How to Reset a Circuit Breaker Safely

Step by step

1. Turn off or unplug lights and appliances in the area that lost power.
2. Go to your electrical panel. Make sure the floor and your hands are dry.
3. Open the panel door only. Don't remove the inner metal cover or any screws.
4. Find the tripped breaker. It will sit in the middle position or at OFF, out of line with the others.
5. Push the handle firmly all the way to OFF. That resets the mechanism inside.
6. Push it back to ON.
7. Turn things back on one at a time. If the breaker trips again, stop and call an electrician.

How do I open a breaker box safely?

Open only the hinged door on the front of the panel. That gives you access to every breaker handle. The inner metal cover, called the dead front, should stay on. Behind it are the bus bars and the service wires from the utility, and EC&M notes those incoming wires stay energized even when the main breaker is off.

If the panel door is hot, wet, or rusted shut, or you smell burning, don't open it. Call an electrician, and call 911 if you see smoke.

What does a tripped breaker look like?

Breakers have three positions: ON, OFF, and tripped. Family Handyman and ESFI both note that a tripped breaker usually sits in the middle position, between ON and OFF, though some flip fully to OFF. If your panel isn't labeled, look for the one handle that isn't lined up with the rest. While the power is back on, it's a good time to label your circuits.

How do I reset a GFCI outlet?

If outlets in a kitchen, bathroom, garage, or outdoors are dead but no breaker has tripped, look for a GFCI outlet with TEST and RESET buttons. One GFCI can protect other outlets downstream on the same circuit, so it may be in another room or the garage. Press RESET firmly. If it won't reset or trips again right away, there may be moisture or a ground fault on that circuit. ESFI recommends testing GFCIs monthly.

What if the breaker won't reset?

Family Handyman notes that a breaker that won't stay on can mean a short circuit, a ground fault, an overload, or a failed breaker. Unplug everything on the circuit and try once more. If it still won't hold, or it trips the instant you push it to ON, leave it OFF and call an electrician. Don't hold the handle on, tape it, or swap in a larger breaker.

Can I replace a circuit breaker myself?

It's not a safe DIY job. Replacing a breaker means removing the dead front, and the conductors from the utility stay energized even with the main breaker off. The new breaker must also be approved for your panel; InterNACHI warns that other-brand breakers that merely fit the bus aren't an approved or safe repair.

Wire size matters too. A breaker larger than the wire's rating can let the wire overheat before it trips. CSLB rules say anyone you hire for work that needs a permit must be licensed. Call (916) 712-7030 to be connected with an independent local electrician.

How does a circuit breaker work?

Inside a standard breaker is a metal strip that heats up as current flows through it. ESFI explains that when a circuit is overloaded or shorted, the strip bends enough to trip a switch and cut power. GFCI breakers add a sensor that trips when current leaks to ground, and AFCI breakers trip when they detect arcing. That's why a breaker, unlike a fuse, can be reset and reused after the problem is fixed.

Frequently asked questions

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