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Old and In the Way

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41. Replacing a circuit breaker is pretty easy, but you do need to be careful.

Sun Mar 24, 2013, 11:15 AM

Mar 2013

(1) Shut the main breakers off.
(2) remove the front panel cover...usually 2 screws that hold the cover on the box
(3) remove the black wire from the CB
(4) pop the circuit breaker out...the breaker is press fit on the neutral side by a metal blade in the box.

get a new 110V / 15A breaker (might go to a 20Amp breaker if this circuit is loaded with stuff that's drawing 15 amps or more)

If the circuit breaker trips immediately after turning on the main breaker, you have a short circuit condition....and that means you'll have to check all outlets/junction boxes that are tied to this circuit to determine where the short circuit is occuring.

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How difficult would it be to replace a fuse? [View all] HipChick Mar 2013 OP

Call the electrician, and have them replace it~! MADem Mar 2013 #1

I replaced the entire fusebox about 3 years ago HipChick Mar 2013 #3

If bluedave Mar 2013 #11

Then you shouldn't have fuses, you should have circuit breakers .... Scuba Mar 2013 #14

Be sure to turn off the main switch Sekhmets Daughter Mar 2013 #2

Hopefully that is in the same panel as the box HipChick Mar 2013 #5

Usually. Sekhmets Daughter Mar 2013 #12

G'morning. In_The_Wind Mar 2013 #7

Can you describe the fuse? Let's start with that. In_The_Wind Mar 2013 #4

It just says 15A GE brand HipChick Mar 2013 #6

So it's a rectangle not round. Taking a photo is a good idea. In_The_Wind Mar 2013 #8

Rectangle...and not round HipChick Mar 2013 #9

Ouch! How many fuses are there in your panel? In_The_Wind Mar 2013 #10

2 stacks of about 10 I think HipChick Mar 2013 #13

These sound like circuit breakers, not fuses. Do they each have a switch on them??? Scuba Mar 2013 #16

Yes..there is a switch on them...I believe they are circuit breakers HipChick Mar 2013 #18

Then DO NOT remove them. THey have live wires attached. Scuba Mar 2013 #34

Not necessarily A HERETIC I AM Mar 2013 #46

Can't you remove them if the main switch is off HipChick Mar 2013 #20

Yes, but ... Scuba Mar 2013 #35

You need to unplug everything on that fuse. Are there any spares in the box? In_The_Wind Mar 2013 #17

No spares, but that was going to be my next test HipChick Mar 2013 #19

Unplug everything you can first. In_The_Wind Mar 2013 #26

fuse or circuit breaker? Ptah Mar 2013 #15

Flipping circuit breaker switches Honeycombe8 Mar 2013 #21

Nicely done. Betsy Ross Mar 2013 #49

This is a circuit breaker and not a fuse. Grantuspeace Mar 2013 #22

This circuit breaker has tripped a few times in the past... HipChick Mar 2013 #23

Sometimes the outlets can loosen up and slide against the ground wire or touch the sides of a metal Grantuspeace Mar 2013 #24

If I shut everything off, is it safe to take the panel cover off to take a look? HipChick Mar 2013 #25

Only if you throw the main breaker shutting all power off to your house. In_The_Wind Mar 2013 #28

PLEASE DISREGARD ALL POSTS PREVIOUS TO THIS ONE! Callmecrazy Mar 2013 #27

Thanks heavens you showed up! In_The_Wind Mar 2013 #29

This post previous to yours seems to be full of professional information Ptah Mar 2013 #30

You're right Ptah... Callmecrazy Mar 2013 #31

I'm not a helpless female..just get skiddish when it comes to electrical stuff HipChick Mar 2013 #33

Didn't mean to imply that you were... Callmecrazy Mar 2013 #38

No offense taken...but that's the thing, the breaker never tripped.. HipChick Mar 2013 #40

Have you tested and reset all of your GFCI oulets? Callmecrazy Mar 2013 #32

Not sure I have any HipChick Mar 2013 #36

The one that handles most of my house is in the guest bathroom. In_The_Wind Mar 2013 #37

They're the plugs with the test/reset buttons on 'em... Callmecrazy Mar 2013 #39

Replacing a circuit breaker is pretty easy, but you do need to be careful. Old and In the Way Mar 2013 #41

hmm...removing wiring? HipChick Mar 2013 #42

The main breaker is usually marked as 100 or 200 on the switch lever. Old and In the Way Mar 2013 #43

Yeah... Callmecrazy Mar 2013 #45

I don't know that I'd go to a 20 amp breaker... Callmecrazy Mar 2013 #44

Good point....I always use 12ga Romex on all of my wiring projects, but this might not be the case. Old and In the Way Mar 2013 #47

I agree... Callmecrazy Mar 2013 #48

Thanks for all your help...I picked up a 15A CB at the store HipChick Mar 2013 #50