How Do Circuit Breakers Work?

Dissecting one of the most important household safety devices.

Even at low voltages, electricity can be extremely dangerous. A circuit breaker is a safety mechanism that will cut the power when electrical wiring has too much current flowing through it. This prevents electric shocks, potential fires and the various other problems that could arise from an overload of electricity.

The mechanism's switch can be in either closed or in open position. It is held in the closed position by a spring-loaded bolt. which is controlled by an electromagnet. If the current reaches a set level, the electromagnet attracts the switch and the circuit is automatically broken, which halts the electrical charge. Each household also has a central circuit breaker (or a fuse box), which contains all the main circuit breakers used in the building. High voltage circuit breakers are also used in power stations and large electricity grids for the same purpose.

The circuit breaker does the same job as the fuse, but operates differently. A fuse contains a piece of wire that melts when the current is too great, breaking the circuit. Therefore, fuses have to be replaced while circuit breakers can be reset after a short circuit and power overload.

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