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A circuit breaker is a device that opens its contacts in order to open the circuit in case of current overload. A differential circuit breaker is a device that opens the circuit in case of leakage (current measured on the phase line is differentthan the current returned to neutral line); therefore protects users from electric shocks.

To more understand how it operates, consider the following:

Say that your electrical wall outlet is connected to a differential breaker. When plugging let's say a hair dryer to it, the current traveling on the phase line (going into the hair dryer and out to the neutral line of the wall outlet) equals but in reverse direction of the current returned to the neutral line, thus the difference is zero. Now let's say this hair dryer got faulty and fraction of the current coming from the outlet phase line travels through your body and return to earth (considering that you are not electrically isolated from the ground). Thus the current in neutral line is less than the current on phase line; at this moment the difference is not zero and breaker opens to protect you from getting electrocuted.

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