Electrical Wiring Instructions And Circuit Breakers
When dealing with electrical wiring instructions you should know about circuit breakers and how they have replaced fuses as the preferred type of circuit protection. Technically, they are called molded-case circuit breakers, or MCCBs. Circuit breakers use a two-part system for protecting circuit wiring. When a small overload is on the circuit, a thermal strip will heat up and open, or trip, the circuit. When a massive amount of current comes through very quickly, as in a ground fault or short circuit, an electromagnet gives the thermal strip a boost. The greater the amount of trip current, the faster the breaker will trip. The most important advantage when dealing with electrical wiring instructions circuit breakers have over fuses is that they can be easily reset; you don't have to buy a new one every time an appliance draws excessive current. When a breaker is tripped, it won't work unless you throw it all the way to the off position before you turn it back on again. Another characteristic of circuit breakers is that they are air-ambient-compensated—the hotter the air around them gets, the sooner they will trip. For example, if all the circuit breakers around a specific 20-amp breaker are running hot, because of an excessive flow of current, the 20-amp breaker may trip at only 18 amps. Residential circuit breakers typically range in size from IS to 60 amps, increasing at intervals of 5 amps. Single-pole breakers rated for 15 to 20 amps control most 120-i/oll general-purpose circuits. Double-pole breakers rated for 20 to 60 amps control 240-volt circuits.
Contact with the hot bus brings power into the breaker. Be aware, however, that some manufacturers make breakers with wire clips that mount on the side. These clips slide over the tab on the hot bus, requiring you to remove one or more of the other breakers to get at the one you want. Common Breaker Types In addition to single- and double-pole breakers, quad breakers, CFCI breakers, and surge-protection devices are also available. Single-pole breakers supply power to 120-volt loads such as receptacle and light circuits. A hot black or red wire is usually connected to the breaker. Single-pole breakers come full size or in a two-in-one configuration (twin). The latter type will only fit into a panel having a split-tab hot bus. Double-pole breakers provide power to 240-volt appliances such as electric water heaters and dryers. If a standard NM cable is used as the conductors when dealing with electrical wiring instructions, both the black and the white wire are connected to the breaker. The white wire must be marked with black tape at both ends. Larger double-pole circuits have two black conductors in the circuit. Learn more from Bob Vila. Leave The Electrical Wiring Instructions Page To Go To The Home Page |