Circuit Breaker Box 101

Somewhere in each home, garage, laundry room, basement, or another unobtrusive area, there is a metal box which distributes power throughout the house. A look inside will reveal circuit breakers or fuses which prevent wiring from becoming overloaded. This box is the electrical service panel, also called a circuit breaker box, fuse box, or load center.

Where is it?

Every capable person in the home should know the location of this box for the sole reason that the main electrical breaker is usually located in or at the service panel. In the event of an emergency, the main switch should be shut off--specifically if there is an electrical event, a leaking roof, or flooding in the home. If the main breaker isn’t located in or at the panel, it may be located at the electric meter. Everyone who lives in the house needs to know the location of this breaker and how to shut it off.

What it does

The service panel not only regulates the amount of electricity coming into your home but also protects your wiring. If someone uses appliances requiring too much power for the wiring to handle, the circuit breaker will trip and cut the power to the wires. Tripping may also protect electronics and other appliances from damage.

What’s in it?

The service box will usually contain two different types of circuit breaker poles, single and double poles. Single poles are 120 volts and are for standard outlets and lights. Double poles are 240 volts. These are meant for heavy users such as the water heater and HVAC.

Electrical needs have changed as homeowners have become more tech-savvy. A typical home service panel used to have a standard 60 amps. Now, the minimum standard is 100 amps, and it isn’t unusual for a service panel to be 150 amps, since circuit breakers are meant to operate at 80 percent of their capacity. The mathematical formula to use is watts/volts=amps to calculate typical electrical requirements.

Should you find that over time, the family electrical needs outstrip the current breaker box capacity, or, if circuit breakers trip repeatedly, it may be time to have the electrical system reviewed by a Redondo Beach electrician to determine if the home needs a service panel upgrade. Although newer appliances are more efficient than they’ve ever been, the typical consumer is using a vastly more significant volume of electrical devices. Also, some older homes have a Federal Pacific Electrical Panel, which should be replaced as they’ve been shown to be hazardous.

When you need a licensed electrician for commercial or residential electrical needs, call Zimmerman Electric at 800-440-3499.