The electric panel is the most important part of a house. It’s where all the wiring from your electric devices go into one place and are met with power coming in from outside sources. The electric panel also contains circuit breakers to protect you against overloads, so it should be treated as an essential part of your home. This blog post will give you tips on how to use an electric panel safely and how to troubleshoot any issues that could arise when operating one!

What is an Electric panel?

An electric panel is a box that contains breaker switches and fuses. It also connects to electric cables that go into your house, so it’s the point where all power in your home comes together. The electric panel has circuits with breakers and fuses for each circuit. When you switch something on like a lamp or television set, electricity travels through one of these circuits from outside sources before coming into your living space.

What components make-up your electrical panel in your home?

There is a variety of components that make up the functions of electrical panels in your home. Each component serves a specific functionality, that helps sustain the power to your home. Here is a list

The main breaker:

This is the electric panel’s most important switch. It shuts off power to your home if there were a major electrical malfunction or fire. The electrician will wire the main breaker to your home’s electrical system.

The double pole braker:

A double pole breaker has a variety of amps to help support the many devices and appliances you have in your home. Its main function is to make sure the items in use are protected if there is a short circuit. If someone is detected as abnormal both poles will trip to protect your devices. 

The single pole braker:

This type of breaker often helps support some of the larger appliances and gadgets in your home. Single pole breakers are equipped with one neutral wire, that helps trip the breaker that is experiencing the short circuit. Single pole breakers focus on the problem circuit while leaving the other circuits unaffected by the short circuit.

Empty Slots on the Electrical Panel

These spaces are great to have because they allow you to add more outlets in your home that you may not have realized you needed.

Sub Panels

A sub-panel is a secondary electric power supply that takes care of the electric needs for one section in your home. Subpanels are often installed behind walls, and they’re able to be wired off it without causing too much stress on the electrical system.

What are Circuit Breakers?

Circuit breakers help protect homes against overloads by automatically shutting off power when overloaded – this means they’re an important part of any electrical network! A lot of homeowners get confused about how they work because there can be both main service panels and subpanels (or electric panels in a garage) – which is why electricians are always on hand to help people out!

You should be very careful when working with electric panels because they can pose a serious risk of electrocution. You should never open an electric panel if you’re not qualified, and it’s best to let professionals handle any electrical work in your home. But that doesn’t mean we have all our knowledge about electric components wrong either: there are some really good tips for homeowners who want to use their electric panel safely!

Tips for using the Electric Panel Safely:

• Always turn off the power before starting any repairs or opening up the box (remembering that this could also include checking fuses as well!)
• Never touch two wires at the same time
• Don’t work on electric panels when it’s raining outside – don’t even touch them if you are wet.
• Never use electrical tape or anything that could create a connection between two wires as this can cause an electric shock!

Tips for Troubleshooting:

• Check to see if the circuit breaker is tripped and turn off the power before resetting
• Does your electric panel have fuses? If so, check those next (by turning off power first) and replace any blown ones with new ones of an equal amperage rating. You should also never swap out one fuse for another without consulting a qualified electrician because they might be wired in series rather than parallel depending on what type of house you live in.
• If you’ve checked the electric panel and fuses but still don’t know what’s wrong, call a professional electrician or your power company to investigate further!

You can find more about electric panels on Wikipedia.

If you are thinking of hiring a professional electrician to do an electrical renovation or other electrical work at your home, then consider reaching out to us at Professional Electrical & Controls on 780-476-1413. You can also contact us by filling up the contact form. We provide services in the area near and in Edmonton, Beaumont, Sherwood Park, St. Albert, and Leduc.