Circuit Breaker Panel

A circuit breaker panel is the main point from where electricity is passed around to other electrical circuits. Power for your house comes through the service entrance which passes through the electrical meter which records the amount of voltage you use. It then flows through the circuit breaker panel. The panel usually gives out 100 to 200 amps of power. The panel, in short, is just a bunch of switches.

The service entrance wires are attached to terminals called lugs. Lugs are always energised with electricity unless your local power company shuts it off. A dead front cover, which is a metal panel, covers all the lugs and electrical wiring connected to the panel. The dead front cover provides access to every breaker and switch.

The circuit breaker panel always consists of a main breaker which is a large switch. If the main breaker is shut down, then electricity access to every other circuit is cut off as well. However, the lugs remain energised with electricity. Main breaker activity does not affect the lugs. The circuit breaker panel always has two rows for the branch circuits. It includes circuits which provide 15-20 Amps of energy for lighting or fans or other outlets in a kitchen or garage. Branch circuits which are labelled with 40-50 amps of energy are known as ‘double pole breakers’. These supply electricity to high voltage appliances such as dryers or air conditioners. A large breaker may also supply electricity to a sub-panel which is mainly used for electricity in detached r quarters. The panel also has hot & neutral bus bars. Moreover, the ground wires prevent electrocution from happening due to frayed hot wires. Many circuit breakers also consist of disconnectors.

Disconnectors

A circuit breaker disconnector is used to isolate the electrical circuit from electricity to maintain or repair it. A disconnector is only used for safety purposes and can be operated either manually or automatically. Circuit breaker disconnectors are off-loading devices which means that they do not contain the workings for controlling electric arcs and should be opened after the current is interrupted by another device.

A circuit breaker disconnect consists of a lock-out tag-out that prevents inattentive operations from happening. These locks are part of a trapped-key interlock system so that there is steady stream of operations.  A switch disconnector combines the properties of a disconnector and load switch.

In disconnecting circuit breakers, the disconnector is integrated so that there is no need to use separate disconnectors. This has the advantage of being reliable and the need for maintenance decreases. The usage of this device is, however, limited as compared to a disconnector because there may be problem which arise while maintenance takes place.

A fused disconnect is used to replace a circuit breaker as it works in the same way and is cheaper. It can turn a circuit on or off and its fuses can provide protection. Having more information about electrical breakers and disconnectors can help you in every-day life. If a small electrical problem was to arise, you’d be able to solve it yourself.

Learn more about J & P Electrical Company and their vast line of new, surplus, and refurbished industrial electrical components including: circuit breakers, bus ducts, bus plugs, disconnects, fuses, panel switches, tap boxes, and transformers at www.jpelectricalcompany.com.  To contact one of our product reconditioning specialists, call 877.844.5514 today.

There are millions of different pieces of manufacturing equipment and electrical components on the market today that only make sense to those who use them in their line of work.  Most of which make little to no sense to those of us who don’t use them. For example, what use would you have for bus plugs and bus ducts, what are they and how do they improve manufacturing.

Bus duct and bus plugs are used to distribute power around manufacturing facilities and industrial buildings such as processing plants, metal fabricating plants, and throughout heavy manufacturing areas where the machines aren’t stationary or need to be moved around from time to time.

All manufacturing buildings are powered differently.  For example, power is distributed through hardwiring in the walls of residential buildings so as to connect to all of the electrical outlets in a room. Industrial buildings such as factories, on the other hand, feature larger open floor plans with various machinery dispersed all around the facility, none of which are near any wall or permanent structure. They require a source of power, and in this case, a giant industrial electrical plug, which is where bus plugs and ducts come in.

A bus plug is essentially a component of a busway (industrial extension cord) that is used for delivering power to the appropriate equipment and circuits. Think of a busway as the extension cord you have at home that you use to plug in several connectors, the same applies to the busway and bus plug system, they enable flexibility and can be disconnected and rearranged to allow whatever manufacturing equipment that needs to be powered on virtually any floor of an industrial building. There is no physical hard wiring to the building, a manufacturing business can bring in more equipment without having to wire or rewire the entire electrical system; they simply have to plug in a bus plug into a busway, and voila, they are up and running.

Like with many electrical systems, bus plugs also require circuit protection, which in this case, is through a circuit breaker or a fuse depending on the application. Using bus plugs and ducts is the most economical and efficient way to power large commercial facilities or manufacturing plants and feed all manufacturing equipment, particularly, in areas of the building where the power distribution keeps changing.

Learn more about J & P Electrical Company and their vast line of new, surplus, and refurbished industrial electrical components including: circuit breakers, bus ducts, bus plugs, disconnects, fuses, panel switches, tap boxes, and transformers at www.jpelectricalcompany.com.  To contact one of our product reconditioning specialists, call 877.844.5514 today.

