If the # on it is 50, it handles 50 amps on each side. #6 wire is appropriate. You can get by with #8 depending on the load it serves like a range.

 

50 total

 

Not as the OP asked " 50 amp total 25 on each side".
A 2 pole breaker allows the rating on each of the 2 sides, but not the rating x 2.

 

A 50 amp 2 pole breaker is basically made of 2, 50 amp single pole breakers (not 2, 25 amp breakers).

So yes, each wire needs to be able to handle 50 amps, and if both wires were pulling 50 amps, the total amp draw of the device would still be considered 50 amps.

If you were to look at it on an oscilloscope, each wire wouldn't actually be pulling full amperage at the same time. As the sine wave goes up on one wire, it's going down on the other wire, so that's why it's not added together.

I kind of just made that explanation up off of the top of my head, but I think that's how it works.

 

First of all thanks for the replies!

Second, it is safe to assume then whoever wired this assumed they would never go past 30 amps or just had no clue, the wire running to the garage off of this breaker is 10/3.....so the circuit would not trip in time if I ever did happen to pull over 30 amps. If I can find the proper breakers for this box considering just switching them to a 30 amp double, I can't see ever needing more than that kind of power in the garage. Seems it would be much cheaper and simpler to do that than run 6 gauge wire all the way through. Looks like another thing that needs to be fixed

 

Yes 10/3 should be protected by 30 amp breaker.