Need help understanding 1,2,3,4,twin,tandem,quad,duplex circuit breakers & volts

[wd900]

Can you guys please help me complete this chart? I think there are 680 & 1050 volt breakers too right?

A x volt breaker can only be x pole...

120 volt - 1 pole yes, 2 pole no, 3 pole no, 4 pole ??, Twin ??, Tandem ??, Quad ??, Duplex ??
240 volt - 1 pole yes, 2 pole yes, 3 pole yes, 4 pole ??, Twin ??, Tandem ??, Quad ??, Duplex ??
277 volt - 1 pole yes, 2 pole no, 3 pole no, 4 pole ??, Twin ??, Tandem ??, Quad ??, Duplex ??
347 volt - 1 pole yes, 2 pole no, 3 pole no, 4 pole ??, Twin ??, Tandem ??, Quad ??, Duplex ??
480 volt - 1 pole no, 2 pole yes, 3 pole yes, 4 pole ??, Twin ??, Tandem ??, Quad ??, Duplex ??
600 volt - 1 pole no, 2 pole yes, 3 pole yes, 4 pole ??, Twin ??, Tandem ??, Quad ??, Duplex ??
680 volt?
1050 volt?

Based on the technical data sheet for the BD1515 - http://www.allelectricneedsinc.com/content/BD-BQ-BQC.pdf

The BD1515 is a 1 pole breaker that can run at 240/120 volts right? What do they mean by Duplex? I'm also trying to learn how to read the data sheets for each breaker.

 

[charlie b]

I don?t think I can answer all your questions, because I am not certain how much of this you understand to begin with. But here are a few answers:

• By ?duplex,? I presume you are talking about a ?duplex receptacle outlet.? That is what you see in your home. There are two places to plug in a cord. I have not heard the word "duplex" used in the context of a circuit breaker.
• Similarly, the term ?quad? to me means a pair of duplex receptacles side-by-side in the same outlet box. There are four places to plug in a cord. I have not heard the word "quad" used in the context of a circuit breaker.
• I think that ?twin? and ?tandem? mean the same thing. It is a pair of breakers, each one being thinner than a normal breaker, so that you can install the two of them side-by-side in the space normally taken up by a single breaker.
• I am not familiar with the word ?quad? in the context of circuit breakers or outlets.
• I have not encountered breakers rated at 600, 680, or 1050 volts. In the US, circuit breakers are generally rated for 120, 240, 277, or 480 volts. The next higher standard rating is 4160 volts, and anything above 600 is in an entirely different world. Speaking of world, I have worked on projects overseas, where I have seen voltages of 230 and 400.

 

[ka6chp]

347V (single pole) and 600 V (2,3 pole) breakers are quite common in Canada. Canada uses 347/600 V electrical. 4-pole breakers are common in EU and many other countries on EU/IEC standards. They like to shut off the neutral too on 230/400 V systems.

 

[suemarkp]

I've heard people call twin/tandem double pole breakers "quads". These are two separate double pole breakers in the space normally used by a full size double pole breaker.

 

[GoldDigger]

I've heard people call twin/tandem double pole breakers "quads". These are two separate double pole breakers in the space normally used by a full size double pole breaker.

As I recall, those may only have the middle pair common trip while the outside pair would optionally be handle tied only or completely independent.

 

[cpinetree]

As I recall, those may only have the middle pair common trip while the outside pair would optionally be handle tied only or completely independent.

ITE/Siemens and the Cutler BR series both also make "Quads" that have two double pole breakers, 1 double inside, 1 double pole outside

example part numbers:
ITE Q22030CT
Cutler BQ220230

Both ITE + Cutler also make the style that has a double in the center with a single pole on each end

example part numbers:
ITE Q21530CT (called Triplex breakers in their catalog)
Cutler BQ2302115

 

[GeorgeB]

I have not encountered breakers rated at 600, 680, or 1050 volts. In the US, circuit breakers are generally rated for 120, 240, 277, or 480 volts.

In the southeastern US at least, 600V is moderately common, and control panels I designed used 600V breakers, contactors/starters, and fuses. Many were dual rated from Europe for 660V, but I never have seen a 660V system. The popular panel breaker was a SquareD Mag-Gard.

 

[Fulthrotl]

347V (single pole) and 600 V (2,3 pole) breakers are quite common in Canada. Canada uses 347/600 V electrical. 4-pole breakers are common in EU and many other countries on EU/IEC standards. They like to shut off the neutral too on 230/400 V systems.

i've seen 220/380 volt wye 3 phase swiss machinery...
with trade shows, you end up seeing everything.

220 volt phase to ground makes me pause.... :huh:

 

[PetrosA]

i've seen 220/380 volt wye 3 phase swiss machinery...
with trade shows, you end up seeing everything.

220 volt phase to ground makes me pause.... :huh:

One of the stupid things I learned to do as a young electrician was to put one lead of a DMM into my mouth (these were high impedance meters...) and use the other to check for voltage. It was kind of like a pencil tester on steroids. I tried that once in Europe on a 230V line and thought I was going to be dead. 230V makes me pause now, too.

 

[PetrosA]

Technically, I think the difference between a tandem and a twin breaker is the positioning of the handles. SquareD used to make a true tandem breaker where the handles were in line with each other in a single pole breaker. Now they make a twin breaker but most SquareD installers still call them tandems. I have never heard of a duplex breaker either.

 

[kwired]

Technically, I think the difference between a tandem and a twin breaker is the positioning of the handles. SquareD used to make a true tandem breaker where the handles were in line with each other in a single pole breaker. Now they make a twin breaker but most SquareD installers still call them tandems. I have never heard of a duplex breaker either.

I think some people freely interchange the terms twin, tandem, and duplex when it comes to circuit breakers. Quads are a unit that takes up two panel spaces but supplies two separate 2 pole circuits.

I have seen 600 volt breakers in a MCC, but the MCC was supplied with 480 volts and all of the control transformers were all 480 volt primary. Don't really know why they didn't use 480 volt breakers instead of 600 volt. It was a Square D MCC probably from 1980's, and the 600 volt breakers installed are still a current catalog number. I can tell you that replacements I have put in are 480 volt breakers as my supply house doesn't stock the 600 volt models.

 

[boboelectric]

I don?t think I can answer all your questions, because I am not certain how much of this you understand to begin with. But here are a few answers:

• By ?duplex,? I presume you are talking about a ?duplex receptacle outlet.? That is what you see in your home. There are two places to plug in a cord. I have not heard the word "duplex" used in the context of a circuit breaker.
• Similarly, the term ?quad? to me means a pair of duplex receptacles side-by-side in the same outlet box. There are four places to plug in a cord. I have not heard the word "quad" used in the context of a circuit breaker.
• I think that ?twin? and ?tandem? mean the same thing. It is a pair of breakers, each one being thinner than a normal breaker, so that you can install the two of them side-by-side in the space normally taken up by a single breaker.
• I am not familiar with the word ?quad? in the context of circuit breakers or outlets.
• I have not encountered breakers rated at 600, 680, or 1050 volts. In the US, circuit breakers are generally rated for 120, 240, 277, or 480 volts. The next higher standard rating is 4160 volts, and anything above 600 is in an entirely different world. Speaking of world, I have worked on projects overseas, where I have seen voltages of 230 and 400.

The subject is about circuit breakers not receptacles and yes they make 600 volt and 1000 volt breaers.