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Splitting a 220v breaker?

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Bkpigs

Member
Just got to pondering, is a 220v breaker the same as two 110v breakers married together by the bar between the switches? So if a guy were in a pinch he could theoretically remove the plastic connecting bar and use one for two separate 110v circuits? Just day dreaming.
 
Most of the double pole breakers can be replaced with 2 single pole breakers to do what you want, and shouldn't create any problems with an inspector.

Myron
 
thats the way the original owners here set up the workshop. One switch gives me 120v. If I want to use the welder (240v), throw the other switch. Guess they didn't want the 240 hot all the time as the welder was rarely used. The 120v wiring goes on from the workshop to the cabin, barn, tractor shed & lil barn.
 
I once made a 220v 4 way plug in to use on a construction site. I split it off in 2-110 circuits inside the box. Since I plugged my box into the 220v socket on the temp pole, no one would use my box.
Everyone was amazed that I had power when they didnt. Someone commented that I was using 220v on all my tools, and no one would bother my plugin...I didnt have the heart to tell them otherwise.
 
And at what amperage? Each side of a welder plug is too high amperage for a 15 or 20 amp circuit. Super dangerous.
 
If you look close in an electric panel every other breaker is hooked to the opposite leg of the power coming in. So all a 220V breaker does is give you 110V from each leg coming in. It is electrically the same as two 110V breakers that are side by side.

I have used breakers in both directions to get by until I could get the breaker I needed. Plus years ago 220V breakers where much higher than two 110V breakers. So if you needed 30 amps of 220V you could buy two 30 amp 110V breakers cheaper.

I have also seen some older breaker setup that they all where single breakers. Then they used a crimped metal connector across the two breakers handles for the 220V breakers.
 
A 240 volt breaker is nothing more then a TWO POLE breaker which is connected to BOTH hot phase legs L1 & L2 in a 120/240 volt single phase three wire panelboard. THEREFORE there exists between one/either of its output terminals and the Neutral GrounDED Buss 120 volts......

If you use BOTH legs (as you would for a 240 volt branch circuit) there exists between the two pole breaker output terminals 240 volts as thats the voltage from L1 to L2.......

If you examine the panelboard feeder busses which the breakers plug into, you will see that hot phase leg L1 and the other hot phase leg L2 alternate, therefore, two single pole breakers side by side are each fed from different phases, L1 or L2 and remember L1 to L2 = 240 volts but either leg to the Neutral GrounDED Conductor is only half that or 120 volts.

So YES if a two pole breaker is physically seperated into two single pole breakers, either could "work" as a 120 volt single pole breaker with 120 volts from its output to Neutral.

John T Too dern long Retired Electrical Engineer
 
NOT sure about other brands, but double pole breakers from Eaton/Cutler Hammer have an INTERNAL mechanical link trip connection in addition to the bridge across the handles.
 
(quoted from post at 02:33:02 09/23/13) Just got to pondering, is a 220v breaker the same as two 110v breakers married together by the bar between the switches? So if a guy were in a pinch he could theoretically remove the plastic connecting bar and use one for two separate 110v circuits? Just day dreaming.
Click to expand...

You can actually go the other way as well - make two single 110/120 breakers into a 220/240v - most breakers have a hole drilled through the lever that you can slip a nail through to double them up mechanically.
 
1. The cost of a breaker is minimal.
2. Trying to invent your own electrical is a mistake.
 
You are right, some have just one switch and an internal connection. Some are 2 110v breakers connected together with long rivits and a plastic cap over the two switches. I have some 220 breakers go bad, removed the rivit and then
BUBBA can use a 110v breaker.
 
Yes ,, But no electrical equipment can really be field modified and keep a UL approval. I remember some ITE panels where guys would cut a slot in a GE to make it fit the deeper bus.If it is on two single multi-wire branch circuits it is code to keep it as a two pole anyway. This way both circuits in the three wire box get shut off for service.Modifying in general is kinda bad practice and often easier to get new ---- unless the supply house you deal with doesn't have that but a close but no cigar then you do end up doing stupid stuff like hacking a deeper slot into one.
 
Exactly.

Since they sit right next to each other, they will each be on the two seperate service legs from the main. Two single pole single throw 50 amp (or whatever rating) circuit breakers sitting right next to each other, joined at the throws with a finishing nail down the holes through them to cause both throws to react at the same time will work the same as a double pole single throw circuit breaker occupying two slots. However, it may be more expensive buying the seprate breakers to make one. About the only double pole single throw 220 circuit breaker not made might be a 15 amp, but I can't think of anything rated at 15 amp service for 220. Not that there isn't, but I don't recall ever running across such.

Mark
 
What happens when the breaker on one leg trips off but the other leg stays on? For the small price difference I'd want both legs to trip off together, better protection and safer for the person troubleshooting a problem.
 
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