Radwell International’s Blog

From home electrical systems to advanced industrial circuits, circuit breakers protect power systems from electrical power overloads, ground faults, arc faults and other scenarios where electricity could pose a safety risk to people and property. In the case of a fault, circuit breakers interrupt the flow of electricity, limiting the energy available to cause damage. What types of circuit breakers exist and why? Let’s take a quick look.

What is a Circuit Breaker?

A circuit breaker is a mechanical switching device that automatically protects an electrical circuit from damage generated from excess current from an overload. A circuit breaker’s main function is to detect a faulty condition and once that condition is detected the circuit breaker will interrupt the current flow during both normal or abnormal conditions. Depending upon the type of circuit breaker they can be reset automatically or manually. The ability to reset is what separates a circuit breaker from a fuse. A fuse is only able to operate once and then must be replaced. When a circuit breaker detects the fault and interrupts the current flow, it can be reset manually or automatically and resume normal operation.