How to Test a Circuit Breaker

Circuit Breaker Tester: Clamping Ammeter Circuit Breaker Tester: Electromagnetic Circuit Finder (Current Tracer) Circuit Breaker Tester: Electrostatic Wand Circuit Breaker Tester: Multimeter Circuit Breaker Tester: Voltmeter How to C eck a Circuit Breaker How to C eck a Circuit Breaker How to Tell i! a Circuit Breaker is Bad How to Test !or a Fault" Circuit Breaker Testing a Circuit Breaker: #eon Tester

Circuit Breaker Tester: Clamping Ammeter

Circuit $reakers t at trip e%er" time t e"&re reset ma" $e o%erloaded' (n order to diagnose a circuit $reaker o%erload "ou can test t e circuit $reaker $" using a clamping ammeter' T is circuit $reaker tester is used to c eck o%erloads and s orts t at are in progress and determine w et er t e electric current is running t roug t e circuit' T e clamping ammeter s ould $e clamped to a single wire not t e ca$le in order to accuratel" test t e circuit $reaker' (! t e clamp ammeter test is positi%e !or an o%erload or s ort in t e circuit t en "ou can proceed wit solutions to sol%e "our pro$lem' Testing t e circuit $reaker can sa%e "ou time and eadac e $" pinpointing t e pro$lem so t at "ou can !ind a %alid solution'

Circuit Breaker Tester: Electromagnetic Circuit Finder (Current Tracer)

Circuit $reakers ma" trip and disconnect all electricit") $ut sometimes t at is not t e case' An electromagnetic circuit !inder will test to see i! t e circuit $reaker as a li%e connection' (t will determine w ic indi%idual $reaker controls a li%e circuit' *n occasion t e circuit $reaker tester is not completel" accurate' T e more e+pensi%e %ersions t at electricians use are t"picall" more relia$le) $ut t e less e+pensi%e model will generall" ser%e t e purpose !or w ic it was intended' W en using t e electromagnetic circuit !inder "ou will plug t e transmitter into t e receptacle and t e electric current reading will s ow up on t e recei%er' T ese circuit $reaker testers and ot er de%ices can $e elp!ul !or circuit $reaker trou$les ooting and s ort circuit pro$lems' (! "ou are not sure ow to repair t e pro$lem t en "ou s ould alwa"s seek t e elp and ad%ice o! a certi!ied pro!essional'

Circuit Breaker Tester: Electrostatic Wand

Circuit $reaker testing can $e elp!ul i! "ou are tr"ing to determine t e !low o! electricit" in t e circuit $reaker panel' A circuit $reaker s ould $e tested e%en i! "ou a%e turned it o!!, it is important to make sure t e wires are dead and t ere is no current !lowing in t em' An electrostatic wand or %olt stick can indicate i! a wire is ot wit out $eing in direct contact wit it' A lig t indicator will come on i! it detects signs o! electrical current' T is t"pe o! circuit $reaker testing is ine+pensi%e) $ut ma" not $e as relia$le as ot er t"pes o! circuit $reaker testing tools' T e electrostatic wand s ould not $e used close to t e ground) $ecause it ma" pick up a signal !rom ground wires or ot er electrical wiring t at is not associated wit t e circuit $reaker $eing tested'

-sing a %olt stick can $e elp!ul i! "ou are .ust tr"ing to detect / ot0 on t e circuit and "ou get a clear reading' T e electrostatic wand and ot er circuit $reaker testing supplies can $e purc ased at electric suppl" stores'

Circuit Breaker Tester: Multimeter

T e multimeter circuit $reaker tester com$ines t e c aracteristics o! a %oltmeter and t e o mmeter in one' T is multipurpose circuit $reaker testing de%ice as multiple !unctions' 1ike t e %oltmeter it measures t e le%el o! %oltage in t e circuit and also measures t e continuit" and resistance le%el (o mmeter)' *$taining in!ormation a$out $ot electrical readings can elp pinpoint circuit $reaker pro$lems 2uickl" and accuratel" so t at repairs can $e made' A multimeter ma" $e purc ased at most electrical suppl" companies and replacement circuit $reakers can $e !ound $" %isiting ttp:33www'relectric'com'

Circuit Breaker Tester: Voltmeter

Circuit $reaker testing can get complicated w en using small ine+pensi%e testers' A %oltmeter is a popular circuit $reaker testing tool used $" omeowners' T is circuit $reaker tester measures t e %oltage running t roug t e electrical circuit' T e %oltmeter is used $" touc ing one prong to eac o! t e parts o! a circuit $etween w ic "ou need to measure %oltage' For e+ample) "ou would touc one prong to t e neutral wire and t e ot er to t e ot wire to measure t e %oltage in a circuit' *ne limitation to t e %oltmeter is t at it does not guarantee t at t e load will run t roug t e circuit' 4ust $ecause t ere is %oltage present does not mean t e load is running t roug t e circuit $reaker correctl"' (! t e %oltmeter gi%es "ou a good reading) $ut t e pro$lem still occurs) "ou ma" want to tr" a di!!erent t"pe o! circuit $reaker testing met od or consult a pro!essional !or !urt er assistance' 5ou can !ind circuit $reakers and e2uipment $" %isiting ttp:33www'relectric'com

