An electrical panel safely sends the electricity received from the grid to all the circuits in residential and commercial buildings. One of its roles is to protect the electrical system in case of an overload or short circuit. An electrical panel has several components that maintain its performance.
1. Main Breaker
The main breaker is a large circuit breaker located at the top of the electrical panel that handles your home’s electricity load. Because of its role, a main breaker has the largest amperage rating among all circuit breakers. If it trips, the power supply to your entire home or commercial building will turn off. Two key factors can make a main breaker trip. One is when an individual circuit breaker fails to trip. The second is a power surge from the grid.
2. Circuit Breakers
A circuit breaker is an individual switch connected to a specific circuit. Each has an amperage limit and trips when the current passing through it surpasses this limit. A circuit breaker protects devices and the electrical panel by stopping current from flowing.
3. Relays
Relays are smaller switches that open and close circuits so devices that require low electricity can turn on and off. Examples of these devices are pumps, lights, and fans. A relay, depending on its voltage and amperage rating, can trip to prevent damage to devices it sends electricity to.
4. Contactors
Contactors are somewhat similar to relays. The only difference is that they are larger and designed for advanced roles, such as processing heating systems and precisely controlling motors. Also known as motor starters, contactors start motors at full speed. Additionally, contactors have overload relays, which help them keep situations under control both when the motor starts and when it operates.
5. Transformer
A transformer is a passive component that sends energy to devices connected to the control panel. However, a transformer cannot directly connect to the power supply. It is also worth noting that this component has primary and secondary coil windings that transfer electrical energy. Its role is to decrease AC voltage from the grid and ensure each device and circuit receives the appropriate voltage.
Other key components of an electrical panel are busbars, conductors that transfer electricity from a main breaker to circuit breakers, and an enclosure, a metal box that holds the electrical panel.
Reliable Local Expertise
For an electrical panel to perform at an optimal level, it has to be well-maintained and adequately sized. If you notice frequent breaker trips in your home or business, it might be time to upgrade your electrical panel to handle the load. Contact Fisher Electric today for professional electrical panel repair or replacement in Santa Cruz, CA.
