Handle tie on air conditioner breaker?

[crtemp]

I had an inspector leave me a message and said I couldn't use two single pole 20 amp breakers with a handle tie Can someone point me in the right direction of this code? Would this also apply to a wall heater circuit?

 

[gadfly56]

I had an inspector leave me a message and said I couldn't use two single pole 20 amp breakers with a handle tie Can someone point me in the right direction of this code? Would this also apply to a wall heater circuit?

Sounds like a "shirt pocket" rule to me. It's probably cheaper and faster to just install a 2-pole 20 amp than fight it.

 

[sparkyrick]

240.15(B)1 only allows listed handle ties for single pole breakers of a MWBC.

(1) Multiwire Branch Circuits. Individual single-pole circuit
breakers, with identified handle ties, shall be permitted
as the protection for each ungrounded conductor of multiwire
branch circuits that serve only single-phase line-to-neutral
loads.

 

[sparkyrick]

Sounds like a "shirt pocket" rule to me. It's probably cheaper and faster to just install a 2-pole 20 amp than fight it.

It's a safety issue. The heater could trip one breaker, shutting it down, but still have 120V present, because the other breaker doesn't trip. If the breaker ever trips, both legs need to open, not just one leg.

 

[charlie b]

The Inspector might be thinking that 240.15(B) prohibits what you have installed. I am not certain it does. But the thinking might be that a pair of single pole breakers with a handle tie would certainly allow manually opening both ungrounded conductors. But it might not work automatically. Assume a fault takes place in the line between one of the two breakers and the load. That breaker will see the high current and will trip internally. Current from the other breaker must first pass through the load, before reaching the fault point. That might not be enough current to cause the second breaker to trip. I don't know if one breaker's attempt to move its handle to the "trip free" position would pull the other breaker handle with it, and pull it far enough to take it to the "open" position. Keep in mind that you can't manually (including through the use of a handle tie) move a breaker from "on" to "trip free."

 

[gadfly56]

The Inspector might be thinking that 240.15(B) prohibits what you have installed. I am not certain it does. But the thinking might be that a pair of single pole breakers with a handle tie would certainly allow manually opening both ungrounded conductors. But it might not work automatically. Assume a fault takes place in the line between one of the two breakers and the load. That breaker will see the high current and will trip internally. Current from the other breaker must first pass through the load, before reaching the fault point. That might not be enough current to cause the second breaker to trip. I don't know if one breaker's attempt to move its handle to the "trip free" position would pull the other breaker handle with it, and pull it far enough to take it to the "open" position. Keep in mind that you can't manually (including through the use of a handle tie) move a breaker from "on" to "trip free."

I thought that was the whole point of handle ties??

 

[kwired]

I had an inspector leave me a message and said I couldn't use two single pole 20 amp breakers with a handle tie Can someone point me in the right direction of this code? Would this also apply to a wall heater circuit?

Take a look at 240.15(B) and sub articles 1-4.

(B)(2) or possibly even (B)(3) allows what you did, unless your supply was other then 120 volts to ground, including a high leg of a high leg system.

 

[GoldDigger]

I thought that was the whole point of handle ties??

Absolutely not. That is the intent of common trip, in which a single trip mechanism activation (either one) causes both r all three poles to open.
All that a handle tie is supposed to do is prevent you from manually changing the state of one breaker without affecting the other.
In the days before "trip free" became a mandatory feature it was possible to hold a breaker closed even during trip conditions if you held the handle.
With that sort of currently illegal breaker it would be a toss up whether a handle tie caused both poles to open or caused the triggered pole to stay closed.

 

[charlie b]

I thought that was the whole point of handle ties??

And I though the point was to ensure that if you manually opened one, the other would open with it. Keep in mind that a breaker's trip mechanism is all internal to the breaker. The handle moves halfway to the open position, and can't be reclosed until it is first fully opened. I think it would take more force than the one breaker can supply in order to force the second breaker's handle to go fully open. Also keep in mind that if you installed some type of locking or blocking device that would forct a breaker's handle to remain in the fully closed position no matter what happens, the breaker will still trip (internally) on detecting a fault current.

 

[kwired]

Next question is how many single pole breakers are rated 120/240 volts?

I know most two pole are but I think single pole breakers are usually only 120 volt rated - if so they don't meet the requirement to allow them in 240.15(B) (2) or (3).

