Here’s a common scenario: You need to buy a replacement or additional circuit breaker for your panel. As soon as you start shopping around, however, you become aware that there are thousands and thousands of types of breakers from which to choose. For commercial or industrial panels, this lofty number can be even larger.
Buying circuit breakers is no trivial task, so how do you ensure you’re making the correct decision? As it turns out, picking the right one isn’t too complicated, and it all starts with learning how to identify different types of circuit breakers.
Broadly speaking, there are three major types of circuit breakers: standard, ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs), and arc fault circuit interrupters (AFCIs). Let’s take a closer look at these three.
Standard Circuit BreakersWhen you imagine a simple breaker that trips when a circuit overloads, you’re probably thinking of a standard circuit breaker. Depending on the function (whether...