Circuit Breakers. A circuit breaker is a device that automatically breaks an electrical circuit whenever the circuit becomes overloaded or an unintentional short circuit occurs.

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Circuit Breakers

What is circuit breaker?

A circuit breaker is a device that automatically breaks an electrical circuit whenever the circuit becomes overloaded or an unintentional short circuit occurs.  Circuit breakers have a set electric current load capacity which when breached results to automatic circuit shutdown.

Overloading occurs whenever the wires comprising an electrical circuit are forced to carry and conduct an electric charge beyond their capacity. Whenever this happens, the wires heat up. This may result in insulation breakdown (in which a short circuit may occur) or an electrical fire.

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An unintentional short circuit occurs when electricity traverses a path that is different from what has been intended. This usually happens when the insulating material or layer between two conductive materials breaks down or when a conductive material is directly introduced between these two conductive materials. This results in an unintended direct flow of charge from one node to another. This may result in overheating, circuit damage, explosion, and even fire. Circuit breakers are therefore protection against the consequences of wire overloading and accidental short circuiting.

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What advantages does a circuit breaker have over the fuse?

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