I’m wondering which ones it checks the p.d over to break the circuit or if thats how it works at all.
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In my experience breakers work by detecting current. Either too high current draw (typically during switch on of large appliances), too high a current on the earth line, too high a current difference between the send (live) and return (neutral).
the “hot” line is the one the breaker is actually wired into.
breakers work off current. inside the breaker is an electromagnet. when the current gets too high, that magnet pulls on a mechanism that breaks the circuit.
Breakers are connected only to the hot, or live, wire. They work in two ways at once, thermal and magnetic. The thermal function is to prevent overloads. The current runs through a bimetallic strip that bends more or less based on how hot it is. Too much current will heat it up too much, cause it to bend too far, and trip the breaker. The magnetic function is to prevent short circuits. The current runs through an electromagnet. If a HUGE amount of current flows through the breaker, the electromagnet will get a lot stronger and pull on another part of the breaker and immediately trip it.
Neutral and ground wires never have any sort of breakers or switches on them.
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