Ek's Home   |   Forum   |   Chat   |   Electrical Links   |
	Subject - Need help with understanding 2 pole breakers... plh650 Hello, I'm looking to install a 40 amp 2 pole breaker and need a little help understanding the wire selection. When a 2 pole breaker says it's 40amps does this mean 20amps per pole or 40 amp per pole, with a total draw of 80 amps? If it's 20 amps per pole, then using 12/3 would be the minimum required wire? If it's 20 amp per pole, then using two sigle pole 20 amp breakers in parallel equals one 2 pole 40 amp breaker? TIA! JimmyDee A 40 amp 2 pole breaker will allow 40 amps per leg to flow. I guess you could think of it as 40 amps x 120 volts but this is not really true. It is designed to feed a 240 volt load at 40 amps. Jim blackrd Has this turned into a DIY hotline? Electricman blackrd, I too have noticed the influx of DIY posts, be careful how you answer. lctrc789 40 Amp breakers you should install a minimum of # 8 wire that means that each 120 volt lead has 40 amp capacity, just as a 100 amp breaker says 100 amp that means 100 amp per 120 volt or like Jimmy says 100 amp 240 volts..... blackrd I dont mind helping others if they are wanting to learn, (thats why I am here to learn from others), some of these questions really give me the willys. I for one dont know everything and freely admit it. But some day....