The electrical system in your home isn’t just a bunch of wires. It’s considered a complex system that was designed carefully to give you all the power for your modern lifestyle in a safe way. Knowing how it works can ensure that you’re an empowered homeowner that understands the basics and the reasoning for hiring professionals as needed, such as Instinct.
Components
Your electrical system has a line from the pole and a metre where your usage is tallied. There is also the main circuit breaker, sometimes called a fuse panel or load centre, as well as separate wires and circuits to each room and all outlets in the home.
The Metre
While the main line usually comes from a pole, it can be buried into the ground and will connect to the metre near your home. They may be installed directly onto the home or placed onto a smaller post in the ground. Utility workers will come to the home and read the metre periodically. They are usually mechanical with a mechanical display and spinning wheel, though some newer models are digital and use an LCD screen. It is designed to determine how much electricity you use in your home.
Main Breakers
In most cases, the main breaker is installed inside the home, usually in a back room near to the metre. However, some are weather-proofed and can be placed outside. Anytime you use electricity, it leaves the main supply line from the pole as well as the metre. It then enters the home and arrives at your main breaker panel.
The amount of energy you can use is dictated by your main breaker, which is a switch that is automatically set to turn off if you use too much, reducing your risk of electrocution or fire.
