Panels and service
Breaker panel
A breaker panel, often called a breaker box, is the metal box that holds a home's circuit breakers and sends power out to each circuit.
Most people say breaker box. Trade terms for the same idea include electrical panel and load center. OSHA defines a panelboard as a panel that holds buses and automatic overcurrent devices, set in a cabinet in or against a wall and reached only from the front. Each circuit breaker inside protects one circuit.
Never take the cover off yourself, because live parts sit behind it. Repair, replacement and upgrades are work for a licensed electrician. See the guide to panels and service upgrades.
Related terms
Sources
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Call and tell us what is going on. A photo of the panel label or the problem helps us come prepared. Quotes on new installations are free.
