The last lesson in electrical panel safety the experts at Raynor Electric want you to be aware of this week is simple: we want all homeowners in Cherry Hill and Southern New Jersey to understand the difference between a circuit breaker and a fuse box.
Both devices are electrical panels, and as such they serve the same purpose: they detect faults and overloads in the circuit and cut the current to prevent dangerous electrical situations. However, the means with which they do so are very separate, and the distinction could have a very severe impact on the safety on your home.
Here at Raynor Electric, we strongly suggest that all homeowners upgrade to circuit breakers. Fuse boxes are an inferior and outdated measure of protection — yet altogether too many homeowner still have them. Colloquially, the phrases “blew a fuse” and “tripped a breaker” are used almost as if they have identical meanings, but the methods of operation are dramatically different! In this blog, we’re going to try to convince you why a upgrading your electrical panel to a circuit breaker from a fuse box is the right move for the safety of your home.
What is the Difference between Circuit Breakers and Fuse Boxes?
Let’s start with definitions:
- Fuse Box: An electrical panel that completes the circuits of your home with metallic strips known as “fuses” that melt under excessive electrical conditions. When the fuse melts, the circuit is interrupted, so the wiring is protected from overload.
- Circuit Breaker– A more modern form of electrical panel that completes the circuits of your home with magenetically charged switches. When the breaker detects a fault of an overload, it reverses magnetic charge. The switch is flipped, but can be manually reset.
Each time a fuse is “blown,” it needs to be replaced…but each time a circuit is “tripped,” it can be easily set back with the flip of a switch! Upgrading to a circuit breaker will give you all of the following advantages:
- Resettable Circuits
- More Advanced Protection
- Improved Safety
- Better Overall Electrical Performance
Check if your home’s electrical panel is a circuit breaker or a fuse box. If it’s the latter, call Raynor Electrical for electrical panel upgrade today.