Many businesses and manufacturing facilities must purchase equipment and parts for maintenance & repairs.  One of the key goals with purchasing equipment and parts is that they will serve them for the longest possible amount of time at a reasonable and affordable price.  Refurbished machinery and reconditioned parts can be a great alternative for all business owners, especially those just starting out and are working within a budget.  There are certain myths surrounding reconditioned components, especially electrical, that can deter business owners from making a purchase even when it’s the most logical option.

Below we will look at these myths and share advice on how to make a wise investment when purchasing reconditioned electrical components and refurbished machinery for your business.

• Myth 1: Reconditioned electronics are slow and operate poorly in comparison to new components.

The truth is that how well a refurbished electrical component operates today has little to do with how new it is.  It does however, boil down to the quality of reconditioning, maintenance, and use.  New electrical components operate based on how they were constructed, and the software used to create them.

• Myth 2: Reconditioned electrical components are junk.

Electrical components are termed as junk if they are no longer being used. However, once an old piece of electronic equipment is refurbished, it can work better than a new piece of equipment.  When reconditioning the piece issues that have been exposed over time can be addressed.  If one part is always breaking on the component, then when it is refurbished that element can be fixed properly to avoid an issue later down the road.

• Myth 3: Refurbished gadgets and used devices are the same thing.

A used device is one that has been used and is experiencing wear and tear whereas reconditioned gadgets are those that are taken, dismantled and given a new lease on life.  This means that it is rid of issues and malfunctions that could affect how it functions.

• Myth 4: Reconditioned electrical components have a shorter lifespan.

Authorized refurbishing companies make significant investments on their reconditioned electrical components and as such, it is to their benefit if the refurbished equipment works for the longest time possible. So just because the electrical equipment is refurbished does not mean that it will not serve you for a long time in fact many times the exact opposite is the case.

Learn more about J & P Electrical Company and their vast line of new, surplus, and refurbished industrial electrical components including: circuit breakers, bus ducts, bus plugs, disconnects, fuses, panel switches, tap boxes, and transformers at www.jpelectricalcompany.com.  To contact one of our product reconditioning specialists, call 877.844.5514 today.

Electrical issues tend to create a feeling of anxiety and frustration to the homeowner. In this age, reconditioned electrical components are a blessing that has helped much to improve the electrical sustainability in the home; but still, many people are not using it due to a lack of awareness. The homeowners don’t know what’s wrong, but rather suddenly, they lose access to the power.

To repair the circuit breaker, they are habitual of spending lots of money repeatedly but don’t invest in refurbished electrical components because they don’t know what’s going on at the back. Let’s have a look.

Firstly, you would have to understand what is a circuit breaker trip?

It comes because of a circuit fixed to your electrical switch surpassing its sheltered parameters. They can be recognized by a sudden loss of energy to machine or loss of power in your home that is restricted to a zone.  There is a lot of issues that can bring about circuit breaker trips and following are the some of the top 3 reasons for an electrical breaker stumbling in your home.

Overload

A circuit over-loading is effortlessly the most widely recognized explanation behind a breaker trip. This basically implies that you have quite recently got excessive stuff stacked on the breaker. Breakers have a proper safe limit of energy from which they supply to your appliances and home. In the event, if it would be exceeded, the breaker will trip. You will witness this frequently when you endeavor to introduce another appliance where your electrical framework cannot bolster it, or if you connect to a powerful machine like a space radiator in a zone that does not have the entrance to safe amperage.

For example: If anyone has a 20-amp electrical circuit with 25 amps of electrical current running through it and at some time if you are using iron, hair dryer, and washing machine, then eventually the circuit breaker will trip to save itself from preheating.

Short-Circuiting

This thing happens when a hot wire encounters another hot wire(s). You will generally observe darkening around the outlet or burning smell when this happens. Also, in case you are managing a short-out, don’t interface with your outlet by any means. Leave the breaker tripping, and call emergency help as soon as possible.

Ground Fault

A ground fault is genuinely like a short circuit, if not indistinguishable. The distinction is in the collaboration. A ground fault is a point at which a hot wire meets your establishing wire, and along these lines, the protected establishing of your outlet winds up void and dangerous. Handle this in a similar way you would do the precautions with the short circuit.

Now you would have an idea about the reasons why your circuit breakers keep tripping and what you should do when it does.

Learn more about J & P Electrical Company and their vast line of new, surplus, and refurbished industrial electrical components including: circuit breakers, bus ducts, bus plugs, disconnects, fuses, panel switches, tap boxes, and transformers at www.jpelectricalcompany.com.  To contact one of our product reconditioning specialists, call 877.844.5514 today.

