I'm just trying to fit my head around something.
I have seen 240 volt circuits run to two 20amp breakers connected with a bar, sitting next to each other in the panel.
I understand that you get your 240 volts out of the two sides of the power drop from the electric company which are out of phase 180 degrees to each other.
What I'm trying to understand is how this affects the amperage through each side of the circuit at any given time. My gut would tell me that since each of these breakers are 20amps, that means that either side will only have a max of 20 amps flowing at any given time or the breaker would trip. If this is true then why do you need 10 gauge wire for a 40 amp circult instead of just being able to use 12 gauge for each leg? That just doesn't seem right though...looking for why.
Thanks!
I have seen 240 volt circuits run to two 20amp breakers connected with a bar, sitting next to each other in the panel.
I understand that you get your 240 volts out of the two sides of the power drop from the electric company which are out of phase 180 degrees to each other.
What I'm trying to understand is how this affects the amperage through each side of the circuit at any given time. My gut would tell me that since each of these breakers are 20amps, that means that either side will only have a max of 20 amps flowing at any given time or the breaker would trip. If this is true then why do you need 10 gauge wire for a 40 amp circult instead of just being able to use 12 gauge for each leg? That just doesn't seem right though...looking for why.
Thanks!