In this video, This Old House master electrician Heath Eastman shows host Kevin O’Connor how to identify breakers using his favorite tools and techniques, and some helpful tips for labeling the individual circuits.

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Master electrician Heath Eastman shows host Kevin O’Connor how to label a breaker panel. Heath shows Kevin some of the tools he uses to find and identify breakers, as well as his label maker. But, Heath says when individually printed labels aren’t possible due to space constraints, a printable template that can be sized for any space and printed on adhesive paper does the trick.

Labeling Breakers is Important
When it comes to setting up an electrical breaker box, labels are important. Understanding which breakers control which receptacles improves safety when working on electrical circuits or when troubleshooting electrical issues. Plus, an unorganized electrical panel looks sloppy, of which Heath is not a fan.

How To Find Breakers
There are a few ways to find breakers and the receptacles they control.
Two-Person Method: The two-person method involves one person at the panel and one person in the field, preferably using radios or phones to communicate. As the person at the panel shuts breakers down, the person in the field reports which devices shut off. This method can be the quickest, as they can quickly move from breaker to breaker or device to device.
Circuit Detector: If you don’t have a second person available, a circuit detector can help. These devices work by plugging into an outlet or light socket and sending a signal through the wires. Back at the panel, the electrician uses the signal detector to identify which breaker controls the receptacle. The breakers must be off for this to work properly.

How To Label Breakers
Labeling the individual breakers is just as important as identifying them. Heath suggests using a label maker when possible, creating self-adhesive labels that can stick to the panel and make the individual circuits.

However, when that’s not possible, Heath’s suggestion is to find a breaker identification template online. These templates can be adjusted to fit any space, allowing users to stick them above the breakers, below, or even on the door (as long as they don’t hide the panel's identification label). Heath suggests having these labels printed on adhesive-backed paper and adhering them to the panel.

Where to find it?
Heath walks Kevin O’Connor through a couple of techniques to identify what electrical outlets are connected to which breakers.

To better organize an electrical panel, Heath recommends using a label maker [https://homedepot.sjv.io/Pydg46] to create clean looking labels with adhesive backing.

If space is an issue and your panel can’t accommodate larger labels, use a label template [https://homedepot.sjv.io/3e0aov] that can be easily resized to fit neatly. Panel label templates [https://homedepot.sjv.io/AWMQnR] can be found online and printed off with adhesive paper.

Use a circuit breaker finder [https://homedepot.sjv.io/OrdZOA] to accurately identify which breakers are connected to what receptacle without having to interrupt service.

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From the makers of This Old House, America’s first and most trusted home improvement show, Ask This Old House answers the steady stream of home improvement questions asked by viewers across the United States. Covering topics from landscaping to electrical to HVAC and plumbing to painting and more. Ask This Old House features the experts from This Old House, including general contractor Tom Silva, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, landscape contractor Jenn Nawada, master carpenter Norm Abram, and host Kevin O’Connor. ASK This Old House helps you protect and preserve your greatest investment—your home.

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How to Label a Circuit Breaker | Ask This Old House
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