2 pole breaker with tie bar

Status
Not open for further replies.
C

cablegeeks

Member
Location
Houma, La
We are doing a job for a customer that supplied us with the material. We are running 4 dedicated circuits on a single phase panel using 10 gauge wire. Customer sent 2-2 pole breakers. I am confused about what article I should follow in this case. Need help figuring out which article to follow 240.15B1 or 240.21B 1-9. Need to know if it is legal to use a 2 pole breaker with a tie bar if the amps are less than 20 amps. Thanks in advance for your input.
 
cablegeeks said:
We are doing a job for a customer that supplied us with the material. We are running 4 dedicated circuits on a single phase panel using 10 gauge wire. Customer sent 2-2 pole breakers. I am confused about what article I should follow in this case. Need help figuring out which article to follow 240.15B1 or 240.21B 1-9. Need to know if it is legal to use a 2 pole breaker with a tie bar if the amps are less than 20 amps. Thanks in advance for your input.
Click to expand...

For miniature type 120/240 volt breakers there are not many out there that are not designed this way. Square D QO series is about the only one that comes to mind that only has a single external handle, and maybe a couple series that are no longer manufactured.

Not certain just what your concern is, sounds like you have a listed 2 pole unit. Where people get into trouble is when they use single pole units to build their own 2 pole unit. It can be done in some instances, but others need to be "common trip" and you only get that from a listed 2 pole unit in typical miniature series 120/240 breakers.
 
why wouldn't you be able to use a2 pole breaker on a circuit less than 20 amps? I don't know how many air conditioner condensers I've wired that had a maximumovercurrent protection rating of 15amperes. I guess the question is are the 4 circuits are runningor 240 volt circuits? if they are 120 volt circuit you should trade in the 2 pole breakers for single pole breakers. It is not a code violation to have two 120 volt circuits on a 2 pole breaker but it is an inconvenience if one circuit overloads because both circuits will be interrupted.
 
You said 4 circuits are you sharing neutral and that is the reason for the 2pole breakers. If so remember to keep each pair grouped to its neutral.
 
Even if you are not sharing neutrals, you can feed two separate branch circuits, each with one hot conductor and one neutral conductor, with a 2-pole breaker. I can not think of any good reason to do so. The obvious bad reason is that if you need to do work on one circuit, you have to turn off both circuits, and that could be inconvenient.
 
Was just trying to understand why he is using 2 poles like said earlier its more convenient to use single pole sorry didnt mean to confuse
 
You can use 2 pole CB's for this application even if each circuit has it's own neutral. I the neutral is shared between 2 circuits (a MWBC) then you must use them.
 
kwired said:
For miniature type 120/240 volt breakers there are not many out there that are not designed this way. Square D QO series is about the only one that comes to mind that only has a single external handle, and maybe a couple series that are no longer manufactured.

Not certain just what your concern is, sounds like you have a listed 2 pole unit. Where people get into trouble is when they use single pole units to build their own 2 pole unit. It can be done in some instances, but others need to be "common trip" and you only get that from a listed 2 pole unit in typical miniature series 120/240 breakers.
Click to expand...
I think I misunderstood the OP with my first reply, I thought this was a handle tie vs two pole question for a 240 volt circuit, but after reading responses and OP again - I think we have 4 - 120 volt circuits and the person supplying material maybe intended to have MWBC's run?

There are advantages and disadvantages to doing it this way but it is a design decision and not a code violation.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top