How To ID Your Breakers
#1
11-26-15, 09:45 AM
How To ID Your Breakers
I find the panels mis-marked many times
Agreed! I find they are just for show most of the time
Last edited by sgull; 11-26-15 at 11:03 AM.
#2
11-26-15, 10:52 AM
I use a label maker. When I built my first house, I also identified all the circuits and marked the inside of the receptacle and switch covers with the breaker number that controlled it. Not fail safe, but it worked for the time I had the house without modifications. In my present house, I have a computer generated legend of the breaker numbers and their purposes taped to the door, along with number stickers for the generator/generac switch circuits.
#3
11-26-15, 11:04 AM
Group Moderator
Well.... you know what it takes to re-label the panel. It's up to you how it's done but every breaker needs to be shut off one at a time. You can get a Fox and Hound AC tester where you can plug in a transmitter at a receptacle and then find the correct breaker at the panel. You would do that for EVERY receptacle.
I couldn't imagine the amount of time this will take.
There are no miracle shortcuts here.
At this time you may have to leave things as they are.
I couldn't imagine the amount of time this will take.
There are no miracle shortcuts here.
At this time you may have to leave things as they are.
#4
11-26-15, 11:11 AM
I like all those ideas, label maker, and computer-generated legend as described by chandler. Not sure what was meant by generator/genarac though. But mostly what I am asking about it is in regard to efficient (if any) and effective sensible method of actually identifying the circuits, using a "tracing" method I suppose, pre-labeling.
edit: Right during my post above, PJmax posted too (post #3) which seems to address my inquiry pretty good.
edit: Right during my post above, PJmax posted too (post #3) which seems to address my inquiry pretty good.
#5
11-26-15, 11:19 AM
It's up to you how it's done but every breaker needs to be shut off one at a time. You can get a Fox and Hound AC tester where you can plug in a transmitter at a receptacle and then find the correct breaker at the panel. You would do that for EVERY receptacle. I couldn't imagine the amount of time this will take.
#8
11-27-15, 05:42 AM
Member
Spreadsheet
As Larry suggested, I use an Excel spreadsheet which gives leeway as to how much info can be posted about each breaker by changing the font size in each cell.
#9
11-27-15, 07:56 AM
Forum Topic Moderator
The breaker finder can tell you what breaker serves an area. If you turn off that breaker you can then check to see what else goes off so you do not need to check every receptacle.
#10
11-27-15, 08:37 AM
You can get a Fox and Hound AC tester where you can plug in a transmitter at a receptacle and then find the correct breaker at the panel.
I think I'd want a setup more like this one to do the job. but it's spendy: https://www.tasco-usa.com/products/c...FY9ufgodyMsEbQ
The breaker finder can tell you what breaker serves an area. If you turn off that breaker you can then check to see what else goes off so you do not need to check every receptacle.
As Larry suggested, I use an Excel spreadsheet which gives leeway as to how much info can be posted about each breaker by changing the font size in each cell.
Now I just need about 1000 bucks for that spendy circuit tracer... then good to go!
There are no miracle shortcuts here.
At this time you may have to leave things as they are.
At this time you may have to leave things as they are.
#11
11-27-15, 09:04 AM
Forum Topic Moderator
Here is an example of a breaker finder.
Klein Tools Digital Circuit Breaker Finder-ET300 - The Home Depot
http://www.amazon.com/61-534-Digital.../dp/B000LEBRNE
You plug in the transmitter and scan the breakers until you get a tone.
Klein Tools Digital Circuit Breaker Finder-ET300 - The Home Depot
http://www.amazon.com/61-534-Digital.../dp/B000LEBRNE
You plug in the transmitter and scan the breakers until you get a tone.
#12
11-27-15, 09:31 AM
Ok pcboss I see. Well those kind are apparently fine (and reasonably affordable) for tracing between just a receptacle and its corresponding breaker. But what about cases where you might be wanting to trace between a wall switch and its corresponding breaker.
#13
11-27-15, 10:06 AM
But what about cases where you might be wanting to trace between a wall switch and its corresponding breaker.
#14
11-27-15, 10:43 AM
What about say the circuit to something like a furnace (which typically also would have a wall switch). And what about lights such as fluorescent tube type?
#15
11-27-15, 11:09 AM
like a furnace (which typically also would have a wall switch). And what about lights such as fluorescent tube type?
Once you find all the 120 volt breakers the 240 should be much easier because there will usually be only one device per circuit. You can even use the old sheet and check if it is correct on individual 240 volt equipment.
