Circuit breakers
Multiple circuit breakers and fuses can be installed on a single circuit.Home
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Search waterheatertimer.org / all results
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Circuit breakersMultiple circuit breakers and fuses can be installed on a single circuit.Home
Search waterheatertimer.org / all results Search using
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 Things that cause Breaker to
tripPush fully OFF then push fully back ON Water heater is tripping breaker 1) Undersized breaker for load. Add up wattage of all loads. Divide total wattage by voltage to find total amp draw. Move loads to different circuit. Stagger usage. Install new wire and breaker. Do not add larger breaker to undersized wire. Color code for wire 2) Breaker is loose on busbar. Jiggle breaker with fingers and listen for crackling sound and smell of burned contacts. Remove breaker and inspect for damage. Move breaker to different slot. 3) Breaker has gone bad. Replace breaker. how-to-replace circuit breaker - Wire connected to breaker is loose. Turn off main breaker. Tighten wires very tight. NEVER use aluminum wire. Use solid copper wire for size 14-12-10-8 gauge. 4) Overamperage condition exists. Reset breaker fully off and fully back on. If problem is chronic, add larger breaker and wire. 5) Short circuit or insulation condition exists. Use nose and eyes to find potential problem. 6) Other causes: nail or staple has cut into wire, rodent damage to wire, lightning strike, How to find short circuit 7) GFCI breakers trip under two different conditions: if any of the above conditions exist, and if a ground fault exists. how-to-find-ground-fault |
| General types of circuit breakers | |||
Push down 1" wide 1" wide Push down breaker Plug-in breaker Single pole to supply power to 120 volt circuit Buy: Choose from 15 to 60 amp Eaton CL series Siemens 15-60 amp |
Push down 2" wide 2" wide Push down breaker Plug-in breakers Double pole for 2 separate circuits, or for 240 volt Buy: Choose from 15 to 125 amp Choose from 15 amp to 200 amp Eaton CL series circuit breaker Siemens circuit breaker |
 For 1" wide push down 60 amp 4 breaker 125 amp 8 breaker -Use breaker base inside Intermatic control center. -Use for control box Other option is din rail mounted breaker Buy: 4 breaker spaces 8 breaker spaces Resource: How to wire subpanel |
Square D / schneider Buy: Square D circuit breaker schneider circuit breaker Square D homeline/ 1" push down Buy: homeline circuit breaker Murray MP breaker/ 1" push down Buy: murray circuit breaker Eaton circuit breaker Buy: Eaton |
| QO Snap on 1" wide 1" wide Snap-down breaker Buy single-pole: 20 amp single-pole QO circuit breakers at Amazon |
QO Snap on 2" wide 2" wide Snap-down breakers Buy double-pole: 20 amp double-pole QO circuit breakers at Amazon |
GE thin GE Breakers Thin series fits GE panels Buy: GE circuit breakers at Amazon |
Federal Pacific Fits Federal pacific panels Buy: Federal Pacific circuit breaker |
| QOU Surface mount Feed-thru circuit breaker Minature  Comes with mounting foot and threaded mounting foot See image Thermal and Magnetic Trip 120/240 VAC .... 12-48 VDC Certified for Reverse Connection Buy: 50 amp Feed Through Circuit Breaker Resource: Reverse feed circuit breaker pdf |
Solar power circuit breaker DC circuit breakers Combiner PV breaker  For use on DC power coming form solar PV installations Characterized by higher amp and volt range than automobile & boat and marine DC breakers Buy: solar Circuit Breaker |
Din rail mount Minature circuit breaker  For panel mount, surface mount or control box installation Buy: Din rails din rail circuit breaker Minature circuit breaker |
 Two functions in one. Overcurrent protection and ground fault interruption. Buy: Double pole GFCI Resource: How to wire GFCI breaker |
Tandem
breaker fills single slot Use tandem breaker when more breaker spaces are needed. Combine two lightweight circuits onto one bus. Buy: Single-pole tandem breaker Tandem breakers Resource: Not enough space for circuit breaker |
3-phase/
triple breaker -Residential homes have single-phase that use 2 wire system, Hot-Hot or Not Neutral. -3-pole breakers are used for commercial 3-phase applications, where each load requires 3 hot wires. Resources: What is 3-phase Difference single-phase and 3-phase |
Main
breaker Buy: Main breaker Resources: How to wire service disconnect |
Boat
and marine breaker Reset circuit breaker DC circuit breaker Waterproof 12-48 volt DC for marine 12 volt car Buy: Reset circuit breaker |
