How to Add 15 Amp Circuit Breaker
- 1). Turn off all power entering the breaker box. A home's breaker box will be arranged with several sub-panels connected to a main breaker. Turn off all breakers in the sub-panels and then disengage the main breaker to remove all power from the box. Remove the cover from the breaker box. Since this will temporarily shut down all power to your home, a good battery powered lamp is essential for visibility while working.
- 2). Route the cabling from your new circuit to the location of the breaker box. Always use No. 14 gauge wiring at a minimum when installing a 15 amp breaker. Break open one of the knock-outs on the top of the breaker box and seat a cable clamp into it. Thread the cabling from the circuit into the box and secure with the clamp.
- 3). Strip the outer sheath from the cable to reveal the three inner wires. There should be a bare ground wire, a white neutral line, and a black hot wire.
- 4). Route the ground wire to the ground bus bar. This will be a series of similar bare ground wires connected with screws to a metal bar. Place the end of the wire under a free screw and tighten it firmly.
- 5). Connect the neutral line in the same fashion as the ground. Route the wire to the neutral bus bar, strip off about a 1/4-inch of insulation, and tighten it firmly under one of the holding screws.
- 6). Strip the end of the hot wire and insert into the connection terminal on the breaker. This is a metal clamp with a screw to secure it. Make sure the wire is seated correctly and that the screw is tightened firmly.
- 7). Seat the breaker into the panel by first snapping it to the outer plastic retaining bar and then pushing it firmly onto the hot bus bar.
- 8). Restore power to your breaker box by first engaging the main breaker and then turning on the breakers in the sub-panels.
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