Circuit Breakers Vs Fuse Box (New Vs Old & Differences Between Both)

Sometimes people use the wrong names for things related to electricity, like calling a new circuit breaker a fuse box. But are they really the same? No, they’re not!

In homes, there are two kinds of things that help with electricity – fuse boxes and circuit breakers. Let’s look at the differences between them.

What’s a Circuit Breaker?

Imagine a special switch that can stop electricity when something goes wrong. This switch has two parts: a switch part and a trip part.

The switch is like a boss that controls the electricity flow. The trip is like a detective that watches if there’s too much electricity or a problem. If there is, it tells the boss to turn off the electricity.

Most modern houses have these switches to keep us safe.

What’s a Fuse Box?

Think of a box that holds tiny guards called fuses. These guards stop too much electricity from causing trouble. When there’s a lot of electricity, a fuse breaks a special wire and stops the electricity.

You might have heard people say “blown a fuse” when things stop working. It’s like the guard did its job, but it can’t work again unless we replace it.

These boxes are more common in older houses.

How They Work:

Both circuit breakers and fuse boxes help stop too much electricity.

Circuit breakers are like switches that turn off the power when there’s a problem. After fixing things, we can turn the power back on.

Fuse boxes have guards (fuses) that break when there’s too much electricity. But we need new guards (fuses) to make things work again.

The Big Difference:

The main difference is what happens after they stop the electricity.

With a circuit breaker, we can turn the power back on after fixing things. With a fuse box, we need new guards (fuses) before things will work again.

Also, newer homes usually have circuit breakers, while older homes often have fuse boxes.

Changing from Fuse Box to Circuit Breaker:

Sometimes it’s smart to switch from a fuse box to a circuit breaker, especially if we want to make big changes at home.

It’s like trading in an old car for a new and better one. Circuit breakers can be turned on again, but fuses must be replaced. They’re also better at stopping bad things from happening.

If we want to change to a circuit breaker, it’s best to ask an electrician for help. They know how to do it safely.

In Simple Words:

Circuit breakers and fuse boxes help keep our homes safe from too much electricity. Circuit breakers can be used again, but fuses must be replaced. Newer homes usually have circuit breakers, and older homes have fuse boxes. If we want to change, we ask an electrician for help.