"Walter R." wrote in message
...
I want to identify a circuit breaker for a disconnected stove in my main
panel (looks like # 6 red and black wires). This is a large house and the
main panel is a maze of wires and breakers (200 A service).

How can I tell which breaker controls this particular circuit? Can I just
turn off the main switch, short-circuit the wires, and turn the main on
again? Will this damage the Main breaker?

It might just burn down your house, or seriously damage your wiring. Best
not to short circuit anything.

Thanks for your help

To find a circuit the cheap and easy way, find a friend, plug a light in the
socket, and have your friend tell you when it goes on (or off) when you flip
the breakers or pull the fuses, one at a time of course.

No light, or it's a 220v circuit, you can do the same thing, but instead use
a tester, which can be bought for about $10 at Sears. It's the size of a
thick pen, and there are no contacts. You simply hold it close to the
socket, and when there's power running to it, it lights up and beeps. This
is also a good tool to verify a circuit is dead before fiddling with it, in
case you need to replace a switch or a socket in the future.

If this is an old house, and/or you don't know exactly what you are doing, I
strongly recommend you find an experienced electrician to do your electrical
work. It is depressingly easy to get thrown across the room or killed.

Pagan