 Circuit breaker guidelines- Multiple circuit breakers and fuses can be installed on a single circuit. -Circuit breakers are used to protect a circuit from too many amps: A circuit can be any length of wire that is connected to outlet, switch, light, HVAC etc. - Circuit must be properly grounded. Ground wire protects circuit breakers, wires, and devices from overload. Why you need ground - Circuit breakers work with any voltage typically found in residential and commercial applications, for example 120-240 volt, 120-208 commercial and residential, and 277-480 volt commercial etc. What is 208 volt What is 277 volt Circuit breaker basics Electricity is volts and amps: Voltage is a potential between two wires or a wire and any grounded surface. Amperage is a measure of electrons getting pushed down a wire by voltage at any given time. As a general rule, voltage remains relatively steady all times (except for brief surge events etc), but amperage varies. When more loads are operating, then more amperage flows along the wire. The voltage does not increase when light bulb turns on. The voltage stays relatively steady 120 volts no matter how many lights are turned on.. Instead, the amperage, or number of electrons flowing down the wire increase when more lights are turned on. - Circuit breakers do not respond to voltage, although if severe overvoltage caused by lightning strike or malfunction of power company transformer exceeds manufacturer's specifications, then the breaker will melt and no longer be serviceable. - Circuit breakers respond to amperage, or more exactly the heat caused by amperage flowing along the line. Circuit breakers are rated by amps (or current of electrons being pushed down the wire by voltage). Overcurrent protection  -
Circuit breakers are called Overcurrent protection,
and prevent overamperage or too much amperage from traveling down the
wire. If too many electrons are getting pushed through the matrix or
atomic structure of a conductor (wire), then resistance on the wire
goes up. Resistance is like friction that cause wire to get hot. - When heat exceeds breaker rating, the breaker trips. Wire size must match the breaker rating. If the wire is too small for the breaker, then the breaker will allow too many amps onto the wire, creating overheated wire that does not get hot enough to trip breaker, and instead becomes fire hazard. - Wire size and breaker amp rating must match: Color code for wire - This also means that cooler ambient temperatures will allow more amperage to flow along a wire, and shows importance of locating circuit breaker box, subpanel, control box, electrical equipment etc away from direct sunlight or heat source. Circuit breakers are generally not fast acting when overcurrent condition exists. This is by design to allow brief surge of electrons to pass down  the
wire when motor load
or other inductive load starts up. If the breaker was fast acting, then
a motor that draws 2 or 3x more amps during start-up would blow the
breaker each time. The breaker will trip if the overamperage lasts
beyond the brief delay period, or if a condition exists where two
motors are both drawing start-up amps at same time. Fast acting fuses
are available.Delay timer for 2 motors - GFCI circuit breakers combine two different parameters: overcurrent protection and GFCI. The breaker can trip if either condition exists. The GFCI will trip instantly if ground fault is detected, but the breaker still operates as ordinary overcurrent protection in all other conditions. How to wire GFCI breaker |
Push down breakers fit into a rail, then pushes down or
stabs onto busbar How to replace a circuit breaker |
Push down breaker Larger image How to replace a circuit breaker |
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 Larger image How to wire 240 volt outlets How to reset circuit breaker |
 Larger image How to wire subpanel |
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Hook on CH cutler Hammer Buy single-pole: 20 amp single-pole CH circuit breakers at Amazon |
Hook on CH cutler Hammer Buy double-pole: 20 amp double-pole CH circuit breakers at Amazon |
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 How to add more space in breaker box |
 Ampacities of wire How to match wire and breaker size How to figure volts, amps and watts |
 Larger image of subpanel The ground wire in this photo should be moved to separate busbar and not connected to neutral busbar. If the subpanel has 120 and 240 volt circuits, then neutral is required. If the subpanel has only 240 volt, then neutral is not needed... and ground wire is connected to busbar as shown in photo Resource: How to install subpanel |
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| Question:
Are both sides of the breaker 30 amp or one each one of them 15 amp ? Answer: I had that discussion with a guy and did some research on electrician forums... which was a battle over sine waves and ultimately inconclusive. Then I remembered reading an industry .pdf that said you can make a 240 breaker by combining 2 single-pole breakers, but that code requires you to install a 'common bar' between the breaker so if one trips, then the other breaker also trips... Then I remembered the oscillating (sine wave) nature of electricity, where AC power reverses the direction of electrons 60 times per second... over and over and over... and how the voltage rises and falls as electrons come to a stop, reverse direction and accelerate the opposite direction... yet the average voltage is always above zero, and the oscillations happen so fast that it is not a noticeable factor for electricity as we humans use it. Then I remembered that each leg of a 240 volt circuit is out-of-phase