How To Read An Electrical Panel: A Homeowner's Guide

From installing light fixtures to repairing circuits, Professional Services is the team to turn to in Southeastern Wisconsin. Call 262-214-5718 to schedule service today. 

If you’re like most homeowners, your knowledge of your home’s electrical system doesn’t extend far beyond the breaker box. Working with electricity can be dangerous when you don’t know what you’re doing, and it’s better to leave most projects to the professionals. 

Still, it’s important to know how to read an electrical panel so you can respond when a breaker trips or you have an emergency that requires shutting off the power to the whole house. Here, Professional Services, Port Washington’s experienced electricians, explain the components of the electrical panel so you can safely deal with minor issues and make troubleshooting easier. 

The Basic Components of an Electrical Panel 

The electrical panel, also known as the breaker panel or breaker box, contains switches that control every circuit in your home and the main flow of power from the street. You’ll find it in a gray metallic box mounted to the garage, basement, or utility room wall. 

Inside the box, you’ll find the main circuit breaker. It’s the largest switch, typically at the top of the panel above a collection of smaller switches. This switch controls the power supply; simply flip the switch to cut power to the whole house while working on the breaker panel or during an emergency to stop arcs and ground faults. 

Circuit Switches 

The electrical panel has two columns of switches underneath the main circuit breaker. Each switch controls a specific circuit, which could power a single appliance, outlets in several rooms, or a zone. Some appliances, like the furnace, have a dedicated circuit, while the outlets in two or three adjoining rooms might share a circuit. 

Each switch has a number that corresponds to the key on the inside of the breaker box door. Ideally, the installing electrician or a previous homeowner labeled the key with the corresponding circuits so you can quickly identify each one. For example, if a breaker trips and cuts power to the stove, you can easily find that switch and turn it back on when the label is up-to-date. 

How To Label Switches 

Labeling the switches is the best way to make dealing with tripping circuit breakers simple. If you don’t know which switch connects to which circuit, you can label the switches by turning them off simultaneously. Turn each switch on, one by one, then check every room to see which electrical devices have power. 

Once you figure out what the switch controls, continue checking until you identify and label each one. Although time-consuming, this project can clear up any mystery about how to read an electrical panel and help you solve problems more quickly.

How To Reset a Tripped Breaker Switch 

Breaker switches can trip or cut power to the circuit for many reasons. Overloading the circuit is one of the most common, but faulty appliances and power surges can also cause the safety feature to engage.

When this happens, you can reset the circuit by flipping the circuit switch back on. Just look for the switch on the panel in the off position and push back to the on position. This action should restore power to that circuit.

If the breaker keeps tripping, there’s a problem somewhere in the circuit. It could be something as simple as too many appliances on one circuit; for instance, it’s common to trip a breaker when you run the vacuum and the microwave at the same time on the same circuit. In this case, plugging the vacuum into a less overloaded circuit or only using one device at a time will prevent the power from cutting out. 

If that doesn’t help, talk to an electrician about upgrading the electrical panel to increase the electricity available for each circuit. 

Talk to Professional Services About Upgrading Your Electrical Panel 

If you’re dealing with constantly tripping circuit breakers, want to know what causes LED lights to flicker, need help learning how to read an electrical panel, or require professional assistance with any other electrical project, get in touch with Professional Services today by calling 262-214-5718. Our experienced, licensed electricians provide safe and efficient electrical work to homeowners throughout southwest Wisconsin, guaranteeing exceptional service and technical excellence. 

Call us today to learn more about upgrading your electrical panel and important maintenance services to ensure your home has safe and reliable power to every outlet and appliance.