In a previous blog post, we discussed the common causes of a tripped breaker. These include an overloaded circuit, a short circuit, or a ground fault. Circuits are safety mechanisms invented to help control the flow of electrical current into your home. This not only protects your electronic devices, such as refrigerators and computers, that may be plugged in from damage, but circuit breakers help also to prevent fires from overheated wiring in your home.

Circuit breakers have prevented an innumerable amount of fires and saved unfathomable amounts of human lives. Breaker Outlet is an online retailer of circuit breakers and refurbished circuit breakers. We are passionate about saving lives through helping you obtain the electrical wiring components you need for safety in wiring. Below, we’ll briefly touch on the different types of circuit breakers. Shop us online today for all your circuit breaker needs!

DIFFERENT TYPES OF CIRCUIT BREAKERS

1. Low-voltage circuit breakers. These circuit breakers were one of the first types of circuit breakers invented and are most commonly found in your home or small business office. These primarily residential circuit breakers come in two different models: the Miniature Circuit Breakers (MCB) and the Molded Case Circuit Breakers (MCCB). Again, the name is a clue to their uses. MCBs are used in residences and office buildings; whereas, MCCBs are a bit more robust in use and are industrial circuit breakers. The MCB can only handle currents up to 100 amps; whereas, the MCCBs can handle up to 2,500 amps.
2. Medium-voltage circuit breakers. These types of circuit breakers can handle voltages of between 1,000 and 45,000 amps easily. Medium-voltage circuit breakers are classified based on how they break the arc. Hence, some of the most popular varieties include air-break interrupters, vacuum-break interrupters, and sulfur hexafluoride breakers (or gas breakers).
3. High-voltage circuit breakers. More care must be taken with high-voltage circuit breakers as they are protecting us from much more dangerous power surges. Usually, there are more mediums to break the arc and more safety nets and backups in case one system fails. However, the go-to medium has become sulfur hexafluoride breakers because these are more environmentally friendly.
4. Magnetic circuit breakers. Magnetic circuit breakers use magnetic forces to trip the latch in the circuit, which then causes a spring to engage and open the circuit.

Circuit breakers are vital to the integrity of all electricity flowing into and out of residences, buildings, offices, and businesses. Breaker Outlet believes in offering the best brand circuit breakers at the best price online and shipped to your door so you can be prepared when you need them. All buildings are installed with electrical breaker panels, usually with room to grow. While the mechanisms themselves are simple (defeating electricity by punching a hole in its path), the good they do for society is immense. Breaker Outlet sells breaker panels, enclosures for circuit breakers, safety switches, and fusible switches. We also sell refurbished circuit breakers and several types of old circuit breaker models for your older home. Shop online today!