Piggyback breaker?

[WyrTwister]

Well...I don't know if our guys are using the term correctly. I also heard the term quad bank or quad pack...quad something.

I don't understand why they did it like this, but here it is. Essentially it's just two single pole skinny breakers paired up per 240 load to catch both legs. You then have to connect them so if one trips they both trip. Simple as that. You'll note the middle two have a clip that fits over the throws, and the outer two are connected by a bracket with nipples that fit into a hole in the side of the throw. We're more used to seeing a bar or pin that connects the throws.

For the life of me, I can't understand why two regular fat breakers side by side would accomplish the same goal much easier. The load center wasn't built to accomodate any more breakers anyway, fat or skinny.

That is a MESS ! :-(

Hard to tell from the photo , but looks like the outside CB's may be toast ?

What brand are they ? The writing on one looked a little like GE ?

Here is an example of a quad

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Eaton-Cut...5#.UeUnspoo6cM

Here is a twin

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Eaton-20-...3#.UeUoNpoo6cN

Both are commonly used when you are running out of space in a loadcenter .

God bless
Wyr

[hurtinhvac]

That is a MESS ! :-(

Hard to tell from the photo , but looks like the outside CB's may be toast ?

What brand are they ? The writing on one looked a little like GE ?

Here is an example of a quad

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Eaton-Cut...5#.UeUnspoo6cM

Here is a twin

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Eaton-20-...3#.UeUoNpoo6cN

Both are commonly used when you are running out of space in a loadcenter .

God bless
Wyr

Closely resembles the quad, though mine were all single thin GE's. I don't understand the space saving thing. Whether they are a "quad" of 2 double poles, a quad of single poles, or just two double pole breakers...same amount of space. In my old Fed Pac stab loc panel I switched out a couple single pole fatties and went with skinnier ones - two skinnies could fit the space of one fatty. Now that's saving space.

In this contraption you are not going to fit anymore in no matter what you do... "Piggy back" must simply mean the peg or bracket that forces both legs to trip if one does?

Thank you, Wyr.

[WyrTwister]

Closely resembles the quad, though mine were all single thin GE's. I don't understand the space saving thing. Whether they are a "quad" of 2 double poles, a quad of single poles, or just two double pole breakers...same amount of space. In my old Fed Pac stab loc panel I switched out a couple single pole fatties and went with skinnier ones - two skinnies could fit the space of one fatty. Now that's saving space.

In this contraption you are not going to fit anymore in no matter what you do... "Piggy back" must simply mean the peg or bracket that forces both legs to trip if one does?

Thank you, Wyr.

Standard or " fatty " CB's are approximately 1" per space .

The quad in the link was ~ 2" and resulted in two , separate , 240 /120 VAC circuits .

The twin in the link I send was ~ 1" and resulted in two , separate , 120 VAC circuits .

The FPE loadcenter you speak of is one of the worst loadcenter / CB systems I have run into and the thin ( ~ 1/2" ) are about the worst of the worst CB's .

I am not saying this to disrespect you . You are stuck with what you are stuck with .

The photo did show four 1" CB's . With handle ties . this would result in 2 separate 240/120 VAC circuits .

They may have done it this way in order to accommodate the way the buss bars were arranged / laid out ?

God bless
Wyr

[hurtinhvac]

Standard or " fatty " CB's are approximately 1" per space .

The quad in the link was ~ 2" and resulted in two , separate , 240 /120 VAC circuits .

The twin in the link I send was ~ 1" and resulted in two , separate , 120 VAC circuits .

The FPE loadcenter you speak of is one of the worst loadcenter / CB systems I have run into and the thin ( ~ 1/2" ) are about the worst of the worst CB's .

I am not saying this to disrespect you . You are stuck with what you are stuck with .

The photo did show four 1" CB's . With handle ties . this would result in 2 separate 240/120 VAC circuits .

They may have done it this way in order to accommodate the way the buss bars were arranged / laid out ?

God bless
Wyr

Ah...I see - thanks!