- 1). Place a rubber mat on dry ground below the home's breaker box. Make sure the breaker box area is adequately lit using a battery operated light. Standing on the mat, open the breaker box's front cover and locate the existing fuse/circuit breaker that will be replaced. Be sure that the new breaker is the same amperage as the breaker being replaced.
- 2). Turn off the power to the box's main breaker. Turn off all individual breakers. Loosen the screws holding the box's inner cover in place, and pull out the cover. Look for the main power wires entering the box: These wires are still live, as well as the lugs they connect to. Do not touch them at any time.
- 3). Loosen the terminal screw marked "load" on the existing breaker, using a screwdriver with insulated handle. Pull out the black or red wire. Pull out the existing breaker by pushing its front towards the edge of the box -- this will disengage the breaker from the bus bar it snaps on to, located under the breaker -- do not touch this bus bar as it may still be live.
- 4). Turn the switch on the new circuit breaker to off. Install the new breaker in place by pushing it onto the bus bar at and angle and then pushing it downwards so that it lines up with the other breakers. Reattach the wire from the old breaker to the new breaker's terminal marked "line power." Tighten the terminal screw to the wire.
- 5). Follow the black/red wire to the point where it enters the box. Follow the white wire from the same cable to the terminal screw holding it to the neutral bar. Loosen the terminal screw and remove the white wire. Attach this white wire to terminal screw on the new circuit breaker marked "load neutral." Tighten the screw to the wire. Attach the bare end of the coiled wire coming from the new circuit breaker to the terminal screw on the neutral bar. Tighten the screw to the wire.
- 6). Replace the breaker box's inner cover and tighten its screws to hold it in place. Turn on the breaker box's main switch, then turn on each individual breaker. Close the box's outer cover.
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