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Sounds like it is a 220-240 Volt hot water heater. The black and red are connected to the 220 volts supply and the white is connected to Neutral. At the breaker panel red and black connect to the 2-pole 220 volt breaker and white goes to the neutral bus bar.
Without more information that appears to be a 240 volt circuit. Red & black would connect to the 240 volt breaker, white connects to the neutral bar, and ground conductor from the ground rods or ground plate connects to the neutral bar. Make sure that the bonding screw is in the neutral bar and it is screwed through to bond the distribution panel enclosure to the neutral bar.
There is 220 volts between the two poles. If you are running 2 wires (black and white) + ground then you hook black to one pole and white to the other. Put red or black electric tape on each end of the white wire and wrap around wire for 3 inches or so next to the connection so the next person will be able to see that the wire is hot and not a neutral.
The panel and breaker have to be of the same manufacturer. This way the breaker will fit into the panel. If the panel has a push in bus bar, the breaker must also be the type to accept the bus bar. If the bus bars in the panel are of the bolt in type then the breaker also has to be a bolt in breaker.
Washing machines in the U.S. operate on 120 volts. That requires a single pole 20 amp breaker and wired with 12/2 w-ground wire. Black to the breaker, white to the neutral bus bar, and copper ground to the ground bus bar.
Answer for USA, Canada and countries running a 60 Hz supply service.Breakers are rated in amperage and by the amount of poles that they have. Your classification of a 220 breaker is described in electrical terminology as a two pole breaker.Choosing the amperage of the two pole breaker depends upon the 220 volt load that it feeds.Two pole breakers for 220 volt loads.Single pole breakers for 120 volt loads.If the service is only 120 volt then every other bus bar in the panel will be energized. If the panel is a 120/240, then every bus bar in the panel will be energized.This is how and why a 240 volt load requires a two pole breaker.To the answer, yes you an use a two pole breaker in a 120 volt service but only one side of the breaker will have voltage on it depending on where it is situated in the panel board.
Arcing between the bus bar and a breaker could be caused by loose connections, excessive load on the circuit, corrosion or physical damage to the components, or poor installation. It is important to investigate and address the root cause promptly to prevent damage and ensure safety.
Sounds like it is a 220-240 Volt hot water heater. The black and red are connected to the 220 volts supply and the white is connected to Neutral. At the breaker panel red and black connect to the 2-pole 220 volt breaker and white goes to the neutral bus bar.
To wire a 220 breaker correctly, first turn off the power to the circuit. Connect the red and black wires to the breaker terminals, the white wire to the neutral bar, and the green or bare wire to the ground bar. Make sure all connections are secure and follow the manufacturer's instructions.
I assume you mean you are wiring a 220 volt circuit. You will install a 220 volt double pole breaker of the correct size for the circuit. An example would be for an electric dryer that requires a 30 amp double pole breaker wired with 10/3 wire. You connect the Red & Black wires to the breaker. One on each screw. You now connect the White wire to the neutral bus bar in the service panel. Then connect the bare copper ground wire to the ground bus bar in the service panel. At the dryer outlet connect the black & red to the hot screws, white to the neutral, and ground to ground. They will be labeled on the back of the outlet.
To install a 2-pole circuit breaker for a 220-volt circuit using AWG 8 wire, first, make sure the breaker is compatible with your electrical panel. Turn off the main power, remove the panel cover, and install the breaker in a vacant slot. Connect the black and red wires (hot), the white wire (neutral), and the green or bare wire (ground) to the appropriate terminals following local electrical codes and regulations. Finally, turn the main power back on and test the circuit. If you are unsure about any step, consult a licensed electrician.
Assuming there is no neutral: 1) Turn off the breaker. 2) Disconnect 1 of the 2 hot wires from the breaker and connect it to the neutral bar (Recommend phase taping the wire white :) ) Remember which wire you used as the neutral, in a home you will most likely have a black and a red. I would keep the black hot, and phase tape the red wire white. If it's not long enough you can wire nut another white wire onto it to make it reach the neutral bar. 3) Leave the breaker OFF, at the receptacle, change it to a 120 volt receptacle. Take the wire you made the neutral, and connect it to the white screw on the 120 v receptacle, and take the black to the hot. Ground to the ground screw. Make sure you phase tape the red wire at the receptacle white as well. 4) turn the breaker on 5) test the receptacle with a meter or receptacle testing device for correct wiring.
a breaker bar is longer then a ratchet so you leverage
To wire a 240-volt breaker correctly, first turn off the power to the circuit. Connect the red and black wires to the breaker terminals, the white wire to the neutral bus bar, and the green or bare wire to the ground bus bar. Make sure all connections are secure and follow the manufacturer's instructions.
Answer for USA, Canada and countries running a 60 Hz supply service.Before an explanation of how to do this you should keep in mind that this is for a single receptacle only. If any other receptacles are on the same circuit they will also be changed to 120 volts.The existing two pole breaker in the distribution panel that is to be replaced should not have a larger rating than a 15 or 20 amps. The wire size from that breaker will be #14 or #12 respectively. The final results of this project will leave you with a 15 amp 120 volt receptacle and one spare 15 amp breaker in the distribution panel.That said, OK, any 240 volt outlet can be changed to 120 volt by removing the white wire from the 2 pole breaker and inserting it into the neutral bus bar. Remove the other wire (probably black) from the breaker. Remove the 2 pole breaker from the breaker panel. Install two single pole 15 amp breakers into the hole left by the 2 pole breaker. Leave both of these breakers turned off.Connect the black wire that came off of the 2 pole breaker on to one of the new single pole 15 amp breakers. Re install the cover to the electrical panel, this end is finished. At the old 240 volt receptacle, remove the existing device and install a new 120 volt receptacle.Materials can be purchased at local building supply store. Remember to take the electrical panel data with you so you have the information for the 2 new breakers. Once you have the new 120 volt receptacle installed, identify on the electrical panel door what the breaker is used for. Leave the unused breaker in the off position. Turn the new 15 amp breaker on. Turn the main breaker back on. Test the new receptacle with a lamp to make sure every thing is OK.As always, if you are in doubt about what to do, the best advice anyone should give you is to call a licensed electrician to advise what work is needed.Before you do any work yourself,on electrical circuits, equipment or appliancesalways use a test meter to ensure the circuit is, in fact, de-energized.IF YOU ARE NOT ALREADY SURE YOU CAN DO THIS JOBSAFELY AND COMPETENTLYREFER THIS WORK TO QUALIFIED PROFESSIONALS.
Take out the double pole breaker, place the white wire on the grounding bar along with the ground wire, install singe pole breaker(size needed) attach black wire onto new breaker and you now have 110 line.
If you are talking about a 4-wire branch circuit you'll need to start with a 220 VAC breaker. It will have two terminals. Connect black and red wires to the two terminals. Doesn't matter in which order you make this connection. The white wire goes to the neutral bus bar where all other white wires are connected. The green or bare wire goes to ground bus where other bare wires are connected.