The circuit breaker is an absolutely essential device in the modern world, and one of the most important

safety mechanisms in your home. Whenever electrical wiring in a building has too much current flowing
through it, these simple machines cut the power until somebody can fix the problem. Without circuit
breakers (or the alternative, fuses), household electricity would be impractical because of the potential for
fires and other mayhem resulting from simple wiring problems and equipment failures.

In this article, we'll find out how circuit breakers and fuses monitor electrical current and how they cut off
the power when current levels get too high. As we'll see, the circuit breaker is an incredibly simple
solution to a potentially deadly problem.

To understand circuit breakers, it helps to know how household electricity works.

Electricity is defined by three major attributes:

Voltage
Current
Resistance

Voltage is the "pressure" that makes an electric charge move.Current is the charge's "flow" -- the rate at
which the charge moves through the conductor, measured at any particular point. The conductor offers a
certain amount ofresistance to this flow, which varies depending on the conductor's composition and
size.

Voltage, current and resistance are all interrelated -- you can't change one without changing another.
Current is equal to voltage divided by resistance (commonly written as I = v / r). This makes intuitive
sense: If you increase the pressure working on electric charge or decrease the resistance, more charge
will flow. If you decrease pressure or increase resistance, less charge will flow.

Protective Relays
Protective Relays provide you with unique microprocessor-based devices that eliminate unnecessary trips, isolate faults,
protect motors and breakers, and provide system information to help you better manage your system. The URTD-II
Universal RTD Module can be used with the MP-3000, MP-4000, FP-6000, and ETR-4000. The IQ DC Power Supply can be
used with the MP-3000 and MP-4000.
Fuse, Electric, a protective device for breaking an electric circuit. A fuse consists essentially of a metal
strip or wire that melts at a lower temperature than the wire and other components in the rest of the
circuit. The fuse is connected in series with the source of electric power. When the current flowing in the
circuit becomes too strong, it heats the fuse so that it melts, breaking the circuit.

Household fuses are rated according to the amount of current they are designed to carry before blowing
(melting). The most common causes for blown fuses in the home are (1) short circuits and (2) the
operation of too many appliances at one time on the same circuit. Fuses have been largely replaced in
many applications by circuit breakers.
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