but firmly, push the new breaker in place. Put the panel cover back on and screw it in place.
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Go to the main circuit breaker panel for the house and turn it back on. Return to the branch panel. Turn on the main breaker at the top of the panel. Turn on the new breaker. If it doesn't trip back off, turn on the other circuit breakers. If it trips back off your problem is not the breaker, but something else, probably a short past the panel.
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Tips & Warnings
Sometimes an old breaker will be hard to remove from the panel. Grab the breaker switch with a pair of pliers and wiggle the breaker around for a minute. You then may be able to pry the breaker out.
If the problem breaker keeps tripping and your replacement breaker does the same thing, the problem is not the breaker.
Every circuit breaker has an amperage rating, which is prominently displayed on the breaker. For homes, they usually run from 20 amps to 40 amps and occasionally 50 amps. Never replace a circuit breaker with a breaker with a greater rating.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit pole image by 26kot from Fotolia.com