How to C eck a Circuit Breaker

Circuit $reaker pro$lems ma" $e di!!icult to diagnose' T ere are se%eral wa"s "ou can c eck t e circuit $reakers in "our ome' 6tart $" looking in t e circuit $reaker panel to c eck !or a !lipped $reaker switc ' T en inspect t e area in order to !ind signs o! $urning or circuit $reaker damage' (! "ou smell $urning or can !eel eat t en "ou s ould s ut o!! t e main as a precaution' An" t"pe o! water damage suc as !looding) e+treme umidit" or ot er conditions can cause damage to circuit $reakers in "our $reaker $o+' Circuit $reakers t at a%e $een su$merged in water or e+posed to it !or long periods o! time s ould de!initel" $e replaced' T e water can damage or $reak down a circuit $reaker and cause it to mal!unction or s ut down' *nce "ou a%e c ecked t e circuit $reaker panel and t e area around it t en "ou can proceed wit circuit $reaker testing to see i! "ou can pinpoint a pro$lem in t e !low o! electrical current or t e %oltage le%el' (! "ou a%e e+ austed "our options and were una$le to !i+ t e circuit $reaker t en "ou s ould call !or assistance' Circuit $reaker replacements and ot er electrical de%ices can $e purc ased at ttp:33www'relectric'com'

How to C eck a Circuit Breaker

Homeowners are usuall" in t e dark w en it comes to circuit $reaker maintenance and electrical repairs' Here are some tips on ow to c eck a circuit $reaker in t e ome' Alwa"s make sure "our ands and t e !loor is dr", t is will elp "ou a%oid electric s ock' 7o to t e circuit $reaker $o+ and see i! one o! t e $reakers is o!!' (! a $reaker is !lipped) t e switc will t"picall" $e o!! or partiall" o!! (somew ere $etween o!! and on)' (! it as tripped t en tr" resetting it'

(! "ou see $are wires or signs o! $urning and wear) do not attempt to !i+ t e circuit $reaker on "our own' Consult an electrician immediatel"' (! "ou smell $urning or see sparks) "ou s ould turn o!! t e main circuit $reaker at t e main power $o+ outside "our ome and wait !or pro!essional assistance'

How to Tell i! a Circuit Breaker is Bad

Circuit $reakers t at trip o!ten are not necessaril" $ad' T e pro$lem ma" not $e t e circuit $reaker at all, it could stem !rom !ault" wiring) a s ort circuit or a power o%erload' T ere are certain c aracteristics t at will elp "ou determine ow to tell i! a circuit $reaker is $ad' Here are some suggestions !or diagnosing a $ad circuit $reaker' (! t ere&s a pro$lem wit t e $us $ar in t e $reaker panel) power mig t not e%en $e getting to t e $reaker itsel!' T e circuit $reaker as $een e+posed to water) e+cessi%e eat or umidit"' T ese kinds o! t ings can make a circuit $reaker mal!unction or cause damage inside t e $reaker itsel!' T e circuit $reaker andle !lops $ack and !ort instead o! locking into place and t ere are no de!inite /on0 and /o!!0 positions' 5ou can see o$%ious signs o! o%er eating or $urning, t ere is $lack around t e circuit $reaker area and casing' T ere is ea%" corrosion on eit er end o! t e circuit $reaker' 8eplacing a $ad circuit $reaker s ould not $e di!!icult !or most e+perienced 9(5ers) $ut i! t ere are $urned areas or ot er damage) t e pro$lem ma" $e not $e !i+ed wit .ust a new circuit $reaker' T ese kinds o! pro$lems s ould $e andled $" an electrician or certi!ied electrical pro!essional' T e electrician can inspect "our circuits and do circuit $reaker testing in order to properl" diagnose t e pro$lem and !i+ it completel"'

How to Test !or a Fault" Circuit Breaker

Circuit $reakers are used to protect t e electrical s"stem in "our ome !rom o%er eating and getting o%erloaded' A $reaker t at !lips o!ten ma" $e !ault" or t e $reaker could $e !unctional and t e pro$lem could $e coming !rom somew ere else' (! "our circuit $reaker will not reset and t e load terminal doesn:t put out %oltage t en "ou pro$a$l" need to replace t e circuit $reaker' (! "ou suspect a circuit $reaker is !ault" t en "ou can do a circuit $reaker test to elp "ou determine i! it is not working or i! t e trou$le is in t e internal wiring' *ne test is to use a relia$le %oltage tester or %oltage meter to measure t e electricit" !lowing t roug t e circuit' (! t e %oltage is low t en t e $reaker is not allowing t e current to !low t roug correctl"' Anot er wa" to test t e circuit is to turn o!! and unplug all de%ices t at are associated wit t e circuit t en see i! it will reset' *nce it is reset proceed to turn on eac item indi%iduall" and see i! t e circuit sta"s on' (t is important to turn o!! t e circuit $reaker and keep all electrical de%ices o!! w ile "ou reset t e $reaker $ecause i! t ere is a s ort in t e $reaker a surge o! electrical current can !low all at once causing an arc t at ma" start a !ire or cause electrical $urns and serious in.ur"' (! t e circuit sta"s set) "ou ma" want to look at indi%idual appliances) cords or lig t !i+tures t at are connect to t e circuit $reaker in order to get to t e source o! t e pro$lem'

Testing a Circuit Breaker: #eon Tester

Testing to see i! a circuit $reaker is li%e can $e done $" using a circuit $reaker testing de%ice like t e neon tester' T is particular tool can test !or ot wires) s ock danger and more' To use t e neon tester "ou simpl" touc t e pro$es to a wire to determine w et er or not t e wire is li%e' T e lig t on t e tester will lig t up w en electricit" is present'

Testing circuit $reakers on "our own can elp "ou determine w et er or not circuit $reaker maintenance is re2uired' Basic maintenance procedures can sometimes $e per!ormed $" omeowners) $ut more complicated pro$lems s ould $e andled $" a pro!essional'