Arvin91

I have a bad breaker I'm changing out and I wanted to make sure, with the main breaker switch off everything in the box is dead right?

ohmy

If the main breaker is located in the same box. Then no, there will still be power in the panel feeding the top of the main breaker. If the main breaker is located outside then probably yes. Most electricians test for power even after during off a main breaker. We have all seen some oddball set-ups over the years.

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Arvin91

Then how do you safely replace a breaker if their is still juice in the box? Do you need the power company to kill the juice?

kok328

What ohmy is saying is that there is juice still feeding the main breaker but, no juice after the main breaker.
Most of the time I don't bother turning off the main breaker, as long as you don't touch any buss bar or other breaker lugs.

Jimbo13

Not really, I'd become Amish before I let some sleazy POS who's occupation is scamming old people in between the two-three trade jobs he can pick up a month skulk around my house.

I also preferred risking electrical shock than having to hear the sales pitch on the $300 dollars a hour that took me 15 minutes to change out the breaker myself.

BridgeMan

I'm no professional wire-twister, but I've managed to safely change out or install several dozen breakers in my adult life. Pull the main breaker to "Off," then proceed to pull the bad one, disconnect the hot lead from it, wire up the new breaker, and snap it back in. Just stay away from the shiny copper or aluminum stuff at the top (or bottom), cuz it's still very hot.

Ouch hurts!

Blue Jay

If you are afraid of electricity then it would be wise to have some one else do it for you. I never shut off the main but I respect electricity and not afraid of it. But I make sure I keep up the respect.