Electrical panels are something most homeowners rarely think about. However, they’re the centerpiece of any building’s electrical system and play a vital role in electrical distribution. Here’s exactly how an electrical panel distributes power throughout a property.
Key Electrical Panel Components
Electrical panels are mechanically simpler than you think. They have an electrical terminal that connects to a main circuit breaker. It serves as a power cutoff for the entire property and a safety device to prevent property-wide overloads. From there, the main circuit breaker connects to a hot bus bar and a neutral bus bar. Individual breakers for each circuit in your property straddle those bars. Each breaker serves a part of your property, with a maximum amperage matched to the wiring. Electrical panels also include a neutral bus bar, which provides a safe path for electrical current during a fault.
Total Electrical Capacity
If you’ve ever looked at the circuit breakers in your electrical panel, you may have noticed something odd. If you add up the amperage of every circuit breaker, it could add up to far more than the main breaker’s amperage. That’s no accident, and it isn’t a safety issue. It’s important to remember that each circuit breaker’s amperage matches the safe capacity of the wires it serves. Meanwhile, the main breaker protects the panel itself. You would never use every circuit on your property to its maximum rated amperage simultaneously. If you ever got close, the main breaker would trip, powering everything down.
How Circuit Breakers Work
A circuit breaker is a component that prevents each circuit from drawing too much current. They feature two separate safety triggers that can force a shutdown. One protects against overheating. It consists of a strip of a metal alloy that begins bending at a predetermined temperature. That forces the breaker open. The other safety trigger protects against overcurrent. It consists of an electromagnet powered by the current flowing through the breaker. The electromagnet only generates sufficient force to trip the breaker mechanism if more than the rated amperage passes through it.
There are also circuit breakers that feature additional safety features. Your electrical panel may or may not have them. One type of advanced protection is an arc-fault circuit interrupter (AFCI). An AFCI monitors electrical patterns to detect arc faults. Once detected, they disconnect the circuit. Another type of advanced protection is a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI). A GFCI monitors the current difference between the hot and neutral wires. A difference indicates a fault that may cause electrocution. A GFCI instantly cuts off power when it detects a fault.
The components listed above work together to provide safe, reliable electricity to your property. Now, the next time you see an electrical panel, you’ll have a much better idea of what’s under the hood. If you have concerns or require electrical panel services, contact Dilling Heating & Cooling in Charlotte, NC.
