CIRCUIT BREAKERS - How They Work & Different Types

Some of the most important components of any electrical system are its circuit breakers, so let's talk about them, how they work and the different styles.

🤘⚡️EU Learning System⚡️🤘
For Individuals --- https://electricianu.com/learning-sys...
For Businesses --- https://electricianu.com/learning-sys...
-Video courses on every side of the electrical trade (theory, code, safety, wiring, install, troubleshooting, leadership, and more)
-Practice exams for 2017, 2020, 2023 code
-YouTube videos categorized and searchable
-Audio lessons
-Forum
-Business version has admin portal and ability to assign learning to technicians and monitor progress
-Any business size from 2 techs to 2,000!

🎓💡CONTINUING EDUCATION💡🎓
Sign up here --- https://electricianu.com/continuing-e...
-State Approved
-Video Based

✍📝PRACTICE EXAMS📝✍
Get them here --- https://www.electricianu.com/electric...
-2017, 2020, and 2023 NEC versions
-Online Residential Wireman Exam
-Online Journeyman Exam
-Online Master Exam
-300 Question Online Code Cannon (not license specific, all code)
-Take as many times as you want
-All of the above come with printable PDFs

🎤🎧PODCAST🎧🎤
Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/show/7ldCwdx...
Apple Podcast:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...

📱👍SOCIALS👍📱
TikTok -   / electricianu  
Instagram -   / electrician_u  
Facebook -   / theelectricianu  
Reddit -   / electricianu  
Rumble - https://rumble.com/c/ElectricianU
Discord -   / discord  

🎧🎹Music, Editing, and Videography by Drake Descant and Rob LeBlanc🎹🎧

SPONSOR: Connecticut Electric
https://www.connecticut-electric.com/

#electrician #electrical #electricity

PRODUCTS USED IN VIDEO
Klein Flathead Screwdriver: https://amzn.to/3iteZjW
Square D Homeline 20A breaker: https://amzn.to/39NMCZG
Square D QO 20A breaker: https://amzn.to/3ioB9DM
Square D QO 20A AFCI plug-on neutral breaker: https://amzn.to/3irka3Lf
Zinsco 20A Breaker: https://amzn.to/3qvNOI7

Circuit breakers are safety devices that stop the flow of electricity when it’s specifically rated parameters are passed. These can come in a few forms, the first is an Overcurrent Protection Device or OCPD, which you can read all about in Article 240 of the NEC. These circuit breakers do exactly what they say they do, use various methods to prevent a branch circuit from receiving too much current or amperage. Another is fuses. Fuses usually come in the form of a tube with a metal filament inside that breaks when too much current travels through it, opening the circuit. Unlike breakers, fuses no longer function after the first short and must be replaced.
Thermomagnetic circuit breakers work with two elements, these are the most common breakers and the type we use most in homes and small businesses. The first element is a bi-metal strip. When too much current passes through this bi-metal strip, it heats up causing the strip to warp and change shape, releasing the spring inside of the breaker, opening the circuit to stop the flow of electricity. This slow build up of heat is caused by an Overload, which happens when the circuit is demanding more current than the breaker is rated for. The amount of time it takes for this breaker to trip is directly related to how much amperage it receives. This mechanism is what classifies this as an Inverse-time breaker. The more amperage they receive the quicker they trip, but if the overload is minimal, say two or three amps, it will take much more time to trip than if the breaker experienced a short.
The second element of thermomagnetic breakers is the magnetic! When a short occurs in a circuit, an intense amount of electricity is released in the form of light and heat. This huge flow of electricity creates a magnetic field that instantaneously separates the magnetic strips inside the breaker, causing it to release the internal spring that trips the lever and opens the circuit. This type of tripping classifies these breakers as Instantaneous. Because of how many amps these short circuits can generate, most standard residential circuit breakers are rated to withstand 10,000 amps before completely blowing up and melting.
Some breakers come with extra components that allow for more versatile control, like the Shunt-Trip breaker, which communicates with other important systems like security and fire suppression. These systems tell the breaker when to trip without triggering either of the thermomagnetic elements, and is essential for some of the emergencies that can happen in restaurants and factories etc. Another type is Electronic or “smart” breakers, which are designed to fit into a panel that is connected to a computer system so it can be controlled remotely...

Stay safe out there, Love from the ATX