Importance

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Abstract

An apparatus and method for determining which one of a plurality of circuit breakers in a breaker box controls a given electrical outlet supplied by one of the circuits emanating from the breaker box. A transmitter is plugged into the electrical outlet of interest which imposes a low frequency RF signal on the power line. The transmitter includes an indicator for indicating whether power is present at the outlet of interest. A receiver is plugged into a second electrical outlet near the breaker box, the receiver being configured to detect whether the low frequency RF signal is present at the second outlet, and includes an indicator to indicate whether the signal is present at the second outlet. The receiver also includes an indicator for indicating whether power is present at the second outlet. Each of the circuit breakers are turned off and back on in sequence until the circuit breaker is found which causes the receiver signal indicator to go off, while the receiver power indicator remains on. If no such circuit breaker is found, but a breaker is found which causes both the receiver signal indicator and power indicator to go off, then it is likely that the transmitter and receiver are connected to the same circuit, which can be verified by turning off the latter circuit breaker and verifying that the transmitter power indicator is off.

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First Claim