How to replace a circuit breaker. For the most part this is something that should be done by a licensed electrician. But hey you can do it. But if you're scared go hit the yellow pages. LOL

OK, one big thing I left out of the video, on the breaker your replacing there will a number on it. In most cases it will be right on the handle (switch) stating 15 or 20amp or really what ever it may be. This is the amperage, this means if the curcuit is drawing more then the stated amperage that the breaker will trip, now once a breakers trips you should wait at least 10 minutes before attemping to reset it. The reason is because the whole circuit has been over loaded and you should let it cool down first.

never ever keep trying to reset a breaker that has failed. Doing so will provide the circuit with electricty and this is bad. Say the breaker trped because a rat chewed the insulation on the wires and now there touching. The breaker did it's job once for you. Don't think it will keep doing so.

This I seen before, a 15 amp breaker keeps failing, it trips ever so offen and now the home owner changes it do a 20 amp thinking that it should work now. You know what he was right it did work, meaning that the breaker didn't trip for a whole two weeks. Instead the 14/2 15 amp wire in that circuit melted and made a fire. A very bad choice for him.

For a 15 amp circiut uses a 14 gauge wire with a 15 amp breaker 

For a 20 amp circuit uses a 12 gauge wire with a 20 amp breaker

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Not all breakers are the same
written by Dominick, September 19, 2008

When replacing a breaker make sure you get the same type and rating.

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