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Author: Admin | 2025-04-28
Generally, an average residential house has 120V and 240V circuits to run various appliances and equipment. To protect these power supplies, we also utilize single-pole and double-pole breakers.A single-pole circuit breaker can provide 120 volts, while a double-pole one can provide 240 volts.If you want to learn more about 240v breaker vs 120v breaker, check out the comparison below.Table of Contents120V Breakers vs 240V BreakersWhat is a 120V Circuit Breaker?How Does 120V Work?What is a 240V Circuit Breaker?How Does 240v Work?Differences Between 1 Pole vs 2 Pole BreakerPros and Cons of 240V and 120V BreakersCost of InstallationFAQsConclusion120V Breakers vs 240V BreakersWhat is a 120V Circuit Breaker?120V circuit breakers, often called single pole breakers, are used for a standard circuit in a house. It typically has a 15 to 20 amp rating to offer service to most lighting and other low-power domestic equipment.Normally, a 120V circuit breaker only occupies one load center slot. However, there is also a tandem breaker that has the same size as a single pole breaker and utilizes one slot in the load center as well.This tandem breaker is a dual 120V CB and is frequently used when there is insufficient space in load centers for a new circuit. This device is not the same as a double pole breaker that can provide 240V service, as it serves two 120V lines instead of one 240V supply.How Does 120V Work?A load center has two main bus bars, each with a power of 120V that comes from a transformer. In this case, a 120V circuit breaker uses one hot bus bar and two wires, or hot and neutral connections.However, as time passes, NEC standards have evolved and require a third wire for grounding to ensure additional safety.What is a 240V Circuit Breaker?A circuit breaker 240V is also known as a double-pole circuit breaker. It is mainly used to protect a dedicated circuit for high-power appliances such as electric ranges, air conditioners, and more.This breaker is rated chiefly from 20 to 60 amps. Since a 240V breaker is as big as two 120v breakers, it takes up two places in a load center.Some manufacturers put the 240V breaker’s bridge switch inside the device. In this case, you may find some double pole circuit breakers with only one switch.How Does 240v Work?As previously mentioned, a load center has two 120V main bus bars, which are used by a double-pole circuit breaker to provide a 240V power supply.Essentially, three wires are used to get 240V at home circuit line. These eventually become four according to NEC standards. They include two hot wires, a neutral wire, and a ground wire.Differences Between 1 Pole vs 2 Pole BreakerObviously, the main difference between a 120/240
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