What Is A Circuit Breaker Panel?
What Is A Circuit Breaker Panel?
What Is A Circuit Breaker Panel?
Comstock/Stockbyte/Getty Images
An electrical circuit breaker panel is the main distribution point for electrical
circuits in your home. It usually provides between 100 and 200 amps of
power, depending on the rating of the panel. Power comes to your home from
the utility company's lines (collectively called the service entrance). It flows
through an electrical meter, which records your electricity usage, and then
into the panel. Some systems also have a large disconnect switch between the
meter and the panel.
Most circuit breaker panels have two vertical rows of breakers. Above (or
sometimes below) the rows is a large breaker called the main breaker. This
breaker controls the power to all of the other breakers. If you switch off the
main breaker, you turn off all the circuits in the house at once. However, this
does not mean the panel is not energized. The lugs that connect to the service
lines remain energized whether the main breaker is on or off. That's why you
should never remove the dead front cover or go poking around inside a circuit
breaker panel. The main breaker is marked with the value of protection (such
as 100 or 200 amps) on the breaker lever.
The breakers in the two rows are primarily for branch circuits. These include
the 15-amp circuits that feed the regular lighting and outlet circuits and the
20-amp circuits that supply outlets in the kitchen, garage, and other areas, as
well as some appliances. Large breakers that provide 30, 40, or 50 amps are
double-pole breakers that have double-size levers. These supply 240-volt
appliances, like electric ranges and dryers. A large breaker may also supply a
feeder circuit that brings power to a small circuit breaker panel, called a
subpanel, somewhere else in the house. Subpanels are often used to supply
power to large additions or detached garages or workshops.
Back to the panel interior; behind the dead front panel, the two rows of
branch circuit breakers mount onto two hot bus bars, which get power
through the main breaker. All of the "hot" wires in the circuits connect to the
breakers, and the breakers connect to the hot bus bars. The breaker
panel also has a neutral bus bar and usually a separate grounding bar. The
neutral circuit wires connect to the neutral bus bar and the ground wires to
the grounding bar. From the grounding bar, a heavy copper wire runs outside
of the panel and down to the ground, where it connects to a long copper rod
driven deep into the soil. If there is a problem on any grounded circuit or in
the panel, electricity can flow along the ground wires and safely into the earth
via the ground rod.
The standard circuit breaker panel capacity for a single-family home is 200
amps. Many older homes have 100-amp panels, and these can work just fine
depending on your needs. Very old systems may have 60-amp panels; these
usually have fuses instead of breakers. They're safe if they're properly
designed and maintained, but if you have any trouble with one, or if you need
to add a circuit for more service, it's a good idea to upgrade right to a 200-
amp panel. A larger panel itself won't use more electricity. It just means you'll
have more space available for adding circuits and more electrical capacity to
supply your household needs as they arise.