Electric Breakers, Spark Gap & Fuses

Use caution when working with electrical systems

It's important to know how to care for and replace fuses and how to reset circuit breakers in your home in case of an electrical power outage.

Use extreme caution when working with your home's electrical system. If you are not confident you can perform a procedure safely, call a qualified electrician.

Circuit Breakers
  • Familiarize yourself with the location of your circuit breakers and fuses. They're usually in a metal box on an outside wall near the electric meter.
  • Label your circuit breakers and fuses so that you know which one protects which circuit in your home.
  • Know how to reset your circuit breakers. You'll need to reset your circuit breakers after one or more of them have been switched off. Turn off the lights or appliances you were using and check the circuit breaker panel to find any breakers that have been switched off.
  • A switched-off breaker may look like it's still on, or it may have moved to another position. That's why it's a good idea to label your circuits.
  • To reset a circuit breaker, switch it off and then on again. If the switch is a push button, it will pop out to turn off the circuit. Pushing it all the way in will reset it.
  • If the breaker trips again when you turn on the lights or appliances you were using, you may be overloading the circuit. Move an appliance to a different circuit by plugging it into another outlet.
  • If you still have no electricity after you've reset your circuit breakers, try turning off the main breaker switch and all your circuit breaker switches. Then turn on the main breaker switch and reset each circuit breaker switch.
Fuses

Unlike a circuit breaker, a fuse needs to be replaced when it gets overloaded, so you should keep extra fuses on hand in the sizes you need.

  • Familiarize yourself with the location of your circuit breakers and fuses. They're usually in a metal box on an outside wall near the electric meter.
  • A blown fuse is easy to spot. It will have a melted strip in the center of its glass top, or the glass will look smoky
  • Use a flashlight --never candles!-- to illuminate your fuse box, if needed.
  • To replace a blown fuse, turn off the appliances and lights you were using. Turn off the main switch on the fuse box (it may be a cartridge fuse in a block that must be pulled out completely). Check the fuses to find the blown fuse. Be sure to replace the blown fuse with the proper size, or you may cause a fire. When in doubt, use 15-amp fuses. Never substitute an object, such as a coin or a paper clip, for a fuse.

If you still have a problem when you turn the main switch back on, e-mail us or call us at 1-800-611-1911.