Ensuring electrical safety after a flood must take precedence over salvaging any remains or inspecting the home. The reason: water and electricity do not mix! It is understandable that you are very eager to check on your belongings, to try to get things back to normal as soon as possible. However, there is always a high risk of electrocution after flooding and of course, no material belongings are worth facing any risks and hazards associated with live electricity in your apartment. Here are few practical tips that will help you ensure electrical safety after a flood.

Stay Away from A Flood-Damaged Basement

A flooded basement may have live electrical wires that you are not aware of. While it is easy to think you can really avoid meeting such wires, even the water may not be safe. It would be best to contact an electrician to ensure the home’s electrical meter is removed from the socket to ensure the house is totally disconnected from the grid. This is an ideal way to shut off all power to the house as there can still be an electrocution even if you have lost power – telephone wires, the cable wire or other wires may have electricity due to shorting and contact from outside electricity.

If there is Power Outage, Do Not Assume It Would Remain Off

After flooding, there may be widespread power outage from the municipal electricity supply. However, it is not ideal to rely on the power outage from the general supply for safety after a flood as power may be restored at any time. Never rely on the municipality utility but take steps to shut off the power from your own apartment.

Do not operate the HVAC Equipment until it is inspected

Flooding may sometimes affect the ductwork and could even flow into parts of your air conditioning system or some areas that may appear dry. The HVAC system could be a big electrical risk if powered up without inspection. Ensure a qualified HVAC specialist checks the system before power is restored.

Dispose Electrical Equipment Affected by Flood

After water in your apartment has been pumped out and recovery efforts have begun, you would need to dispose any electrical equipment affected by the flood. Items such as armored cable, fuse boxes, building wire, switches, air conditioners, heaters, circuit panels and breakers and any items that cannot be salvaged must be disposed to avoid any potential risks and dangers while they are in use.

Learn more about J & P Electrical Company and their vast line of new, surplus, and refurbished industrial electrical components including: circuit breakers, bus ducts, bus plugs, disconnects, fuses, panel switches, tap boxes, and transformers at www.jpelectricalcompany.com.  To contact one of our product reconditioning specialists, call 877.844.5514 today.

We use electrical switches every single day in our lives. Whether they are used to turn on the light or if they are used indirectly while using computers and other appliances, switches are one of the most common electrical accessory around. There are a number of different electrical switches we can use, each having its own unique purpose and use. The type of electrical switch we need to use depends on what we need to use it for. It is a secondary accessory that is highly dependent on the primary accessory it supports. Out of all the switches available in the market, two are highly common and of great use: panel switches and line switches. Let’s have a more detailed look into the two most common types of electrical switches that are in use today.

Panel Switch

Panel switches were developed in the 1910s by Western Electric labs and introduced in the Bell System. Panel switches became used as early types of automatic telephone systems. Known for their huge panel like structure, panel switches are basically very tall strips of layered terminals that are separated by a fine layer of insulation between them. First installed in 1915, the panel switch became the go to method for phone terminals.

That is, however, just one type of panel switch. The second type is far more common and known to almost everyone. Common panel switches are the ones we see on our walls. Most of the switches in our homes are arranged in a panel arrangement. It is basically a plastic panel fitted in the wall with multiple switches embedded in it. This makes it easier for people to switch multiple appliances off or on since the switches are arranged together in the same place.

Line Switch

Much like common panel switches, line switches are very popular as well. In fact, they are perhaps the go to switches to attach to smaller electric appliances. Lamps especially almost always line switches. Line switches carry a relatively smaller load than panel switches and are used for electrical appliances you do not commonly use. An analogy can be drawn with toys that have their own specific switch for use whenever it needs to be used.

In that manner, line switches are commonly used for appliances that are rarely turned on. Lamps, decoration pieces, fountain lights, and disco lights are all common appliances that have line switches attached. Line switches are fairly simple and can be fixed or attached by anyone who has an idea about how to. However, panel switches are often very complex since they are attached to wires from all around a room, or even the entire house! This makes them too difficult for common people to understand, and they cannot find and fix faults on their own. Therefore, whenever there’s a fault with a panel switch it is important to hire a professional for repair or replacement.  You can purchase a new one or a refurbished switch, both will have gone through rigorous testing before making it to you the consumer.

Contact Us Today

Learn more about J & P Electrical Company and their vast line of new, surplus, and refurbished industrial electrical components including: circuit breakers, bus ducts, bus plugs, disconnects, fuses, panel switches, tap boxes, and transformers at www.jpelectricalcompany.com.  To contact one of our product reconditioning specialists, call 877.844.5514 today.