A 240-volt service powers heavy-duty appliances like ovens, air conditioners, water heaters and electric dryers. If something goes wrong in that panel, it may cause those systems to fail, damage the ...

Churning with voltage and resembling an explosion at the wire factory, the breaker panel exudes mystique. But it's just a big switch, filled with other smaller ­switches, which lead to the switches ...

Q: Several weeks ago, I read your column about installing electrical wiring. I’m curious about circuit breakers. What is the primary purpose of circuit breakers? Are there different types of breakers?

My introduction to circuit protection came at the tender age of eight. Being a curious lad with an inventive – and apparently self-destructive – bent, I decided to make my mother a lamp. I put a hose ...