kids encyclopedia robot

Circuit breaker facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
OpenClosedPanelboardEEUU(GE)CloseupTop
Several circuit breakers in an electrical panel

A circuit breaker is a device designed to shut off an electrical circuit when too much current is flowing. This usually occurs if too many devices are plugged in or if there is a short circuit. Circuit breakers are usually installed in the electrical panel. Some circuit breakers also have GFCI protection. Inside the circuit breaker, there is usually an electromagnetic coil. When too much current flows through the coil, it pulls on the switch, shutting the power off. The coil reacts to immediate short circuits. There is also a bimetal strip that will bend and pull on the switch if it gets too hot. This reacts to extended periods of too much current.

Some advanced circuit breakers monitor current electronically, and shut the power off when an electronic sensor detects too much current. A circuit breaker does the same job as a fuse, but unlike a fuse, a circuit breaker does not need to be replaced to be reset, except in some severe cases such as very high-current short circuits and lightning strikes that may damage the circuit breaker.

Types

By voltage level

  • Low voltage circuit breaker.
  • Medium voltage circuit breaker.
  • High voltage circuit breaker.

By medium of arc suppression

  • Air circuit breaker
  • Oil circuit breaker
  • Sulfur hexafluoride circuit breaker
  • Vacuum circuit breaker

Other pages

Images for kids

  • AEG Circuit breaker type ME 800 (1)

    An air circuit breaker for low-voltage (less than 1,000 volt) power distribution switchgear

  • Jtecul

    A two-pole miniature circuit breaker

  • Four 1 pole circuit breakers fitted in a meter box

    Four one-pole miniature circuit breakers

  • LargeCircuitBreaker

    Front panel of a 1250 A air circuit breaker manufactured by ABB. This low-voltage power circuit breaker can be withdrawn from its housing for servicing. Trip characteristics are configurable via DIP switches on the front panel.

  • SHT-06

    Shihlin Electric MCCB with SHT

  • Breaker3phase2a proc

    Three-pole common trip breaker for supplying a three-phase device. This breaker has a 2 A rating.

  • Siemens WL II 2500N air circuit breaker

    A Siemens air circuit breaker mounted on a motor control cubicle

  • Oil circuit breaker MKP-110 Toliatti Russia

    Three single-phase Soviet/Russian 110-kV oil circuit breakers

  • 400kv

    400 kV SF6 live-tank circuit breakers

  • ABB RCBO

    Residual current circuit breaker with overcurrent protection

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Disyuntor para niños

kids search engine
All content from Kiddle encyclopedia articles (including the article images and facts) can be freely used under Attribution-ShareAlike license, unless stated otherwise. Cite this article:
Circuit breaker Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.