77 amps on #8?

[Dennis Alwon]

Is there such a thing as a 4 pole breaker from the factory?

There are breakers that were designed as main breakers made by ITE and GE that look like 4 pole but they were 4 breakers together. These are designed for single pole panels.

Here is an ugly picture of one.

 

[bluesmoke...oops]

Single pole or single phase?

 

[LarryFine]

Single pole or single phase?

Single phase. Each pair of two bodies was paralleled on one line.

They also resemble many 3ph shunt-trip breakers.

 

[Dennis Alwon]

Single pole or single phase?

I guess I should be oops, not you. :grin: Single phase as Larry stated.

 

[LarryFine]

Single phase as Larry stated.

That's okay; you can owe me one.

 

[acrwc10]

Is there such a thing as a 4 pole breaker from the factory?

Yes, but they are only allowed to be used for factory installs. You can't just put them into any panel, listing and labeling.

 

[kwired]

Is there such a thing as a 4 pole breaker from the factory?

There are breakers that were designed as main breakers made by ITE and GE that look like 4 pole but they were 4 breakers together. These are designed for single pole panels.

Here is an ugly picture of one.

These are not 4 pole breakers even though they look like one. They are 2 pole breakers that use four spaces, have been tested and listed as a 2 pole unit. There are others out there like Square D that also use four spaces or even six spaces for the 3 pole units but do not have the look of four or six single pole units. Usually only found in the 150,175,200,225 amp sizes.

 

[bluesmoke...oops]

Yes, but they are only allowed to be used for factory installs. You can't just put them into any panel, listing and labeling.

Is it the listing and labeling that prevents you or is there a code reference as well (apologies if it has already been brought up, he caffeine isn't taking hold just yet :grin

 

[acrwc10]

Is it the listing and labeling that prevents you or is there a code reference as well (apologies if it has already been brought up, he caffeine isn't taking hold just yet :grin

It is mainly the listing and labling of the panel that prevents you from using them on anything other then the factory installed main. I haven't seen one listed for a panel other then the main. As far as a code section the only other section that would apply, doesn't apply in this case.

240.8 Fuses or Circuit Breakers in Parallel.
Fuses and circuit breakers shall be permitted to be connected in parallel where they are factory assembled in parallel and listed as a unit. Individual fuses, circuit breakers, or combinations thereof shall not otherwise be connected in parallel