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Yes and no. This answer depends mostly on the path that lightning will take through your home when it hits. Probably the best way to explain this is that your electrical wiring in your home is like a big net, all interconnected by your electrical panel. When everything is connected the breakers can act as barriers to electrical surges, but they may not be totally effective as they usually need a fraction of a second to pop. Arc fault protected and ground fault protected breakers are faster and more sensitive so they will protect circuits better but they are not recommended for all of your appliances. The good news is that electricity takes the path of least resistance so once it hits your panel, if its grounded properly (and it should be), the electricity will go to your ground, away from the house. If the electricity hits a circuit of your house that is connected to your appliance, it may damage your appliance. The best thing is for your appliance to REMAIN connected to the panel so that the grounding can direct the path of the electricity away from your appliance. On the other hand, if it hits another part of the house and the appliance is isolated, it could protect it even more just by not being hooked to the net at the time. In the end, stay away from your panel during a storm. You will be safer and your insurance company will ask fewer questions. They may not cover your loss if you turned the breaker off and damage occurred.

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Q: Can you turn off an appliance at the breaker box to protect against lightning?
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Installing a 120volt appliance what breaker is needed at the electric box?

Need to know what the wattage or the amperage is of the appliance. The load amperage is what governs the wire size and the breaker to protect the circuit.


Can you use 70amp breaker for 40amp device?

The purpose of a circuit breaker in a panel is to protect the wiring and devices like switches, outlets and other devices that are part of that circuit. It isn't unusual to plug in an appliance into a circuit whose amperage rating is less than the breaker protection. If such an appliance doesn't have its own over-current protection it may well "fry" in an over current situation. However, if your 40 Amp device is directly connect to the 70 A circuit and has no over-current protection on its own you are risking a serious problem. If your 40 A device is on this dedicated circuit you should protect it with a properly sized breaker.


A small appliance circuit will be protected by a circuit breaker rated at?

Yes, it will be protected by a circuit breaker or fuse. The normal rating of the circuit breaker or fuse is 25% more than the maximum current expected, or the maximum current allowed for the cable size, whichever is lower.


When installing a circuit breaker do you size the breaker to correct wire size or the device its controlling?

When installing a circuit breaker, you size the breaker based on the wire size. The breaker should be matched to the ampacity of the wire to ensure proper protection against overloads and short circuits. The device being controlled by the breaker is not a determining factor in sizing the breaker.


What is the purpus of a circute breaker?

The purpose of a circuit breaker is to protect electrical circuits from short circuiting.

Related questions

Installing a 120volt appliance what breaker is needed at the electric box?

Need to know what the wattage or the amperage is of the appliance. The load amperage is what governs the wire size and the breaker to protect the circuit.


Is a circuit breaker a protective device?

yes when combined with a suitable protective relay


How does a circuit breaker help to protect against short circuits and circuit overloads?

See Related Link


Does lightning protect?

No lightning cant protect it only destroys.


Can you use 70amp breaker for 40amp device?

The purpose of a circuit breaker in a panel is to protect the wiring and devices like switches, outlets and other devices that are part of that circuit. It isn't unusual to plug in an appliance into a circuit whose amperage rating is less than the breaker protection. If such an appliance doesn't have its own over-current protection it may well "fry" in an over current situation. However, if your 40 Amp device is directly connect to the 70 A circuit and has no over-current protection on its own you are risking a serious problem. If your 40 A device is on this dedicated circuit you should protect it with a properly sized breaker.


What meaning mcb?

MCB, Miniature Circuit Breaker is electric switch which is used to protect against short circuits


Can you add a larger breaker to run a second appliance on a circuit?

No, absolutely not. The breaker is there to protect the wiring within that circuit from overheating and catching on fire. If you add a larger breaker and the wire stays the same the wire is no longer protected by the correct amp breaker. You could cause a fire. The breaker must match the size wire being used. Do this and you risk burning your home to the ground and possibly killing your family.


A small appliance circuit will be protected by a circuit breaker rated at?

Yes, it will be protected by a circuit breaker or fuse. The normal rating of the circuit breaker or fuse is 25% more than the maximum current expected, or the maximum current allowed for the cable size, whichever is lower.


How do fuses and circuit breaker protect your home against electrical fire?

because wires can get really hot and start a fire


When installing a circuit breaker do you size the breaker to correct wire size or the device its controlling?

When installing a circuit breaker, you size the breaker based on the wire size. The breaker should be matched to the ampacity of the wire to ensure proper protection against overloads and short circuits. The device being controlled by the breaker is not a determining factor in sizing the breaker.


What does landlord insurance protect against?

Landlord insurance can protect against disasters that would cost money for the landlords complex. These disasters can include fire, lightning, explosions, earthquakes, storms and floods. However, it varies between policies.


How do people protect themselves by lightning?

stay inside away from the lightning.