Question about circuit breakers and 220v vs 110v???

[kenimpzoom]

Guys, the circuit breaker on my A/C died and the guy said it is a special circuit breaker made in Canada, had to get it from the main warehouse.<br /><br />Of course its a high dollar part.<br /><br />I do know that all my circuit breakers are the narrow kind and are in different colors (red, blue, and black). Also I know that the A/C breaker is a double narrow breaker.<br /><br />Any idea what kind of breakers, and is this guy pulling my leg?<br /><br />Of course this had to happen the day I left the country. The repairman said he finally got the breaker to switch on, but it still needs replacing. I am at his mercy this time, trying to find out for next time.<br /><br />Thanks, Ken

 

[tommays]

Re: Question about circuit breakers and 220v vs 110v???

mine has a kind of 2 pole breaker with in a 2 pole breaker that fits in one doubble spot.<br /><br />Its the only one i have ever seen like it ?<br /><br />one is for the compressor and one for the air handler it shuts both if eather has a problem<br /><br />tommays

 

[fireship1]

Re: Question about circuit breakers and 220v vs 110v???

Do you know off hand who makes your service panel?

 

[Ron G]

Re: Question about circuit breakers and 220v vs 110v???

It should be just a double pole breaker,unless its a real old house.

 

[Ron G]

Re: Question about circuit breakers and 220v vs 110v???

Is this inside at the main panel or at the disconect beside the unit?

 

[sangerwaker]

Re: Question about circuit breakers and 220v vs 110v???

Ken,<br />Check the manufacturer of the panel if the tag is still inside the door. Sounds like an old Westingouse panel. They had color coded breakers. Some of the older stuff is not made any longer and can be expensive to replace. Sometimes the breakers are so expensive, it's cheaper to change out the whole panel.<br /><br />Post back if you can find the manufacturer.

 

[kenimpzoom]

Re: Question about circuit breakers and 220v vs 110v???

No idea who the maker is, but I will find out when I get home in two weeks.<br /><br />The house was built in 1977.<br /><br />The breaker was inside the main panel.<br /><br />Thanks, Ken

 

[Trac 2]

Re: Question about circuit breakers and 220v vs 110v???

Post what kind of service panel this breaker is from, what voltage the A/C is (I assume it is 240) and what the amperage of the breaker is. I am an electrician in Canada and if you send me an email through the forum, I will try to source and get price so at least you know if you are being ripped off or not.<br />Hope this helps<br />Bob

 

[crab bait]

Re: Question about circuit breakers and 220v vs 110v???

westinghouse an bryant are/where diff colored handles but i'm sure there are more brands multi-colors ,also..<br /><br />yes a 2 pole slim is not common..thats for sure..<br /><br />if'n all your breakers are slim then YES,, you need a 2 pole slim.. no way to make room/free up spaces to put a full size 2 pole in it's stead..

 

[fireship1]

Re: Question about circuit breakers and 220v vs 110v???

I'm completely rewiring a kitchen and bathroom right now. Have been taking trips to the local Home Creepo as well as the wholesale electrical supply. I saw what you are talking about at Home Creepo. Two pole slim. Fits into one slot. Try to find out what service panel you have. If it turns out to be a compatible panel I can pick one up for 'ya and drop it in the mail.

 

[sangerwaker]

Re: Question about circuit breakers and 220v vs 110v???

While other brands may fit, it's important to use a breaker that is listed for use in the panel. Otherwise you void the UL listing on the panel. <br /><br />Post back a brand and listed breaker types if you can find it when you get home, Ken. <br /><br />Fireship, what you saw at Depot is probably a GE type THQP or an FPE. Both are currently readily available at the homecenters. Ge's are roughly 15 bucks, while that FPE will probably be 30-40 bucks. Maybe more.

 

[Johnshan1]

Re: Question about circuit breakers and 220v vs 110v???

Dont confuse a double pole breaker for the cheater breakers that run on the same phase....

 

[kenimpzoom]

Re: Question about circuit breakers and 220v vs 110v???

