White wire in a double pole breaker

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bigpun0044

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Altoona, PA, USA
I'm border-line stupid when it comes to electricity so if this question seems simple, then I apologize. I was always told that white wires should never be plugged into a breaker. I recently pulled a panel cover and there were a bunch of double poled breakers with the black wire inserted on one pole, and a white wire on the other. Is this acceptable?
 
It is fine. read through article 200 for the specifics.


Roger
 
Dennis Alwon said:
It is compliant if it is taped black or some other color.
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If it is not re-identified in some way to show that it is NOT a grounded conductor, then you are right that it should not be connected to one side of a double pole breaker, since neither half of a double pole breaker in a standard box should be at ground/neutral potential.
One other situation in which a white wire must be connected to a white wire coming from a breaker which is either AFCI or GFCI, and therefore requires that the neutral pass through it also. But this should not end up connected to one of the line busbars in the panel.
 
The OP said DP breakers. Of course there are some instances where even the neutral is switched thru the breaker but since he had a bunch of them I suspect it is not those either.
 
mjf said:
Anyone know what code cycle required re-idendifying white wires when used as an ungrounded conductor?
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I do not remember the code cycle but I remember that (I heard) it was due to a helper being electrocuted while working with an energized white wire in a switch box. White wires will bite whether they're carrying power to the load and reidentified or carrying power from the load to the transformer and not reidentified.
 
Ravenvalor said:
I do not remember the code cycle but I remember that (I heard) it was due to a helper being electrocuted while working with an energized white wire in a switch box. White wires will bite whether they're carrying power to the load and reidentified or carrying power from the load to the transformer and not reidentified.
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:thumbsup: Just because a wire is white doesn't mean it can't kill you if you touch it. Open it under load and touch the wrong side and you may as well be touching the ungrounded conductor.
 
mjf said:
Anyone know what code cycle required re-idendifying white wires when used as an ungrounded conductor?
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Other than for switch loops, I think you have always been required to re-identify a white conductor that is being used as an ungrounded conductor.
 
mjf said:
Wow, I have seen thousands of white wires landed on DP breakers over the years (powering wellpumps, electric heat, etc, etc).
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Same here, and I never had any problem determining they were ungrounded conductors - especially at the supply end.:roll:
 
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