Electrical Question

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In looking at my breaker box, the 220V circuit in the garage has two 30 amp breakers tied together.  I am assuming that this is not cumulative.  Ie., this is a 30 amp circuit, not 60 amp.  Is this correct?
Reply:Originally Posted by morgaj1In looking at my breaker box, the 220V circuit in the garage has two 30 amp breakers tied together.  I am assuming that this is not cumulative.  Ie., this is a 30 amp circuit, not 60 amp.  Is this correct?
Reply:Thanks Ed.  That's what I was afraid of.  Another dumb question, is there a way to determine how many amps are available from the main feeding my house?  I would love to have a 60 amp circuit run in place of this one, but have no idea if there is another 30 amps availble on the input.
Reply:An idea what the main is and what other breakers you have in the panel would help. The simple way is to add up all the breakers and compare it to the main. However that doesn't mean you are limited to that total, since you seldom use all the power on any breaker at one time.example: My main is a 200 amp breaker.I have 6 15 amp breakers ( original brekers from before I upgraded my panel), 10 20 amp breakers, a 30 amp 230v ( old dryer not used right now), a 50 amp 230 v ( central air not used currently), 100 amp 230v subpanel for the garage. (Dryer, range, hot water heater and furnace are all gas and use 110v power)Garage panel has 2 50 amp 230v breakers ( welder and plasma) 3 20 amp breakers for outlets and a 15 amp breaker for lights.Even running the welder I doubt I draw more than 75-100 amps total at any one time.Last edited by DSW; 07-24-2011 at 09:31 PM..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:Originally Posted by morgaj1Thanks Ed.  That's what I was afraid of.  Another dumb question, is there a way to determine how many amps are available from the main feeding my house?  I would love to have a 60 amp circuit run in place of this one, but have no idea if there is another 30 amps availble on the input.
Reply:Originally Posted by morgaj1Thanks Ed.  That's what I was afraid of.  Another dumb question, is there a way to determine how many amps are available from the main feeding my house?  I would love to have a 60 amp circuit run in place of this one, but have no idea if there is another 30 amps availble on the input.
Reply:Originally Posted by WeldingMachineKeep in mind that you cannot just throw a bigger breaker into the slot, you MUST increase the wire size coming from it too.  Otherwise your wire might just become your fuse. In a bad way...
Reply:Not 100% sure what you mean, but if you add up the breakers in the main panel, you will find they total 2-3x the rating of the main breaker.  Reason is that everything is not used, and not used to capacity at once, of course.  What is the rating on you main breaker?  If it is a newer house it is probably 150A or 200A.  That would then be easy to do.If you want to add a 60A breaker for your new welder, go ahead, as long as you have space in the panel or replace something else with it (and use the correct size wire).  Worst case you will find that you are tripping the main breaker when you weld.  If that is the case, you will need to make sure other things are not running that will trip it.  AC would be the biggie, or other large motors starting up, like a large air compressor.  My guess is that, unless this is an old house with small service, you won't have any issues.-DaveXMT304 with: 22A Feeder, or HF251 Hi Freq DC TIG air cooled
Reply:Best thing would be to put a current clamp on your supply line in main box with your normal load on and see what it is.Millermatic 252millermatic 175miller 300 Thunderboltlincoln ranger 250smith torcheslots of bfh'sIf it dont fit get a bigger hammer
Reply:Originally Posted by davecNot 100% sure what you mean, but if you add up the breakers in the main panel, you will find they total 2-3x the rating of the main breaker.  Reason is that everything is not used, and not used to capacity at once, of course.  What is the rating on you main breaker?  If it is a newer house it is probably 150A or 200A.  That would then be easy to do.If you want to add a 60A breaker for your new welder, go ahead, as long as you have space in the panel or replace something else with it (and use the correct size wire).  Worst case you will find that you are tripping the main breaker when you weld.  If that is the case, you will need to make sure other things are not running that will trip it.  AC would be the biggie, or other large motors starting up, like a large air compressor.  My guess is that, unless this is an old house with small service, you won't have any issues.
Reply:Your original question.....No matter how many breakers you tie together in series in an electrical circuit - the circuit is still only capable of delivering a load of what the breaker with the lowest amp capacity rating is because it will trip first.  Once it trips out the circuit is dead and no longer available for use.Instead of asking what you did - I'd be asking why such a deal exists in my breaker panel. Because after seeing that it would make me now think either......1.  I don't know what I'm looking ator2. Who wired up this mess in the first place, and what else is wrong.No qualified electrician would daisy-chain breakers together in series, especially in a home that's only 2 years old.  The code would not allow that and the electrical would not pass inspection.Even is they were trying to get 220v by using two 120v breakers it would still not pass code inspection.So what you said you see in your breaker panel ----- don't need to be in there!!!!!!  And if your panel was not installed by a qualified person that knows the electrical code nor follows it - then I would now have it (and my homes panel also) inspected by a qualified electrical inspector for your and your family's safety.  I would do this because the electrical codes exist because of safety issues that happened with one didn't exist.  Its all about safety you know, especially when one's family is involved.Then I'd think about wiring up welding machines. lol     good luck manLaterLast edited by slowhand; 07-25-2011 at 08:28 PM.
Reply:Originally Posted by slowhandYour original question.....No matter how many breakers you tie together in series in an electrical circuit - the circuit is still only capable of delivering a load of what the breaker with the lowest amp capacity rating is because it will trip first.  Once it trips out the circuit is dead and no longer available for use.Instead of asking what you did - I'd be asking why such a deal exists in my breaker panel. Because after seeing that it would make me now think either......1.  I don't know what I'm looking ator2. Who wired up this mess in the first place, and what else is wrong.No qualified electrician would daisy-chain breakers together in series, especially in a home that's only 2 years old.  The code would not allow that and the electrical would not pass inspection.Even is they were trying to get 220v by using two 120v breakers it would still not pass code inspection.So what you said you see in your breaker panel ----- don't need to be in there!!!!!!  And if your panel was not installed by a qualified person that knows the electrical code nor follows it - then I would now have it (and my homes panel also) inspected by a qualified electrical inspector for your and your family's safety.  I would do this because the electrical codes exist because of safety issues that happened with one didn't exist.  Its all about safety you know, especially when one's family is involved.Then I'd think about wiring up welding machines. lol     good luck manLater
Reply:Originally Posted by morgaj1In looking at my breaker box, the 220V circuit in the garage has two 30 amp breakers tied together.  I am assuming that this is not cumulative.  Ie., this is a 30 amp circuit, not 60 amp.  Is this correct?
Reply:Originally Posted by Welding_SwedeSo, I think you made some assumptions and suggestions that are probably not relevant to this issue.E.
Reply:Originally Posted by Welding_SwedeI believe the OP's original question is referencing a single, double-pole breaker. I'm thinking that's what he means by "tied together".A double-pole breaker is the absolutely correct way to provision a 220V circuit in most load centers. So, I think you made some assumptions and suggestions that are probably not relevant to this issue.E.
Reply:In my trade i have seen  breakers from a meter base feeding breakers mounted in a panel.The intent was to be able to kill the panel without going to the main, or the fact that older meter bases didnt always have breakers so they put them in the panel instead giving the service entrance conductors no real protection. Then if the meterbase gets replaced for rust or corrosion, then you end up with 2 breakers. Hopefully sized to protect the wire.Oz