How to Find the Circuit Breakers of Power Outlets
- 1). Insert a portable electrical appliance (hair dryer, lamp) into the wall outlet for which you want to find the corresponding circuit breaker. Turn on the appliance.
- 2). Rest a rubber mat on the ground by the home's breaker box -- make sure the ground is dry. Stand on the mat, and open the box's front cover.
- 3). Locate all circuit breakers that serve the home's various outlet circuits -- look for a list of breakers and their corresponding circuits on the inside of the front cover. Turn off one breaker that serves an outlet circuit. Go back to the appliance plugged into the outlet, to see if it is still on. If it is now off, you have found the breaker that serves that outlet. If it is still on, go back to the breaker box and switch on the outlet that was turned off. Turn off the next breaker that serves an outlet circuit; go back to the appliance to see if it is still on, or now off. Repeat this process until the outlet's corresponding breaker is found.
- 4). Turn on all breakers in the breaker box, close the box's cover and remove the rubber mat. Turn off the appliance and pull its cable from the outlet.
