How to Wire a Circuit Breaker Panel

A circuit breaker panel performs a very important function in a home. It effectively replaces the old fuse systems and flipping the beaker back after it blows is much simpler and easier than replacing a fuse. Installing a circuit breaker panel is one of those jobs that can seem challenging but even those without extensive electrical knowledge will find it quite simple.

Step 1 - Putting Up the Panel

Make sure the electricity is turned off at the mains before you begin the job. To start, you need to feed wire into the circuit breaker panel. To do this, use a screwdriver and hammer to remove the knockout in the panel so the feeder pipe of wires can be attached.

Use a lock nut to keep the pipe in place when you’ve fed the wires through the knockout. In the event that the pipe is made of metal, you’ll need to pass a plastic bushing over the threads for additional safety. Set the panel against the wall. Level it and attach to the studs in the wall with screws through the holes in the back of the circuit breaker panel.

Step 2 - Feeder Wires

Use a fish tape to pull the electrical feeder wires through the pipe and into the circuit breaker panel. Make sure you pull ample wire through. You’ll start by attaching the black wires to the main breaker. It will be much easier if you bend the wires first to the required shape and just strip the tips of the wires. This way, no more bare wire than are absolutely necessary are exposed. Attach them to the lugs on the main terminal.

Now, take the neutral wire. This will be attached to the neutral bus bar. You’ll find the bar on each side of the breakers. It’s a bar that's silver in color and has a number of small screws on it. The neutral bus will also have a hole which is the feeder hole for the feeder neutral wire. Feed the neutral wire through the hole, strip the very end and attach to the screw on the neutral bus.

Step 3 - Branch Circuit Wires

With the electrical feeder wires installed in the circuit breaker panel, you’re ready to put in the branch circuit wires. To do this, use the fish tape again to pull the wires into the panel. You might be using NM wires. In this case, you’ll need to use NM connectors on the panel and secure them with the screws on the straps. After that, you’ll have to strip the insulation around the wires to expose the conductors.

With regular wire, connect the green or bare wires to the ground buss bar followed by the white (neutral) wire on the neutral buss. Finish by taking the feeds to the individual circuit breakers. The black and red wires are the live feeds. Connect them to the terminals on the breaker, always making sure you’re using the correctly rated breaker for the appropriately sized wire.