Electrical tip for Guido and George

Bob

Well-known Member
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DISCLAIMER: found on 'net/it's a JOKE/DON'T try this at home!
 
If you look closely at a 220v breaker, they take two 110v breakers, use a long rivets to bond the breakers together then use a gismo that couples the two breaker levers together.

I've had one side of 220v go bad, drilled out the rivets and used the good side as a 110 breaker. It may not be to code, but you could use the gismo that couples the two breakers together and make your own 220v breaker.

I've seen BUBBA and BILL use a wire to couple two breakers together.
 
Yeah, anyone can see that wire is way too small for that lol. Square D makes a little breaker handle lock that mounts with a set screw over the handle to prevent people from turning that breaker off, it's usually used for fire alarms/equipment, just an FYI.
 
On a modern breaker that would not stop it from tripping. but it would make re-setting it a pain. Not sure of the older breakers but I would guess the same would apply.
 
There ya go, Billy Bob and Bubba would be proud, after all they did it that way and all worked fine for years, how can you argue with that??????? They also wired their garage while downing a case of beer and by golly it still works fine!!!!!!!!!!! As yall know in the old fuse panels a penny would work as a fuse replacement WHO NEEDS THE NEC ANYWAY !!!

John T
 
Singles are used on 240v circuits also (in pairs) where a pin is inserted between the two levers in addition to a mechanism for holding them together. The idea is to ensure that both breakers clear the circuit totally removing power from the faulting mechanism.
 
When I have a breaker that I don't want turned off or on I put a piece of red tape over it, my family knows that means something special, and think before you take the tape off!
 
When moving an air circuit breaker to the closed position you either placing an internal spring under tension or compression and a catch or latch holds the contacts closed against spring. When amp limit is exceeded the catch or latch is moved to release the spring and open the contacts quickly to stop current flow. Position of closing/opening handle is independent of spring and affected very slightly.
 
You are right. It will still trip if overloaded. Perhaps it was wired like that so no one would turn it off accidently.
 
Another hot tip for those still in the fuse era vs CB era and don't have a penny handy but still have their handy pocket knife. Saves a penny, too! Your 'trim' sets current rating. :)
 

As previously stated. It will still trip under thermal over load or interrupt a short circuit.
While rather crude , Bubba's wire job does keep the casual tinkerer from shutting off an essential circuit when they shut the lights off at night. Don't want to find a warm lunch fridge in the morning.
It's worrisome how many people use a breaker as a switch. Few breakers are rated for switch duty.
 
The exhaust fan in the bathroom at work is tied to the light. We have a guy who will use the bathroom, then turn out the light. Leaves it kinda smelly.

I've been threatening to do something like that to the bathroom light switch.
 
Hello Geo-TH,In,

If you look real close, all the breakers are 20's. Most likely a commercial building. Were I worked all the circuits were 20 amps,night lights were marked, the rest went off with the circuit breakers. Never had one fail!

GUIDO.
 
(quoted from post at 11:31:50 12/21/16) Perhaps it was wired like that so no one would turn it off accidently.

That's my thought. At a mill I worked at they would turn off the breakers to the control power so no one could start any of the three phase motors. In the middle of those breakers was one that supplied power to the security camera's and computers (I didn't wire it).
They where always turning that one off too so I'd put tape over it, but from time to time someone would take the tape off.
I finally moved that circuit to another beaker at the bottom of the panel.
 

Meanwhile in Australia we use a variety of fuses .

43396.jpg
 

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