How to Install a New Circuit Breaker

hi I'm Mike with family handyman and today I'm going to show you how to install a new circuit in your electrical panel now this procedure is pretty easy but working with electricity is no joke and if you touch the wrong thing it could cause you some serious harm so if you feel uncomfortable doing any of these things along the way call an electrician up before pulling off the panel cover make sure you turn off the main breaker unscrew the screws and then carefully remove the cover so it doesn't fall and break the breaker handles on the way down now before we get to work let's be certain that there is no power to any of the breakers in the panel use a voltage tester and test each of the hot wires coming out of the breakers next let's talk about the parts of the panel first two are the most important which are the main lugs and the main line now these two you do not want to touch because even if this main breaker is turned off these will still be live underneath the main breaker is the individual circuit breakers and then those are attached to the circuit bus next to the circuit bus is the neutral bus now we're ready to run our wire into the panel to connect our new circuit to run a new cable you'll have to knock out one of these knockout holes punch it out pull it out through the bottom and then you're ready to run your new cable make sure it's secured with the cable clamp so it doesn't move around causing loose connections now that the cable is in the panel I'm ready to start making my connections now I've got my wires stripped and routed to about where I want them there's an empty spot up here for the ground and an empty spot down here for the neutral on the neutral bus insert the wires into the neutral bus and then tighten the clamp down secure and the neutral line goes in another empty spot down here insert the wire into the bus and then tighten it down nice and snug then connect the hot wire to the circuit breaker do it the same way insert the wire and snug it up then hook this tab onto the breaker and snap it into place next we need a make room for the new breaker in the panel grab a pair of pliers and bend it back and forth until it snaps off then replace your panel turn the main breaker switch on and you should have power to your new circuit for more hints tips and tricks head to Family Handyman calm [Music]

Channel: Family Handyman

Views: 711,415

Keywords: how to, diy, project, how to add a circuit, electrical, home improvement, electrical panel, how to connect a new circuit, family handyman, circuit breaker, circuit wire, electric circuit, circuit breaker box, circuit breaker repair, circuit breaker replacement, circuit breaker panel

Id: KFhm73RE8Pk

Length: 2min 50sec (170 seconds)

Published: Fri Mar 22 2019