Double pole CH breaker ??

James Con · 07-09-2008, 12:26 AM

Hey all. I am replacing a double pole breaker in my panel, It's a Cutler Hammer ch 20 amp. By the breakers lugs there are stickers. By one lug it says common trip. And the other sticker by the other lug just has the breaker ratings. Would the common trip be the black wire in the 240 circuit? And why would there be a common trip side of the breaker shouldn't both legs be equally protected.

Pudge565 · 07-09-2008, 12:53 AM

The common trip probably means that if one pole of the breaker is overloaded it will trip both poles (which is required by code).

BigJimmy · 07-09-2008, 01:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by James Con

Would the common trip be the black wire in the 240 circuit? And why would there be a common trip side of the breaker shouldn't both legs be equally protected.

"Common trip" simply means that either breaker tripping will open both conductors, i.e. both "legs" via a handle that ties both handles together. Color has nothing to do with it! In a 240V circuit breaker, both poles are designed to open simultaneously. If not (i.e. if only one pole opened, the other would remain closed presenting a life and/or fire hazard).

Jimmy

James Con · 07-09-2008, 01:59 AM

Ahh! Being it is a doublepole they trip simultaneously as needed in a mwbc. So by them saying common trip they mean both trip at once because of the handle ties. I thought maybe it had to do with which wire (Black, White) goes to a certain lug which did not make sense cause both sides of the breaker are identical. What threw me off was the word Common. Makes sense now. Thanks

fw2007 · 07-09-2008, 04:18 PM

CH probably should not have placed the lable "common trip" next to one of the lugs.
When in doubt, you can always go to the web site and look at the specs.

FW

Pudge565 · 07-09-2008, 11:28 PM

Or if you want to be a smart @$$ you caould take it that the breaker is going to trip alot.

BigJimmy · 07-09-2008, 11:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pudge565

Or if you want to be a smart @$$ you caould take it that the breaker is going to trip alot.

Umm, ok, I don't get it?

Pudge565 · 07-10-2008, 12:41 AM

Meaning that it tripping would become very common.