An Electrical Panel is a box that contains all the components needed to control a circuit. Typically, a panel has multiple switches that can be turned off and on to control power to different areas of a building. There are also circuit breakers that can be used to protect equipment from overloads and other hazards. In most cases, a person will need to be a licensed electrician to handle an electrical panel. A panel should be kept in a well-protected enclosure that will offer safety against impact, vibration, heat, dust, liquids and corrosive chemicals.
There is generally one main breaker in each panel that controls all the other breakers in it. The thick black service wires that carry electricity into a home pass through a utility transformer, those tall towers that often disturb homeowners’ views out their windows, before reaching the meter and the breaker panel in your house. The voltage that started its journey at a power plant may be reduced to 120V or 240V by the time it’s in your home.
There are often several types of switches in a typical residential electrical panel, including single-pole breakers that provide 120 volts. There are also two-pole breaker panels that can be switched to either provide 120V or 240V to the entire panel, and there may be additional breakers on the right side of the phase busbars for larger circuits. It’s a good idea to label each switch in the panel as soon as you move into a house. This will make it easier for you to figure out which breaker switch controls the outlet in your bedroom or kitchen outlet. Electrical Panel