How Do I Test Circuit Breakers?

If a breaker in your home trips and won’t reset you will need to test your circuit breaker to see if it needs to be replaced. Before you perform the test you will need a digital multimeter and a screwdriver.

• Unplug or turn off all electrical appliances that are connected to the breaker being tested
• Flip the breaker back and forth
• If the breaker won’t stay “on” it should be replaced
• If it does stay in the on position then remove the breaker cover
• Touch your multimeter’s red lead to the screw that is attached to the breaker by a black wire
• Touch the black lead to the grounded box
• If there is no voltage reading, then the breaker is bad and needs to be replaced
• If there is a voltage reading, the wiring from the breaker may need to fixed or replaced