I still havent grasped the concept of single phase vs double phase.<br /><br />Is a 220 appliance actually two seperate 110 volt wires, or is each of the two hot wires carrying 220 v and share the common return. I am thinking of the electric dryer with two hot and one common wire.<br /><br />How many volts are running through the 3 wires (two insulated, one bare) coming to my house?<br /><br />Thanks,<br /><br />Ken

 

[ob]

Re: Question about circuit breakers and 220v vs 110v???

220 volt A/C carries 110 volts on each insulated leg.Two phases of 110 ,one neutral.The bare lead is a ground leg in case of a short or grounded appliance.If the load is 110 volts it is suppied from one leg or one 110 volt phase of the breaker box and the other leg is common or neutral.If the load uses 220 volts it gets its supply voltage from both legs or 110 volt phases and utilizes the same common or neutral.This allows 110 volt and 220 volt loads to be supplied from a common breaker panel.The 220/110 you use at your house is single phase.Three phase utilizes three hot legs and neutral is optional.I'm not aware of any double phase.

 

[fireship1]

Re: Question about circuit breakers and 220v vs 110v???

It works like this,<br /><br /><br /> 120v <--Transformer on pole from utility-->120v<br /> (Center tap is neutral)<br /><br />Transformer makes 120 volts at either end, the center tap is neutral. 120 volt legs are phased 180 degrees apart. Buss "A" in your panel = 120 volts. Buss "B" in your panel 120 volts Busses A+B = 240 volts.

 

[kenimpzoom]

Re: Question about circuit breakers and 220v vs 110v???

Thanks for the explanation.<br /><br />So it is actually wrong to call an appliance a 220V, it is really a double 110v, with the two 110v lines 180 degrees apart.<br /><br />So in a 220 v dryer, is one 110 v leg used for the heating element and the other 110 v leg used for the motor, or are the two 110v phases combined somehow?<br /><br />Same thing for the A/C? One phase for the compressor, one for the rest of the stuff, or ???<br /><br />Thanks, Ken

 

[tommays]

Re: Question about circuit breakers and 220v vs 110v???

MOST 220 V stuff use both legs for the motors and other high current draw items like heating elements<br /><br />Some times there will be a transformer for low voltage stuff sometimes everything is 220 it depends on how and when it was built.<br /><br /><br />tommays

 

[crab bait]

Re: Question about circuit breakers and 220v vs 110v???

man,, you guy's can confuse the pope on the lord's prayer..<br /><br />forget about how the voltage is derived at the transformer.. <br /><br />all you gotta know is the transformer takes a voltage in the thousands an spits out 2 hot legs of 120 v each an a nuetral leg..<br /><br />you can call a 240 v circut a "double 120' if you want.. ( nobody does ) an it would be correct.. 'double 120' = 240 v.. <br /><br />an appliance that is 240.. is made to run on 240 i.e. motor, heat elements, ect..

 

[crab bait]

Re: Question about circuit breakers and 220v vs 110v???

man,, you guy's can confuse the pope on the lord's prayer..<br /><br />forget about how the voltage is derived at the transformer.. <br /><br />all you gotta know is the transformer takes a voltage in the thousands an spits out 2 hot legs of 120 v each an a nuetral leg..<br /><br />you can call a 240 v circut a "double 120' if you want.. ( nobody does ) an it would be correct.. 'double 120' = 240 v.. <br /><br />an appliance that is 240.. is made to run on 240 i.e. motor, heat elements, ect.. <br /><br />some cases like a range will tap off of one leg an neutral to gain 120 v for clock , oven lite ,ect..

 

[fireship1]

Re: Question about circuit breakers and 220v vs 110v???

If you really want to get confusing we can bring up 3 phase power and 3 phase delta systems. Don't want to drive poor Ken crazy with all that. I think you explained it best to him Crab bait. Now we just need to find out what kind of service panel he has. Hey Ken. Off the top of my head Cutler Hammer is another brand of panel with colored handle breakers. Sound familiar at all?