| Why would you need to turn off the Main Breaker? | |
Your panel box houses a large amount of high amperage electricity that
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has great power when misdirected outside of its intended destination.
The purpose of the main breaker in your electrical panel is to shut off all electricity coming in to the home from the electric utility company.
It is usually labelled 100 amp or 200 amps, and is physically larger than branch wiring breakers.
Only under the following circumstances should the power be disconnected at the main breaker:
- An emergency situation that requires immediate disconnection of all household power. (Flooding and fire)
- Service work on the panel box is required (your electrician's responsibility)
- Electrical work elsewhere in the building is required and there is no way to isolate a single branch circuit to the area.
It should not be shut off daily (like a light switch) to save power, or when leaving the house empty for a week or two.
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| Why Switching On or Off the Main Power is Dangerous | |
At the risk of being overly dramatic, standing in front of a breaker panel or main switch and flipping the switches on or off is only for those seeking face reconstructive surgery.
Reports of main breaker failures are abundant. Small parts inside breakers have been known to fall out of the breaker and connect with the power bar behind it.
When it touches, the energy that is misdirected is like a grenade exploding, sending high velocity shards of hot metal and plastic spraying forward into the victim's face. When turning the main breaker on or off, it is critical that safety procedures be strictly followed.
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Five Essential Steps to Safely Shut off the Main Breaker at Your Electrical Panel
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If you must turn the main power to your home on or off, follow this simple process very strictly.
- Do not wear a polyester shirt and do wear work gloves. (Burn trauma centers can attest to the added complication of polyester melted into skin. )
- Identify the main breaker you need to shut off. It is larger than the other breakers and usually says 100 amp or 200 amp.Place your hand firmly on the breaker to ensure you maintain control of it.
- Reposition your body so that it is entirely beside the panel.
- Turn your face away from the electrical panel ( this is why your hand is already holding the breaker switch )
- Pull the switch firmly to the opposite position.
 | | Chadwick wearing safety glasses and gloves, hand firmly on main breaker, body to the side and face averted. |
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Your electrical panel should command a great deal of respect as the most dangerous piece of equipment in your home.
Sharing this procedure knowledge with friends using the following button could avert a tragedy.
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Yours in safety,
