I’m sort of embarrassed to ask this, but it never occured to me until someone asked me just now… Are 2 pole breakers rated in A per pole or total? That is to say, is a 2 pole breaker that’s marked “30” on the handle actually for a 60 amp circuit?
Discussion Forum
Discussion Forum
Up Next
Video Shorts
Featured Story

Join some of the most experienced and recognized building professionals for two days of presentations, panel discussions, networking, and more.
Featured Video
Video: Build a Fireplace, Brick by BrickHighlights
Fine Homebuilding Magazine
- Home Group
- Antique Trader
- Arts & Crafts Homes
- Bank Note Reporter
- Cabin Life
- Cuisine at Home
- Fine Gardening
- Fine Woodworking
- Green Building Advisor
- Garden Gate
- Horticulture
- Keep Craft Alive
- Log Home Living
- Military Trader/Vehicles
- Numismatic News
- Numismaster
- Old Cars Weekly
- Old House Journal
- Period Homes
- Popular Woodworking
- Script
- ShopNotes
- Sports Collectors Digest
- Threads
- Timber Home Living
- Traditional Building
- Woodsmith
- World Coin News
- Writer's Digest
Replies
It is amps per pole.
"That is to say, is a 2 pole breaker that's marked "30" on the handle actually for a 60 amp circuit?"
No, it is a 30amp, 240v (or TWO 30amp 120v) circuit. VS, a single pole breaker would be ONE 30 amp 120v circuit.
Thanks Bill, that's what I though even if I was expressing it imprecisely. In other words if there is a device with a total draw of 60 amps @220, the breaker would be a 30 amp 2 pole... right?
The device and the breaker are rated the same.
A device requiring 60 amps at 220 volts will need a two pole breaker rated at least 60 amps.
No, a 30 amp, 2 pole breaker allows for 30 amps to flow in one hot leg through one pole and back out the other hot leg on the other pole.For a net 30 amps at 240 volts or 7200 watts.A 60 amp 240v load would have 60 amps in each leg and require a 60 amp breaker.
I always think of the two-pole 240v breakers as two single-pole 120v breakers with the same rating and ONE handle. Once in a while I see two singles used with a metal clip that gangs the handles together.