

Otherwise, you might damage your house and cause an electrical fire. You should call a professional electrician. Changing the breaker on your own is not a good idea, as it may damage your house. In such a case, you should not swap the dedicated circuit breakers.įirst of all, you need to understand the electrical circuits of your home.

In some cases, you may experience continuous tripping. However, it is important to know that this method can cause various electrical problems. It is possible to replace your existing breaker with a new one of the same or greater rated capacity. Can I switch out a 15 amp breaker to a 20? A qualified electrician can help you troubleshoot this issue and replace the breaker with a better one. A common reason for a tripped circuit breaker is outdated or faulty wiring. Using a voltage tester, check for voltage across the hot and cold wires of the new breaker.īefore you start replacing your circuit breaker, you should first determine why it is tripping. Ensure that you do not touch anything in the circuit breaker box when removing the old one. Once you have separated the two halves, slide the old panel out of the way and pull the wires out of the box. Start by unscrewing the old breaker and pulling it away from the wall. Make sure that you have an alternative light source nearby while you are working.
#Replacing a 15 amp breaker with a 20 amp install
Next, you should install the new 20-Amp breaker.īefore changing the circuit breaker, turn off the main power. The first step is to remove the 15-amp breaker from the circuit.

Fortunately, the process is relatively simple and only requires a few basic tools. This is possible if you are having trouble installing a new 15-amp outlet or you want to upgrade your circuit breaker to accommodate a larger load. Sometimes you may want to change a 15-amp breaker to a 20-amp breaker in your home.
#Replacing a 15 amp breaker with a 20 amp how to
How To Change A 15 Amp Breaker To A 20 Ampįor 12 gauge wire only.
