What Is Circuit Breaker Testing and Why Is It Important?

Circuit breaker testing is key to insuring that a building's circuit breaker panel remains in working condition, not breaking circuits due to improper stimulus. Circuit breakers are often assumed to be faulty if they trip often, which is not always the case. There are, however, some classic signs that indicate a faulty breaker. They include:

1. Power not registering in the breaker, which often indicates a problem with the bus bar in the breaker panel.

2. The breaker being exposed to excessive heat or humidity, which often causes damage inside the breaker.

3. The breaker moves back and forth without sticking in an on or off position.

4. Signs of burning or overheating, such as black around the breaker area.

5. Signs of moderate to heavy corrosion on either side of the breaker.

How to Conduct Breaker Testing

Whether you observe one of the signs above or something else that you think signals a problem, a breaker test should be performed to determine if a problem is present. Below, we list some common tools for testing breakers and circuits:

Clamping Ammeter

A clamping ammeter is used to determine whether a circuit breaker is overloaded, thus causing it to switch off repeatedly. The ammeter is clamped to a single wire to determine overloads, check for shorts, and determine the amount of electricity running through the circuit.

Electromagnetic Circuit Finder

Electromagnetic circuit finders determine which breaker controls a certain circuit in the event that a breaker trips and disconnects all electricity. Higher end models used by electricians are more accurate than domestic grade models.

Electrostatic Wand

Also known as a volt stick, an electrostatic wand can indicate hot wires without directly contacting them. When a hot wire is detected, it triggers a light on the wand. Electrostatic wands should not be used close to the ground due to the potential for other wires to create a false reading.

Multimeter

As its name suggests, a multimeter combines two or more meter functions in one unit: the functions of a voltmeter and an ohmmeter. This allows a multimeter to measure the level of voltage in a circuit and measures the continuity and resistance level of the voltage.

Voltmeter

A voltmeter measures the voltage running through a circuit, which is done by touching one of the meter's prongs to each part of a circuit that needs measuring. Voltmeters are perhaps the most common domestic circuit measuring tool.

All of the tools listed above are valuable for testing circuits and breakers. But if you aren't experienced with circuit breakers, finding an answer to your circuit breaker issues is best left to the professionals, especially if you run a business whose operation has been compromised by electrical problems.

In my research on generator services and switch gear maintenance, I've also studied the best ways to test and repair circuit breakers.

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