What are Electric Panels?
When your lights flicker in your bathroom when the hair dryer is running, or when the lights and TV shut off when a vacuum is running, that is often the result of a tripped breaker.
Electric panels, known as a breaker panel, are the metal boxes commonly found in basements or garages. They host the safety switches to every room in the house and on your property as a main control panel for the electricity supply.
How Do Electric Panels Work?
Inside the electric panel are switches that can be flipped on and off. There is also a main breaker that can also turn the entire panel off and on. When moving into a new home, one of the first things you should do is check each circuit breaker and label it, so that you know which breaker to shut off in time of emergency or other necessity.
Circuit breakers shut off when they are overloaded, to prevent electrical fires from starting. If a circuit breaker does not trip itself, they can also electrocute the next person to touch the electric panel or the circuit breakers inside.
Each room typically has one breaker, although appliances that use a lot of electricity, such as an AC unit, might have their own separate breaker. Each breaker is meant to allow a set electrical load, ranging from 15 to 200 amps. The typical electrical panel includes breakers that allow 15 to 30 amps.
When a circuit breaker trips, you only need to go to where the panel is located and turn the breaker back on to restore power. There could be a number of reasons for a circuit breaker shutting down, including a power overload, an insufficient capacity, corrosion to the wires, or a ground fault.
Contact a Trained Electrician in Buffalo, NY!
Working with and around electricity is a serious and potentially dangerous job. Commercial electricians are knowledgeable in ways to protect themselves from harm, as well as how to prevent injury to you, your family, and your home. If you are concerned about the integrity of your electric panel or circuit breakers, it is highly recommended to call your local trained electrician to find out what the problem is and to fix it.
Call Driscoll Electrical Construction, Inc today to set up a consultation or to learn more!
