A cutler hammer breaker circuit breaker or circuit breaker (collectively, circuit breakers ) is an automatic switch to protect electrical circuits, electric motors, household connections, long-range power lines, and other electrical circuits, from damage caused by the passage of very high current. A high electric current may pass in the electrical circuit, either as a result of a circuit malfunction or as a result of an additional external factor such as lightning.

Each circuit breaker is designed to allow a maximum amount of electric current to pass through. If the current exceeds this limit, the automatic mechanism inside the circuit breaker opens the contact group (switches) and stops the current. The mechanisms used to open the contact group include electromagnets and heat-sensitive devices.

When the switch is opened, an electric arc jumps across the open contacts. Electricity continues to pass through this arc until it is extinguished. As for the oil circuit breaker, the switch is immersed in oil and extinguishes the electric arc. For a pneumatic thrust circuit breaker, the arc is extinguished by blowing compressed air. As for the magnetically suppressed arc circuit breaker, this is done by deflection of the magnetic field and breaking the arc.

You can use Eaton 15 amp single pole arc fault breaker.

A circuit breaker, called a leaky ground circuit breaker, helps prevent electric shock. Most electric shocks occur as a result of people using certain connections or equipment, where exposed metal parts are connected to electricity. Touching exposed metal results in an electric current passing through a person's body, and then to the ground. The ground leakage circuit breaker can identify this earth leakage current and automatically shut off the current to the faulty connection. The earth leakage circuit breaker is a sensitive device designed to work with currents too weak to activate a normal circuit breaker.

Some circuit breakers are small in size, like a regular light switch, but others are large, about the size of a small two-story house. A large circuit breaker can cut currents of up to 100,000 amperes at 345,000 volts, and it can also open the circuit in less than one thirty milliseconds, and close it again in less than a third of a millisecond.