How to Flip a Circuit Breaker Safely

Flipping a breaker seems to be the easiest thing to do in the house, and it is true until the point when someone flips the wrong breaker, holds it against the fault, or forces the handle, which has already failed. Doing this is very easy, but making the right decision about it isn’t.

The following paragraphs explain the function of the handle, instructions about using it, and the five scenarios when flipping is not an appropriate response.

In brief: Locate the circuit on the panel schedule, turn off the breaker completely, and then switch on fully. A breaker that has already tripped stays in the neutral position and needs to be moved all the way back down to be reset. Flip it once, wait, and see if the breaker trips again; if it does, that is a sign you still have a problem. Never keep a breaker turned on permanently, and never use the main switch to reactivate a single breaker.

What the Handle Is Actually Doing

The miniature circuit breaker has a spring-loaded latch mechanism. The ON position of the switch keeps the latch in its closed position.

The switch can be tripped without any physical movement from the first position through either a bimetal hence, the spring opens the contacts and the circuit breaker handle moves back its middle position. The nature of that middle position explains why the circuit breaker switch has to be pushed down first before going back up.

If someone would try to push the switch back without resetting it, the latch would engage against an unchanged spring in some devices and this would be tolerated. However, devices that do not tolerate it will end up having their handles giving incorrect information about the position of the switch. The device construction behind this, including the reset mechanism, is described in this single-pole MCB specification.

The Correct Sequence

• To locate the device, look at the panel schedule. If you cannot find the schedule or if it does not match your device, try testing the devices one at a time while checking the power at the outlets.
• Before you touch it, record the position of the handle. Whether the handle says ON, middle, or OFF should give you an idea whether or not the device was tripped by being switched off.
• Push the handle firmly to the OFF position. If done correctly, you should hear a slight click as the device resets.
• You should wait 5 seconds and then push the handle firmly to the ON position. You should not hold the device in that position; you should let go as soon as it is pushed.
• Watch for any signs of failure in the circuit. If the circuit works, it will stay ON. If there is something wrong with the circuit, it will trip again shortly after.

If the circuit is in a panel with a main switch, do NOT turn off the main switch, ONLY the branch circuit. By resetting the branch circuit through turning the main switch off, you will cut the power supply for the entire building and will probably have more problems than you wanted to solve.

Up or Down?

For almost all domestic equipment, ON is in the UP position while OFF is in the DOWN position, and toggle switches usually have symbols or letters. In some obsolete models, the opposite convention is true, and in European three-phase circuits the reversal is typical too.

A helpful indicator is a small window next to the switch: in most newest appliances it is red when the current is off and green when it is on. In case of contradiction, pay attention to the window and have the appliance checked: a faulty switch is more dangerous than a mere inconvenience in the household.

What to avoid is an opinion just based on the direction of the switch when a new appliance is used.Take a photograph before touching anything, and check one device at a time. Our breaker FAQ covers the marking conventions that differ between series.

Why Not Just Hold It On

The reasons people keep a breaker in closed position are twofold: it prohibits from tripping and it is essential to maintain the circuit operational, or the handle feels bet on someone’s shoulder and they believe it needs pressing down. Both cases present a danger.

The breaker, being kept in closed position while a fault current is being delivered, is withstands a fault current which is not something it was designed to do. Since the device stops protecting anything, it is essentially a switch. The heat moves toward the conductor, and instead of sparking in the panel, it makes failure somewhere in the wall, out of sight and harder to stop.

A non-firmware handle is malfunctioning. Holding it does not improve the mechanism, and people touch the panel not knowing that the circuit being assumed to be off is actually on.

There is also a historical exception that’s worth mentioning – some older devices (in particular, some moulded-case breakers) could have been reset by holding the handle in ON position shortly after tripping.That is a specified reset procedure, not a workaround, and it applies to the device the manufacturer describes, not to a residential MCB. If in doubt, the datasheet decides, and ours are in the technical download library.

Five Times Not to Flip It

• You can smell smoke or see a burn. The fault is already hot, and reenergizing it is how the fires start.
• The panel is wet or you’re standing in water. Stop and isolate where possible. Call an electrician.
• The device is hot to touch. A breaker under a normal load should be warm or hot at most. Hot means poor contact or a faulty appliance.
• It has tripped three times in a day. The fourth click does not add anything but wears the contacts.
• You are unable to recognize the circuit. Switching on a circuit you cannot identify could stop a freezer unit a, medical device, or a server without warning.

None of those are the reasons to be afraid of the panel. They are the reasons to stop and gather necessary information prior to taking any action.

The One Device You Should Test Monthly

The TEST button on GFCI, AFCI and RCBO devices is the only way to check if the sensing circuitry is functioning correctly. Once the button has been pressed, the device should immediately trip. If it does not, then the device is useless.

Once again, this test is purposeful tipping where the same mechanism is used as in case of an actual fault and, hence, there are limited number of operations. Monthly testing is recommended, which is the most useful thing for a homeowner to do at the panel. The construction of a device with that test circuit is shown in this two-pole type B RCCB.

After the Flip

Record your observations about the occurrence. Write down the time of the day, which device was in use, whether it tripped immediately or after a while. Three lines written in a notebook creates a system, and the system is a key reason why the electrician should solve the problem in a one visit, while another electricity problem may take three attempts.

If the pattern is “whenever the washing machine is in use”, then the problem appeared in the electric circuit. If it is “whenever it is raining”, then moisture is another problem. If it is “when nothing is running”, then wiring is faulty. And if the pattern is “always at the same time with the same load”, it may be a device that has drifted below its rating, which our technical team can test rather than guess at.

FAQ

What will cause a breaker to flip?

The causes are overload, short circuit, ground fault, or some malfunctioning device. The difference is in the time of trip: instantaneous means fault, delayed means overload.

Can I just flip a breaker back on?

Yes, once it’s turned fully OFF first. If it trips afterwards, it means that the circuit should be diagnosed instead of being switched on again.

Can you flip your main breaker?

It is feasible, and there are valid arguments for doing so, such as making repairs on the panel or isolating for a repair. It does not address the issue of a tripped branch circuit, and in addition on a modern panel it also results in the loss of power to clocks, routers, alarms and heating controls.

Can you flip all the breakers?

It is possible to reset everything after the power is turned off. It is better to turn them off one by one and then to turn them back on again instead of moving the whole row at once, so that you can see a device that did not reboot.

References

• NEMA — Circuit Breaker Operation and Marking
• UL Solutions — Circuit Breaker Standards
• U.S. Department of Energy — Electrical Safety at Home
• This Old House — How to Reset a Breaker
• Bob Vila — Breaker Panel Basics

Conclusion

Down, then up, and after that you just look at it. More than that is diagnosis, and diagnosis starts with taking notes about what the circuit breaker told you.

If a device refuses to latch or resets but immediately trips, have an electrician investigate the panel, and we will be able to provide replacement part when the series or number is determined.