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Answer for USA, Canada and countries running a 60 Hertz supply service.

A single pole breaker is used to supply 120 volts to a 120 volt load circuit and to protect the conductors of that circuit. This is one "hot" wire to the load and then back to the neutral. A two pole or double pole breaker is used to supply 240 volts to a 240 volt load and to protect the conductors of that circuit. This is two "hot" wires to the load without a neutral, eg. baseboard heaters, hot water tanks. The two pole breaker is also used with a neutral when the 240 volt device needs a 120 volt supply for its controls. eg. electric range, dryer.

If you mean a 120 breaker with two switches, those are designed to fit an extra circuit into a full breaker panel by removing the single, installing the double, and you now have two breakers in the space of one, each for the rated amps at 120 volts on the same "leg" of the 240 supply. These are not often recommended and some local codes do not permit them to be used more than temporarily.

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14y ago
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14y ago

In the US a house would be supplied with 120/240 volts from a transformer. Two ungrounded conductors (hot wires), one from each end of a winding in the transformer and a grounded conductor (neutral wire) that comes from the middle of the same winding. There is 240 volts between the two hot wires and 120 volts from each hot to the grounded conductor. A single pole breaker would supply 120 volts (attaches to one of the two ungrounded conductors feeds the load and comes back on the grounded conductor) for lights and most appliances in your house. A double pole breaker would supply 240 volts (attaches to both ungrounded conductors) for your stove, dryer, heater, and other large loads.

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Q: What is the difference between a 2 pole and single pole breaker?
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Should you buy double pole breaker or single pole?

Use of a double pole breaker or a single pole breaker depends entirely on the application. If you don't know about the application, contact a qualified electrician in your area.


Can a double pole 20 amp breaker be used with 12-2 wire for a single 220 circuit?

The term "double pole" usually means a breaker with 2 handles that attaches in the space as a normal single pole breaker. If this is what you mean, no, you cannot. There is no potential, or voltage, between the wire terminals. If by "double pole" you mean what is usually called a 2-pole breaker, which is a breaker with 2 handles that attaches in the space of 2 single pole breakers, then yes, you can use this breaker and 12/2 wire to produce a 220v circuit.


What size breaker to use for a hand dryer its 120v 20amps?

Single pole 20 amp breaker.


Can you use two 15 amp single pole breakers in place of a double pole 30 amp breaker?

Yes. An everyday occurrence of this circuitry is in your kitchen counter split receptacles. The top half of the receptacle is a 15 amp circuit and from the same breaker the bottom half of the receptacle is another 15 amp circuit. A two pole single handle breaker is a common trip. If one of the circuits fed from the breaker faults the other connected circuit will shut off also. If you are talking about slot position in a breaker panel, you can remove the two pole breaker and install two single pole breakers.


How do you define a pole in circuit breaker?

A pole In a circut breaker refers to the number of circuts it controls, single pole only controls one, double controls 2 at same time

Related questions

What difference between using 4poles circuit breaker and using 3 single pole breakers?

3 pole would be for 3 phase, 4 pole would be 3 phase & neutral


Should you buy double pole breaker or single pole?

Use of a double pole breaker or a single pole breaker depends entirely on the application. If you don't know about the application, contact a qualified electrician in your area.


Can a double pole 20 amp breaker be used with 12-2 wire for a single 220 circuit?

The term "double pole" usually means a breaker with 2 handles that attaches in the space as a normal single pole breaker. If this is what you mean, no, you cannot. There is no potential, or voltage, between the wire terminals. If by "double pole" you mean what is usually called a 2-pole breaker, which is a breaker with 2 handles that attaches in the space of 2 single pole breakers, then yes, you can use this breaker and 12/2 wire to produce a 220v circuit.


What is the difference between single pole mcb and double pole mcb?

A single pole circuit breaker can protect one hot wire to a given load where as a two pole circuit breaker can protect two hot wires to a given load. In the North American system this would equate to 120 volts on a single pole circuit breaker and 240 volts on a two pole circuit breaker.


What is difference between spn and tpn mcb db?

TPN MCB means Triple pole Neutral Miniature Circuit Breaker where as SPN MCB means single phase Neutral MCB.


What is the Largest amperage single phase 120 volt breaker made?

6000amps <<>> The above answer must have big lugs to accommodate 6000 amp capacity wire. In my breaker catalogue the largest 120 volt single pole breaker is 70 amps, 277 volt single pole is 150 amps and 347 volt single pole is 100 amps. The 120 volt single pole breaker occupies two opposed slots because of its length.


What size breaker to use for a hand dryer its 120v 20amps?

Single pole 20 amp breaker.


Can you use two 15 amp single pole breakers in place of a double pole 30 amp breaker?

Yes. An everyday occurrence of this circuitry is in your kitchen counter split receptacles. The top half of the receptacle is a 15 amp circuit and from the same breaker the bottom half of the receptacle is another 15 amp circuit. A two pole single handle breaker is a common trip. If one of the circuits fed from the breaker faults the other connected circuit will shut off also. If you are talking about slot position in a breaker panel, you can remove the two pole breaker and install two single pole breakers.


How do you define a pole in circuit breaker?

A pole In a circut breaker refers to the number of circuts it controls, single pole only controls one, double controls 2 at same time


Can a 220 VAC breaker be single pole or does it have to always be a double pole breaker?

U.S. 240 VAC breakers are always double pole since they are protecting two legs of the circuit.


How many switches can you wire on a single pole breaker?

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How do you know if your single pole is 240 or 120?

A single pole breaker will be 120 volts. But to make 100% sure test it with a volt meter.