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can a 20 amp double pole circuit breaker be used for 2 different 120 v circuits using 14 - 2 wire

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Why do you use a 30amp breaker on a ring circuit and a 20 amp on a radial circuit?

Answer for UK, Europe and countries running a 50 Hz supply service.A ring circuit has two routes to each outlet, a radial has only one.


Why would electricity go off if too many appliances are running?

Circuit breakers are in place to prevent an over-current condition. When too much current is passed through a wire, it overheats and can result in fire. The circuit breaker is just doing its job when it turns off a circuit in that kind of condition. Too many appliances running simply means too much current on a circuit.


Can you have a gas dryer and a washing machine on the same dedicated 20 amp service?

An electrician would put in two separate circuits since there is no telling in future that gas dryer might be replaced. You need to look at the breaker protecting the circuit and see if the current from the dryer and washer when added together don't exceed 80% of the breaker rating. Also the start up current for the dryer tumbler and washing machine motor don't add up to more than the breaker rating when added together. This is where problems will occur since start up currents may be 6 times running current.


What size breaker needs to be installed for 4500 watt 240 volt hotwater heater?

Answer for USA, Canada and countries running a 60 Hz supply service.You need a 30 amp 2-pole breaker and #10 AWG wire.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 appliances,always 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.


Is it safe if there are 3 wires black white bare copper at your breaker panel but only 2 wires at the wall socket outlet?

for USA, Canada and other countries running a 60 Hz supply service.Some appliances, especially older ones, don't have a ground wire. Also, a lot of wiring circuits in older houses were installed without using a ground wire to each socket outlet. They just ran a hot and a neutral wire. The neutral wire is grounded at the breaker panel. On the breaker panel the 3rd wire - colored green or just bare - is the Ground wire. It is there to protect circuits - different to the one you are looking at - which need to have a ground wire as well as a neutral. On such circuits, in case of a fault condition in the appliances connected to them, a short circuit is sent to ground so that the circuit breakers on the hot wires should then trip to break the power supply to such circuits and stop a house fire or someone getting killed by electricity.This is not a full answer to your question. You still have to think about which types of appliances - having plugs with only 2 prongs on their flexible cords - are still quite safe to use and which types are definitely not safe to use with that type of socket outlet - and in that situation, what should be done to make them safe?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 appliances,always 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.

Related Questions

Do both the breakers and the outlets need to be GFI if you are running two 15 amp GFI circuits?

If you're using a GFCI breaker then the entire circuit will be protected by just the breaker alone. Every receptacle, switch, etc on that breaker will utilise the GFCI protection. You may have problems with it tripping if you plug in a motor (vacuum, etc) on the circuit.


Is electric circuit also called series circuit?

The 2 simplest Electrical circuits areSeries Circuit - Same amount of current running through loads but voltage various by the resistance of the loadsParallel Circuit - Same voltage on the different loads by subject to the load resistance, the current passing through is different


Why does the main circuit breaker keep tripping?

The main circuit breaker keeps tripping because there is an overload of electrical current flowing through the circuit, which can be caused by too many appliances running at once, a short circuit, or a faulty electrical component.


Why does an electrical kettle switch itself off when the water boils?

Check the wattage or amperage of your kettle. It sounds like you are overloading the circuit. Most circuits will be on a 15 amp breaker. If the circuit has more that one receptacle on it there may be other appliances drawing amps off of the same breaker. To test this theory try the kettle in other parts of the house and see if it trips a different breaker.


What type of circuit breaker is required for a 240 v branch circuit?

the circuit breaker used will be miniature circuit breaker(MCB) maily used in homes.Answer for USA, Canada and countries running a 60 Hertz supply service.A two pole circuit breaker is used for a load of 240 volts. It is sized, according to the load amps of the device, to protect the wires that supply the load current.


What should you do if your circuit breaker is hot?

You should check that you are not running too many appliances on the circuit that is protected by the circuit breaker.If you are absolutely sure that the circuit is not being overloaded, you should replace the breaker with a new identical breaker. Breakers get hot when they supply power at near peak amperage over a long period of time and begin to break down internally.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 appliances,always 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.


Is the wire running to a 20amp breaker different from a wire running to a15amp breaker?

Yes, a 20 amp breaker requires AWG # 12 copper wire. A 15 amp breaker requires AWG # 14 copper wire.


Disvantages of parallel circuits?

It will be circuits in which there are different ways running close by each other. Much of the time this will be because of either various force sources streaming to a solitary yield, or one force source racing to different yields. By part the circuit along a few lines thusly, parallel circuits can accomplish things arrangement circuits can't, yet they likewise accompany a few detriments.


What is the reason if you are running an electric motor with a star delta starter but whenever it is switched to delta at the same instant its circuit breaker trips?

Check your Delta connections first if the phases is corresponding, and check your Circuit Breaker if it sufficiently rated.


Why have I always been told not to load up an electrical circuit or equipment more than 80 percent and where is this stated?

The 80% ideal is from the NEC. Let's say you have a standard 15A circuit. This circuit is rated to carry a maximum of 15A, no more. If you try to draw more than 15A, the breaker will pop. Now, you can put 15A worth of appliances on this circuit, but then you are running it at its maximum all the time. If you add anything else to this circuit, you will pop the breaker. If you have something that draws surge current, it can opo the breaker under normal use. You have no "wiggle room" when you load it at its maximum. Also, as touched on above, if you run your circuit at the maximum you cannot add anything else. This is generally a sign that you need to upgrade your wiring. Furthermore, the breaker can handle 15A indefinitly under standard test conditions, which are close to ideal. Your breaker box may not be ideal. Breakers are thermal devices, so self heating and heating from other breakers can be a problem. If your breaker is hot, it will pop sooner than if it is cold. The more current that flows through it, the hotter it will get. If you are overloading circuits the easiest thing to do is to break the circuit up into multiple circuits. The exact implementation will depend on the situation.


Can you have multiple rooms on one circuit breaker?

It all depends on the load potential on each circuit. There are rules in the national Electric Code on how many outlets per 15 or 20 Amp circuits. As a worse case you will trip the breaker on a regular basis with more potential load. Also the wire size and devices must be compatible on both circuits.----------------------------Answer for USAThe code allows 2 wires connected to one breaker so long as the two wires are the same size and both are either stranded or solid, and not one stranded and the other solid. This prohibits the terminal from being tight on the larger wire and loose on the smaller wire. Many local jurisdictions do not allow this as it often involves this problem and shows a lack of professional workmanship.As for the word 'circuit', on any single pole breaker there can be only one circuit. Even if two wires are terminated, there is still only one circuit. It is no different than if you run one wire out to a junction box and branched off in two different directions from there. And running a single set of wires, hot/neutral/ground, out to a junction box and branching off from there is a more professional installation. It prohibits the look of poor workmanship in the panel and allows for the splicing of different sized or solid and stranded wires. All wires must be sized for the breaker as if it were the only wire on the circuit.When making modifications or repairs to older homes it is sometimes necessary to do what is necessary given the circumstances. Yes, I have landed more than one wire on a breaker. Yes, I have landed different sized wires on a single breaker. But you must be sure the wires are tight and not be guessing.Before you do any work yourselfon circuits, equipment or appliances,ensure the circuit is, in fact, OFF.IF YOU ARE NOT ALREADY SURE YOU CAN DO THIS JOBSAFELY AND COMPETENTLYREFER THIS WORK TO QUALIFIED PROFESSIONALS.


Why does the breaker in the house keep tripping?

The breaker in the house keeps tripping because it is designed to protect the electrical system from overloading or short circuits, which can be caused by too many appliances running at once or faulty wiring.