Can a home have a subpanel as well as a main panel?

Yes, a home can have a subpanel supplied by its main panel. A subpanel distributes power to circuits in another area, such as a garage.

What does an open breaker position mean?

An open breaker position is a space in the panel that may accept a breaker. Its presence alone doesn't establish whether the panel can support another circuit.

What does a tripped breaker look like?

A tripped breaker may have a handle between its on and off positions. Some breaker designs also have an indicator that shows the breaker has tripped.

Glossary

What Is a Breaker Panel?

A breaker panel is an electrical enclosure that directs power to circuits throughout a building. It holds circuit breakers that shut off power to a circuit when they detect certain electrical problems. The panel also provides a central place to identify and control the circuits serving your home.

Quick Facts About Breaker Panel

Category: Electrical distribution equipment
Used for: Directing power to building circuits
Common confusion: The panel is not an individual breaker
Also called: Circuit Breaker Panel, Electrical Panel
Often discussed with: Electrical Panel Upgrade, Electrical Panel Repair

Key Takeaways About Breaker Panel

A panel houses breakers, while a breaker protects a circuit.
Circuit labels help identify the areas each breaker serves.
A fuse box uses fuses, not circuit breakers.

How Breaker Panel Works

A worker adjusts circuit breakers inside an open electrical panel with a screwdriver

A breaker panel receives incoming power and sends it through metal conductors called bus bars. Breakers connect to these conductors and feed the wiring for separate circuits. Each circuit may serve an area of your home or a particular appliance.

Related glossary terms: Bus Bar, Circuit Breaker, Electrical Load.

A circuit breaker opens its circuit when excess current flows through it. Excess current can result from an overload or a short circuit. Some breakers also detect other electrical faults, depending on their design.

The panel's circuit directory identifies what each breaker serves. A clear directory helps you understand how power is divided throughout the building. The main disconnect may be at the panel or elsewhere, depending on the electrical system.

Two men inspect an open electrical breaker panel in a basement-like room

From the Chris Miller Electric team

When we plan an electrical panel upgrade, we check the existing wiring and the home's electrical load. We also look at the space around the panel and the path for incoming service wires. Those details shape how the replacement panel fits the home.

Breaker Panel in Practice: A Real-World Example

A Fort Wayne homeowner wants an electrical panel upgrade before adding an EV charger. The electrician checks the home's electrical load and plans the panel replacement around the new circuit.