with the other leg.... which means the sine wave for one leg is mirror of the other leg... and the load receives more sustained power ...which is why we use 240 volt instead of 120 volts... because it is more efficient. This means each leg is delivering power to the load, and thus is independent of the other leg. Of course that is true because the electrons travel back and forth on the wire... and so one leg is pushing electrons when the other leg is pulling electrons ... this increasing total power, and this can be represented by the formula E = IR, or power (watts) = volts x amp. The formula shows if you have 30 amp, and change the voltage from 120 to 240, then the power (watts) goes up, or the amps (heat loss on wire) decreases. ... the final conclusion... the answer is that both breakers are 30 amp... because both are pushing and pulling electrons down the wire, like pedaling a bicycle with two legs instead of one. ... so yes... the answer is that both breakers are 30 amp. Resources: Figure volts amps watts Formulas for ohm's law What is electricity How a generator works |
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Circuit breaker ResourcesWater heater is tripping breakerHow to replace circuit breaker How to wire gfci Can AC breaker be used for DC breaker How to reset circuit breaker Not enough space for circuit breakers Circuit breakers How to install subpanel Why you need ground wire Match breaker and wire size How to wire subpanel See inside breaker box How to wire whole house surge protector How to wire safety switch |
| Circuit breakers | |
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Turn off circuit breaker before
working on electric wiringMaximum
12 boxes per circuit 240 volt must be a connected double-breaker. It is ok for a circuit to have multiple breakers and fuses as long as each matches amp rating of breaker and wire size. Resources: How to replace circuit breaker How to wire gfci Match breaker and wire size See inside breaker box Not enough space in breaker box |
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Circuit breakers are rated by amps Breakers
are safe for any voltage.240 volt must be a connected double-breaker Types of breakers include: Single breaker for 120 volt Double breaker for 240 volt Tandem breaker to add more breaker space GFCI breaker for vulnerable circuits Resources Tandem breakers How to wire GFCI breaker Are both sides of 30 amp double breaker 30 amp |
 Code
says:
Use connected/ double-pole breaker A double breaker can be used for 2 separate 120 volt circuits. Against code: Use 2 single breakers to supply 240 volt, unless the switches are connected and rated for same amps. If breakers are connected, then if one side (leg) trips the other side usually trips off too. If breakers are NOT connected, then one leg might be tripped, and other leg not tripped. A double breaker that is tripped on one leg poses a threat if working on the circuit. Never assume power is OFF. To reset, push fully off then back on. If double breaker is rated for 30 amp, then BOTH sides of the breaker are each 30 amp (not 15 each) Power is doubled with 240 volt vs 120 volt, amps are not halved. Resource: 240 volt breaker keeps tripping |
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 120 Volt and 240 Volt breakers-Image shows 120 Volt line and 240 Volt breakers inside residential main panel or breaker box. -All circuits have ground wire. -Both 120 and 240 require two wires to complete circuit. -120V requires 1 hot and 1 neutral -240V requires 2 hots from different busbars. -Ground wires are for safety. Resources: Read more about 240 volt Why you need ground wire -Neutral not necessary to complete 240Volt circuit. However some 240Volt lines have additional neutral wire. However, -240Volt lines can be white and black or red and black -Modern breaker boxes have separate Neutral and Ground busbars that are bonded together electrically. Older boxes often have one busbar for both Neutral and Ground. -Illustration shows Neutral and Ground busbars on same side of box so it is easier to illustrate wires. In actual box, the Neutral and Ground busbars are on opposite sides. Resources: Color code and wire sizes Larger image |
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  Main breaker wires are HOT when main
breaker is OFF unless meter is pulledWhen working inside main breaker box, the lugs on main breaker are Hot all the time, even when main breaker is turned OFF. Absolute electrocution danger when removing cover off main panel. How to pull meter |
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What is 3-phase electric: power plant to end
user See inside main breaker box |
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Resource: Intermatic control centers: and parts Digital control centers and parts Tork control centers and parts Subpanels All control centers and parts Enclosures |
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Resource: Programmable timers Countdown timers Off delay timers On delay timers Timer modules Din rail Twin & one-shot Woods Intermatic Tork |
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