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When you go on a vacation or leave your house unattended for a long time, it is best to turn off the electricity as a safety measure.

Instead of simply switching off individual switches, it is best to turn off the main power in the house. This way, even if individual switches are on, there will be no power supply.

To turn off the main power, you have to locate the circuit breaker panel or distribution board in your home. When you open it, there will be a switch to turn off the power.

By flicking the switch off, you will be able to easily turn off all the electricity in the house. However, you need to follow safety measures to avoid getting a shock.

If you want to know how to turn off electricity, we can help you. In this article, we will show you how to operate a circuit breaker panel to turn off all the power in your house. 

Difference between Circuit Breaker and Fuse:

When it comes to switching turning off the main power in the house, you need to find the switch box or circuit breaker panel. Both are different from one another but serve the same purpose.

However, it is important to understand the difference. The majority of the new homes have a circuit breaker for controlling central power, whereas old homes have a fuse box. 

A circuit breaker has a two-axis trip curve. On one axis is the time, and on the other is the current. The optimum breaker should trip at the point closest to the fault. If the breaker is not coordinated, the system may trip upstream devices first, causing a disruption that extends to other parts of the circuit. This is the case with most fuses.

A fuse is only effective for very sensitive electronic components, so it’s best to use a circuit breaker for everyday items. While a fuse is often cheaper, it’s better to have more than one. Besides, circuit breakers are more durable and can be reused if a blown a fuse occurs. And since circuit breakers don’t use auxiliary contacts, they can be used as a simple ON/OFF switch.

In addition to being easier to install and operate, circuit breakers are more convenient than fuses. While fuses are much easier to install, a circuit breaker is also much easier to maintain. A breaker can be installed on a wall with just one screw and will require no maintenance.

How to Turn Off the Main Circuit Breaker?

In order to turn off all the electricity in a house, you just need to switch off the main circuit breaker. It will cut off the main power supply, thereby restricting the electricity supply in the entire house.

Many homeowners don’t know how to turn off the main breaker, but they should. It is important to know how to shut down the main breaker if you have a major problem with a circuit. 

Usually, the main breaker is located at the top of the main panel. It can be switched off if it is not needed, but it should only be done if the situation calls for it. The wires that connect the breakers in the house to the electric meter are always hot. Here are the steps you need to follow in order to turn it off.

• Step 1: Open Panel Door

The first thing you need to do is find the main breaker panel in your house. It is the central point of power. You need to find this box as the main breaker is located inside it. This panel is covered with a door for safety. You need to find the panel and open the door. Make sure you wear rubber gloves and use a flashlight. You also need to turn off all the switches in your house before touching the panel. 

• Step 2: Find Main Circuit Breaker 

The main circuit breaker is located inside the main panel. It is located on the top. It controls all of the electricity that enters the house. It is essential to turn the main circuit breaker off if you want to turn the electricity off. However, you should also note that the subpanel has its own breaker, and if you shut it off, then only part electricity will be cut off.

• Step 3: Turn Off Main Circuit Breaker

Instead of turning off the sub-circuit breaker, you need to turn off the main breaker so that the entire power will be cut off. You will see a lever on the top which is bigger than the others. You just need to toggle it to the off position in order to turn off the power. Make sure your hands are dry, and wear rubber gloves. When you turn it off, the main power will be cut off. 

• Step 4: Test for Power

In order to stay safe, to need to carefully check if all the power is cut off. You can do this by turning on a few power switches in your house. You can also use a tester to test if there is any power supply.

How to Reactivate Tripped Breaker?

If your circuit breaker has tripped, you may want to reactivate it to restore power to the affected circuit. In order to do this, you can simply push the reset button located on the breaker. 

However, if the tripped breaker is the main incoming breaker, you should try the following steps. First, make sure the tripped holder is in the “on” or “neutral” position. Switch off all connected appliances, then switch the tripped meter back on.

To reactivate a circuit breaker, first, turn it off. Flip the switch to the “Off” position. The breaker should show red. Once the switch returns to the “On” position, power should come back. If not, try to reactivate the breaker. It will be a simple process. If you fail to do this, don’t worry, you can still use the manual reset option.

Resetting a circuit breaker can be a difficult task, but it is not impossible. Sometimes, a tripped breaker is the result of a lightning strike or a high-current short circuit. Resetting the breaker manually will eliminate these problems.