Pushmatic Circuit Breaker Protects Residences

2007-03-08 10:33:40

( Technology )



In current electrical practice, circuit breakers (or, technically, molded case circuit breakers) have replaced fuses as the preferred type of circuit protection. Circuit breakers use a two part system for protecting circuit wiring. When a small overload is on the circuit, a thermal strip will heat up and open, or trip, the circuit. However, when a massive flow of current comes through very quickly, as in a ground fault or a short circuit, an electromagnet becomes strong enough to move a small armature which trips the breaker.

The most important advantage circuit breakers have over fuses is that you can easily reset them. Another characteristic is that they compensate for ambient air: the hotter the air around them gets, the sooner they will trip. For instance, if the air around a 20-amp breaker is running hot, it may trip at a lower amp level.

You must reset some circuit breakers manually. Others reset themselves automatically. If you reset a breaker and the overload condition still exists, it will trip again to prevent damage to the circuit. Some breakers, like the Pushmatic circuit breaker, contain a push-to-trip testing mechanism that you can operate manually.

You'll find most residential circuits ranging in size from 15 to 60 amps, increasing in increments of 5 amps. Single-pole breakers rated for 15 to 20 amps control most 120-volt general-purpose circuits. Double-pole breakers rated 20 to 60 amps control 240-volt circuits. There are many brands you can choose from, including Pushmatic circuit breakers and Sylvania circuit breakers.

You usually install circuit breakers in circuit breaker panels, which act as the nerve center of your electrical system in the house. The national testing and underwriting laboratories usually set the standards for circuit breaker panels; among the acceptable manufacturers are Square D Circuit Breaker Company and ITE Circuit Breaker Company, also the makers of Pushmatic circuit breakers.


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