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Thread: White neutral goes to breaker
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06-01-2020, 04:36 PM #1
White neutral goes to breaker
Just looked at a panel (house built in 1966) where the white neutral wire was connected to one of the two connections on a 30 amp breaker for the AC unit. It was done a second time on another 30 amp breaker but no idea what that breaker was for. I read this is sometimes done for GFCI protection. Is that the case and is this in any way appropriate?
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06-01-2020, 05:40 PM #2
Re: White neutral goes to breaker
The white on a 2 pole breaker is the second leg of the 240 volt circuit. It is not a neutral. Later codes would have required it to be marked as a hot. This is pretty basic and should have been covered in your training.
All answers based on unamended National Electrical codes.
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06-01-2020, 07:59 PM #3
Re: White neutral goes to breaker
Without an image, it's difficult to say for sure, but I suspect at least one double-pole, 240v breaker. If it's a GFCI breaker, then you will see a black and a white run to the breaker, but the white will typically not have a terminal but will be hard-wired and pigtailed to the neutral conductor in the panel enclosure. If it's a double-pole breaker (probably is), then as Jim said, it was done to make a 240v circuit using a two-wire with ground (black, white, & EGC) cable rather than a three-wire with ground (black, red, white, & EGC). Given that they are connected to 30a breakers and one is for the A/C, then it's probably a double-pole breaker and I would guess the other is as well. You can use your voltage tester to see if you have 240v between the two terminals.
Was there an electric range or oven?
Or, a pic could help.
Jim's correct. I recommend you bone-up on electrical. If you aren't certain about that, then you are likely missing a great deal of stuff in a panel. A great information source is Electrical Inspections of Existing Dwellings by Douglas Hansen. Don't forget the Code Check series as well.
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06-02-2020, 04:00 AM #4
Re: White neutral goes to breaker
Every GFCI circuit breaker that I have ever seen has a terminal for the circuit neutral conductor.
Last edited by Brad Richter; 06-02-2020 at 04:16 AM.
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06-02-2020, 12:52 PM #5
Re: White neutral goes to breaker
Department of Redundancy Department
Supreme Emperor of Hyperbole
http://www.FullCircleInspect.com/
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06-02-2020, 01:13 PM #6
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06-03-2020, 08:20 AM #7
Re: White neutral goes to breaker
Department of Redundancy Department
Supreme Emperor of Hyperbole
http://www.FullCircleInspect.com/
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