Circuit Breaker Question

[eric3872]

I need to add a 30 amp breaker to my panel for a clothes dryer. I understand that I need a 2P 120/240 breaker. The problem is that I only have a 1" slot available.

My panel is a cutler Hammer. I found this single pole 30/30 tandem breaker (which will work on my panel), but I dont understand the difference between a 30/30 tandem single pole and a 30Amp double pole breaker.

http://www.acehardwareoutlet.com/Pro...spx?SKU=31184&

I'm trying to avoid having to rearrange circuits or adding a sub panel. Will this tandem breaker work? Any help would be appreciated.

[DonL]

No Eric that breaker will not work. That breaker works 2 120V circuits.

It needs to be a double pole for the 240V that the dryer needs.

It will take up two inches in your breaker panel.


Have a good day.


DonL

[SacCity]

You can use that breaker on two of your existing 120 volt lines to create the space needed for the 220 volt circuit.
Michael

[eric3872]

Thanks. So, Is there such a thing as a 2P 30amp breaker that's only 1"?

[eric3872]

You can use that breaker on two of your existing 120 volt lines to create the space needed for the 220 volt circuit.
Michael

Not sure I understand what you're suggesting. This breaker is 1". It will only take one slot. Are you saying I could replace one of my single pole 15amp breaker with this one and combine the circuits from two of them into it to create the extra space?

[jadnashua]

They make skinny breakers to save some space in the panel, but physically, a 240vac breaker needs to be big enough to span two slots to be able to pick up both legs of the power to get the 240.

[hj]

1" 2 pole breakers are both on the same leg of the service panel. You need a breaker which connects to both legs, using two adjacent slots. Depending on your make and model, there are "piggyback" breakers which have a 30 amp 2 pole breaker in the center and (2) 15 or 20 amp ones on the outsides.

[DonL]

I think it is a Westinghouse/Bryant/Cutler-Hammer-BD, Sylvania/Challenger/T&B.

It would be nice hj, If it would work in that panel and only takes up two slots.

What Michael said would work also, at the cost of two normal breakers.


Have a nice 4th of July holiday weekend.


And Remember Drink, Don't Drive...


DonL

[Speedy Petey]

1" 2 pole breakers are both on the same leg of the service panel.

For this style panel that is NOT a 2-pole breaker. It is a tandem/skinny/twin/etc breaker, which is two SP breakers.

You need a breaker which connects to both legs, using two adjacent slots. Depending on your make and model, there are "piggyback" breakers which have a 30 amp 2 pole breaker in the center and (2) 15 or 20 amp ones on the outsides.

These are called "quad" breakers.

[Speedy Petey]

Thanks. So, Is there such a thing as a 2P 30amp breaker that's only 1"?

Not for your panel. The only thing that would work would be a quad as stated above.

[DonL]

You should be able to use 1 each of these breakers. They are made for your breaker panel.

http://www.acehardwareoutlet.com/Pro...aspx?SKU=31489

http://www.acehardwareoutlet.com/Pro...aspx?SKU=31486



Use the 20 amp SP, to free up a spot, too make room for the 30 amp DP dryer breaker.


Have a good day.


DonL

[BobL43]

You should be able to use 1 each of these breakers. They are made for your breaker panel.

http://www.acehardwareoutlet.com/Pro...aspx?SKU=31489

http://www.acehardwareoutlet.com/Pro...aspx?SKU=31486



Use the 20 amp SP, to free up a spot, too make room for the 30 amp DP dryer breaker.


Have a good day.


DonL

Which ever way it is done, the 2 poles that supply the dryer 230volts should be a breaker assembly that has the trip levers tied together so they both flip off together. The 2 pole breaker in your first link looks like that. Having 2 seperate breakers, one plugged onto each phase without being next to each other and married together creates a safety hazard. If you turn off only one of these, the other will still be on supplying 115 volts at up to 30 amps to Neutral, if that is the breaker size. Your original post Don, I believe is the correct one. The service panels I have seen all require 2 inches of space to accomodate a 2 pole breaker and 1 inch tandem/twin breakers have 2 seperate protected feeds, but they are both on the same phase, 115 volts to neutral, 0 volts between the 2 individual protected circuits at the panel. Or if I misunderstood your post and your last sentence meant to rearrange the breakers to accomplish what I said, then good too.

[DonL]

Yes BobL.


The 115 volt dual 1" breaker will have to replace 2 of the current 1" 20 amp breakers to make room for the 2" 30 amp 230 volt breaker. He currently only has 1 1" slot available.

And yes the 30 amp 230 volt breaker has the trip levers tied together so they both flip off together.

Are we on the same page ?


Enjoy your day.


DonL

[hj]

As an aside, the metal "bridge" in the breaker photo, is only needed if the outer breakers are also being used for a 220/240 device. It is removed to use it for two 120v circuits.

[BobL43]

Yes Don, same page :-)

Enjoy your day too; just came in from helping my wife re-arranging some pond plants. Guess who got in the pond and lifted out the potted pickel rushes?