#16
11-27-15, 11:29 AM
Okay great, an alligator clip adapter such as that. Good, it seems I should be able to manage fine and be all set then with that, a plug converter as shown on the previous post, and one of the those affordable tools such as the type(s) pcboss linked in post #11. Thanks!
#17
11-27-15, 12:57 PM
Member
Labeling on the inside of the switch/plug covering plates can easily be misleading if the plates get swapped during future work. Because of this a tester should always be used before working/tampering.
Dick
Dick
#18
11-27-15, 01:39 PM
Yeah I suppose best safe practice would be to utilize labeling on switch/plug covering plates (and for that matter written or printed legends/schedule labeling at the panel) as only general initial reference, certainly not to be relied upon, prior to always using a tester before working/tampering.
#19
11-27-15, 04:32 PM
I don't like the word tester. A non contact tester could give a false positive even with the breaker off. You need to use a multimeter or neon tester or a solenoid tester (AKA Wiggins - Wiggy).
#20
11-27-15, 05:07 PM
Ray I get the impression that you absolutely "detest" non contact testers (pun intended, haha). Okay okay then I'll ditch my cheapo little red pocket-pen type non contact tester. And maybe think about getting a Wiggy type something like this: http://www.amazon.com/Ideal-61-065-V.../dp/B000BVNSLG ?
I do happen to also have a 20-dollar multimeter already (but I need to take the time to learn how to use it properly as a device to detect live/hot circuitry... ).
I do happen to also have a 20-dollar multimeter already (but I need to take the time to learn how to use it properly as a device to detect live/hot circuitry... ).
#21
11-27-15, 06:07 PM
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Wet side of Washington state.
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I probably have at least a half-dozen non-contact testers but I rarely use them. I know I have at least two, possibly three, solenoid type testers and one is kept on the top of the circuit breaker panel. I usually recommend a solenoid type tester for DIY work. And yeah, I have several digital multimeters as well, two of them are Flukes and one is a Simpson model 360. Also two clamp-on ammeters as well as a couple of amp-clamp adapters for the multimeters.
For general testing on AC circuits I prefer the solenoid tester. I've mostly been using my Amprobe AC/DC clamp meter with the electric lawn mower project.
For general testing on AC circuits I prefer the solenoid tester. I've mostly been using my Amprobe AC/DC clamp meter with the electric lawn mower project.
#22
11-27-15, 06:09 PM
Non Contact tester are good for a quick test the circuit is dead but not if it is live. We have had threads here tens of posts long we couldn't resolve until we found out the circuit the member said was live really wasn't. It just seemed to be when a non contact tester was used.
#23
11-27-15, 06:44 PM
Non Contact tester are good for a quick test the circuit is dead but not if it is live.
So I might be able to rely on the non contact tester to tell me a circuit is dead if somehow I already strongly suspected it was dead? I'm confused now. The non contact tester can serve a useful purpose then, sometimes... ? Getting off topic. again.
#24
11-27-15, 06:47 PM
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Wet side of Washington state.
Posts: 16,321
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Ray, I have personal experience with that. I have one receptacle box in my "project" room that has two circuits in it. I wanted to install a better receptacle or something and turned off the circuit breaker for that receptacle and then used a non-contact tester that beeped loudly. I KNEW my panel schedule was correct and I DID trip the proper breaker but that darn pen would still beep whenever I got within a few inches of the box. I finally used the solenoid tester, or perhaps one of my multimeters, and found that the circuit I was working on was indeed dead.
I don't think I have used a non-contact tester since.
I don't think I have used a non-contact tester since.
#26
11-27-15, 07:43 PM
Precisely!
The same goes for why we say a cheap analog multimeter not a digital multimeter. A cheap digital is too high impedance to cancel out capacitive or induced voltage so readings may be misleading unless you are experience enough to know when to ignore the reading. There are actually digital multimeters that have special circuits for reading AC but they are expensive. If you want to do some reading much of the article at http://support.fluke.com/find-sales/...105317_A_w.pdf also applies to why non contact testers can be unreliable.
The same goes for why we say a cheap analog multimeter not a digital multimeter. A cheap digital is too high impedance to cancel out capacitive or induced voltage so readings may be misleading unless you are experience enough to know when to ignore the reading. There are actually digital multimeters that have special circuits for reading AC but they are expensive. If you want to do some reading much of the article at http://support.fluke.com/find-sales/...105317_A_w.pdf also applies to why non contact testers can be unreliable.
#27
11-27-15, 09:15 PM
Guess for now I should ditch my cheap digital multimeter and get a cheap analog one instead. Then maybe ask Santa for one of these: Fluke 12 Digital Multimeter
