Thread: Electrical baseboard breakers got me confused.

Hi,

As usual, I see the red and black wire plugged on the electrical baseboard breakers.
However, I usually see a double breaker which on it is written 20amps once.

This time I see a double breaker and on it is written 15 amps twice instead of 20 amps once. Does it mean this equals 30 amps in total and is this situation ok? Or does It equal 15amps and it should be changed for a 20amps?

Is this safe for the condo?

Thank you

A breaker with a 15 on the handle is still a 15. Two handles saying 15 does not make it a 30.

The breaker size is based on the load. It may not need to be a 20, nor is it guaranteed that the wire is #12 to handle a 20 amp breaker.

Originally Posted by Eli Smith

Hi,

As usual, I see the red and black wire plugged on the electrical baseboard breakers.
However, I usually see a double breaker which on it is written 20amps once.

This time I see a double breaker and on it is written 15 amps twice instead of 20 amps once. Does it mean this equals 30 amps in total and is this situation ok? Or does It equal 15amps and it should be changed for a 20amps?

Is this safe for the condo?

Thank you

15 amps is the total amps. If the heaters are rated for 20 amps you need new breakers with the correct size feeder wires if they are also undersized.

Originally Posted by Eli Smith

Hi,

As usual, I see the red and black wire plugged on the electrical baseboard breakers.
However, I usually see a double breaker which on it is written 20amps once.

This time I see a double breaker and on it is written 15 amps twice instead of 20 amps once. Does it mean this equals 30 amps in total and is this situation ok? Or does It equal 15amps and it should be changed for a 20amps?

Is this safe for the condo?

Thank you

In this case you have a 15 amp 240 volt circuit. Electric heat may be on either a 15, 20 or 30 amp circuit. As long as the wire guage is correct and the total amperage doesn't go over the breaker your ok. Simply in this case he electrician has chosen to wire the heaters up only till they equal close to 15 amps. Fewer heaters per circuit but more circuits. Either that its a small house.

Originally Posted by Mbrooke

In this case you have a 15 amp 240 volt circuit. Electric heat may be on either a 15, 20 or 30 amp circuit. As long as the wire guage is correct and the total amperage doesn't go over the breaker your ok. Simply in this case he electrician has chosen to wire the heaters up only till they equal close to 15 amps. Fewer heaters per circuit but more circuits. Either that its a small house.

Very helpful thank you and thx to everyone else too!

Eli,
As a side note. The reason you see 15 twice is due to the use of two breakers combined with a bar for a 240v. You may be use to seeing a breaker twice as wide as a single breaker with one 15 or 20 handle. Just a design/manufacture difference.

Originally Posted by Garry Sorrells

As a side note. The reason you see 15 twice is due to the use of two breakers combined with a bar for a 240v.

That is a standard Siemens 2-pole breaker. In fact, most 2-pole breakers look like this.
Besides SqD QO series you won't see too many other single-handle 2-pole breakers, and most other double-handle still look like the pic above.
I am very surprised the OP is not familiar with this.

And as others have stated, you NEVER add up the numbers on the handles. If you reported this as an oversized 30A breaker you'd get some colorful responses from anyone called in to check it.

The only other multi pole breakers besides SQ D QO/QOB that I can think of that have a single handle, are older Westinghouse & Zinsco of 1960's vintage.


This does not include any larger frame breakers that would not be likely to be found in a residence.