 

[sparkyrick]

The Inspector might be thinking that 240.15(B) prohibits what you have installed. I am not certain it does. But the thinking might be that a pair of single pole breakers with a handle tie would certainly allow manually opening both ungrounded conductors. But it might not work automatically. Assume a fault takes place in the line between one of the two breakers and the load. That breaker will see the high current and will trip internally. Current from the other breaker must first pass through the load, before reaching the fault point. That might not be enough current to cause the second breaker to trip. I don't know if one breaker's attempt to move its handle to the "trip free" position would pull the other breaker handle with it, and pull it far enough to take it to the "open" position. Keep in mind that you can't manually (including through the use of a handle tie) move a breaker from "on" to "trip free."

I forgot to add this quote with my post before, but 24015(B) clearly states:

(B) Circuit Breaker as Overcurrent Device. Circuit
breakers shall open all ungrounded conductors of the circuit
both manually and automatically unless otherwise permitted
in 240.15(B)(1), (B)(2), (B)(3), and (B)(4).

Handle ties don't trip the adjacent breaker. It's only purpose is to force you to turn off both (or three with a three handle tie bar) breakers when used on a MWBC.

 

[don_resqcapt19]

It's a safety issue. The heater could trip one breaker, shutting it down, but still have 120V present, because the other breaker doesn't trip. If the breaker ever trips, both legs need to open, not just one leg.

So fuses are prohibited as the OCPD for those types of circuits?

 

[GoldDigger]

Handle ties don't trip the adjacent breaker. It's only purpose is to force you to turn off both (or three with a three handle tie bar) breakers when used on a MWBC.

In some cases tandem or quad breakers, with a common trip but more than one handle, will use a handle tie as a cosmetic feature to show that two of the poles in a tandem or quad are functionally related.

It is also possible that the internal common trip mechanism will not by itself prevent manual operation of one pole. The handle tie completes the functional linkage.

 

[sparkyrick]

So fuses are prohibited as the OCPD for those types of circuits?

I see what you're saying. A service tech working on the equipment would know that shutting of the fused safety switch would open all ungrounded conductors. If you look closer at 240.15(B), it only applies to circuit breakers used for OCP.

I think the reason the handle tie rule was born because too many homeowners and handy people were getting blasted by open neutrals on MWBC.

 

[sparkyrick]

In some cases tandem or quad breakers, with a common trip but more than one handle, will use a handle tie as a cosmetic feature to show that two of the poles in a tandem or quad are functionally related.

It is also possible that the internal common trip mechanism will not by itself prevent manual operation of one pole. The handle tie completes the functional linkage.

I've taken apart a Siemens three pole breaker with the bar that attached across all three handles to see if I could make a two pole breaker out of it. (yeah, yeah, modification, don't even go there. I was out of town with no supply houses anywhere nearby and I wanted to make it work). Much to my surprise, the breaker did have an internal trip lever that connected from breaker to breaker to breaker.

 

[jap]

240.15(B)1 only allows listed handle ties for single pole breakers of a MWBC.

An air conditioner is not a line to neutral load.


JAP>

 

[kwired]

I forgot to add this quote with my post before, but 24015(B) clearly states:

(B) Circuit Breaker as Overcurrent Device. Circuit
breakers shall open all ungrounded conductors of the circuit
both manually and automatically unless otherwise permitted
in 240.15(B)(1), (B)(2), (B)(3), and (B)(4).


Handle ties don't trip the adjacent breaker. It's only purpose is to force you to turn off both (or three with a three handle tie bar) breakers when used on a MWBC.

You are missing the "unless otherwise permitted...." part. OP's situation fits (B)(2) or possibly (B)(3) - IF breaker is rated 120/240 volts.

I see what you're saying. A service tech working on the equipment would know that shutting of the fused safety switch would open all ungrounded conductors. If you look closer at 240.15(B), it only applies to circuit breakers used for OCP.

I think the reason the handle tie rule was born because too many homeowners and handy people were getting blasted by open neutrals on MWBC.

That is the (B)(1) situation above.

An air conditioner is not a line to neutral load.


JAP>

Some are.

 

[templdl]

I had an inspector leave me a message and said I couldn't use two single pole 20 amp breakers with a handle tie Can someone point me in the right direction of this code? Would this also apply to a wall heater circuit?

Are the breakers labeled as comp ntrip?

 

[kwired]

Are the breakers labeled as comp ntrip?

Guessing comp ntrip is either a new term or is supposed to be common trip.

How do you get (assured) common trip from two single pole breakers? Multipole breakers have internal device that does assure common trip.

 

[jap]

Some are.

Not one that would require a handle tye.

JAP>