When your electrical service panel is unable to handle the load of your wiring, you will need to install additional breakers. You can do this yourself using simple tools and a few basic safety precautions.

First, turn off the power to your breaker box by flipping the main switch to OFF. Then, remove the panel cover.

Wiring

For simple circuit additions like adding an extra receptacle, you may be able to splice wires leading into the new room or appliance and attach them to an existing circuit. But if the load of the new room or appliance is going to exceed that circuit's amperage rating, you will need to add a new circuit with its circuit breaker.

To do this, shut off the power to the breaker panel by switching the main breaker to the off position. Next, remove the screws that fasten the panel cover and open it.

Inside the panel, you will see a grounding bus bar with multiple setscrew terminals for wires. Two hot bus bars will also be running down the center of the panel, with breakers on either side. Locate the blank space where you plan to Electric Breakers Installation and find an open knockout tab (usually black) to feed your wire through. Use a wire stripper to remove about 1/2 inch of sheathing from the end of your cable and insert it into the open terminal.

Safety Precautions

Always work in a well-lit area, especially when working with electrical equipment. Never touch bare wires or metal, as these can carry electricity and cause injury. It is also important to wear the appropriate personal protective equipment, including rubber gloves and safety glasses.

When installing a circuit breaker, determine the voltage and amperage of the system to ensure that the breaker will be able to safely carry the load of appliances and devices connected to it. Once this is known, choose a breaker that matches these specifications.

Shut off the power to the panel by shutting down each breaker one at a time and then turning off the service disconnect or main breaker. This will disconnect all electricity to the panel, and a voltage tester will confirm that there is no current flowing. Remove the old breaker by grasping the insulated wire connected to it and pulling it outward. The breaker should snap free and pull out of the panel without touching the hot bus bar in the center of the panel.

Snapping the Breaker into Place

Circuit breakers protect your home appliances and electrical devices from overheating. Overheating occurs when a device draws more electricity than the circuit can handle, causing it to heat up and trip the breaker. The breaker shuts off the electricity, stopping the flow of current and saving your appliances from permanent damage.

The operation of a circuit breaker depends on the voltage, current rating, and type. Small circuit breakers usually have a manual control lever to switch off a load or reset a tripped breaker. Larger units use solenoids and electric motors to operate the breaker mechanisms.

Before installing a new circuit breaker, look for unused spaces in the breaker panel cover and note their locations. Your breaker should fit into the open space and snap into place if possible. Otherwise, you’ll need to create an opening for it using a drywall saw and wire strippers. Once you’ve created the opening, feed the breaker cable through it.

Testing

It’s important to have a licensed Electrician CA test the circuit breakers to make sure they are functioning correctly. A professional will look for burning odors or hot wires in the breaker panel and can also check if there is a problem with the breaker by noticing that it doesn’t trip when it should or if it trips often.

Turn off the power to all the circuits in the breaker box before working on it. Using a multimeter, set it to read AC voltage and touch one prong of the meter to each breaker terminal screw in turn (or both setscrews on a double-pole breaker) and touch the other prong of the meter to the ground screw, which is usually on a bar running along the right side of the breaker panel. The meter should read between 120 and 240 volts. If it reads anything else, that indicates a faulty breaker. This is called a short-circuit test.