4 pole 240 V breaker

[90cummins]

I was shopping for a 240V 3 phase breaker and came across a 4 pole 240V breaker.
Never heard of such a thing!
What would the application for this be?

 

[not2old]

The main breaker in my panel is 4 pole 200A 240V. Don't have enough electrical knowledge to understand why.

 

[oldnslo]

I believe the 4th circuit is for neutral wire. Adds another layer of protection since also breaks neutral leg when tripped.

 

[grsthegreat]

Nope, nope and nope

Those are called quad breakers. Most panels will allow you to remove 1 dual breaker and add this breaker. This will allow two separate 240 volt circuits.

But will generally only work on panels that have a notch in the bussbar.

For instance, a siemens 30/40 panel. Can either take a total of 30 full sized breakers, or the lower spaces can allow for these quad beakers (or twin breakers) to increase to 40 spaces.

Heres a siemens 30/40 panel. See the notches in the lower 5 posts of the copper bus bar.

 

[grsthegreat]

The main breaker in my panel is 4 pole 200A 240V. Don't have enough electrical knowledge to understand why.

Some panels use a 4 pole breaker, but its because each actual breaker was not able to carry the full load. Its just a cheaper way to make a panel. In other words, the left 2 breakers are one phase and the right 2 breakers are 1 phase. Has nothing to do with neutrals.

For example, this panel would feed 200amp through to a mobil home or house, while allowing 4 circuits at this panel.

 

[MAX-24-Dean]

As I recall they were only allowed if they were a factory assembly, meaning installed at the factory.
First saw them in the late 1970' or early 80's. ITE found a way to make a more competitive panel this way. Less cost to manufacture, it gave them a short term advantage in the market for a very short time.

 

[grsthegreat]

Ya, the 4 pole mains are still made and sold, but i hardly see them any longer.

 

[MAX-24-Dean]

Ya, the 4 pole mains are still made and sold, but i hardly see them any longer.

Thanks, I didn't know that they were still being manufactured.

 

[90cummins]

Ya, the 4 pole mains are still made and sold, but i hardly see them any longer.

So you would use it as a cheater breaker if you run out of space???
90cummins

 

[grsthegreat]

So you would use it as a cheater breaker if you run out of space???
90cummins

Yes, but not really cheating. As long as the buss is notched. Siemens makes breakers for panels that arnt notched, but there expensive. The NEC did away with max breakers allowed in panels awhile ago.