DIY Electrical Work in Trumbull, CT: Replacing Damaged Circuit Breakers

May 15, 2016
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There are two types of electrical jobs: those that just about anyone can do and those that only trained professionals can and should attempt—you’ll either fall at one end of the extreme or the other. This is because electrical work in Trumbull, CT can be tremendously dangerous if approached by an inexperienced person, resulting in shock, fire or even death.

Usually, the electrical jobs that can be accomplished by a savvy DIY professional are simple enough: replacing light fixtures, installing switches, etc. When you mention something like replacing a broken circuit breaker, however, people tend to lump this in with high-end electrical work. In fact, however, this is something that anyone can do with the right tools and precautions in place.

Here’s what you’ll need to get started on this project if you’re comfortable enough with basic electrical work in Trumbull, CT:

  • Flathead screwdriver
  • Voltage checker
  • Needle-nose pliers

As a precaution, make sure all of the tools you’re using have a rubber handle or are insulated against electrical shocks.

Once you have your tools, locate your main circuit breaker panel and open it up. You should be looking at a number of breakers, with wiring hidden under the faceplate. Go ahead and unscrew the faceplate, take it off and behold the central core of your home’s electrical system! When you’re done looking it over, here’s what you’ll need to do to replace the breaker(s) in question:

  1. Turn the breaker off by flipping the switch from the on position to the off one. After you do this, check the voltage of the circuit via your voltage checker—it should read zero or dead. Check it again just to make sure!
  2. Once you’ve verified that there is no power flowing into the breaker, go ahead and unscrew the wire clamp that’s securing the load wire. When it’s loose, remove it from the breaker with the needle-nose pliers, being sure not to bump any other load wires.
  3. For the breaker itself, you’ll need to remove it by pulling it up at an angle—it’s snapped into the panel and can be released by pulling up the top end first.
  4. Once the old breaker is out, discard it appropriately. Do not touch the exposed bar in the breaker panel—it’s always hot, unless you kill power to the entire breaker!
  5. Snap in a new breaker in the opposite motion that you removed the old one, so that the front of the breaker clips into the panel.
  6. When the new breaker is in place, slide the wiring into the breaker clamp with the needle-nose pliers and tighten the screw to secure the load wire.
  7. Flip the breaker back on once everything is in place and test the voltage. You should get a reading that indicates the breaker is doing its job.

Carefully put the faceplate back in place and secure it to hide the wires, then close the access panel to your circuit breaker. You’re all done!