Circuit Breaker Connector

Depends where you are and what the code says.

Back on the farm, it wouldn't matter.

Most manufactures make a clip on bridging handle. Shouldn't cost more than £2-00

"Illegal"? Why? Who is going to prosecute?

So one circuit overload pulls both breakers? What is the point of that? Why not leave the other circuit running?

There's something odd going on with the downstream wiring, and it isn't in British Standard 7671, if that's what the word "illegal" is supposed to mean.

Its a north American standard where 240 volt AC is supplied by two 120 volt lines 180 degrees out of phase thus making two breakers necessary on any residential 240 volt circuit.

The forum doesn't know that the original poster is on the North Island of the Americas, because it hasn't been stated.

The installation still falls outside British Standard 7671.

OK, so why are the two breakers linked together at all in a two-phase system? Surely the first one to release would disconnect the overload current, so why link them together? One runs the risk of the opening mechanism on one having to operate the opening mechanism on the other irrespective the second one not tripping, which might be the case if the breakers are not identical. If the fault is to earth, then both breakers will operate though not necessarily at exactly the same time.

If isolation is required, then is the time to turn off both breakers.

_{'Curious' of Dodman's lane.}

So glad that you gave such a good and truthfull answer.

This is so funny. I ran across this today with a 240V 2 Pole 5HP Grinder pump.

One of the past "electricians" in this plant did just that with 14 Gage solid wire. Well it tripped off the #7 Breaker, but because it was only 14 Gage wire, #5 Breaker remained on burning out this pump. Now, that said. I do, do this for 2 pole and 3 pole by using 10 Gage solid wire or a roll pin to lock them together. I have never had an issue as the 10 Gage is a perfect fit if I don't have the correct length roll pin. I do also change these out if using the 10 Gage wire to the proper breaker after I order them and only do this in a pinch when making changes to our services. At my location, change is constant... Unfortunately, this pump pumps all the sewage out of the building. They can not replace the pump till tomorrow and the Sh!t is backing up!

Plumber found a plastic plate that jammed the impeller. Had the Circuit breaker tripped both 5 & 7, we would not have had to replace the pump and had the expensive service call, replacement pump expense or backed up Sh!t.

Any common line conductors need a common trip breaker. The little plastic or metal tye bars do not always work. If you have a Zensco or FPE panel you may want an electrician to install a new breaker, as I have had them blow up on me several times in the 35 years as an electrician. Buy a new breaker and install it. The cost cannot out weigh your life and your biggest investment (your family and property). Hopefully you are not the landload. Good advice on the insurance company too. If you were my nieghbor I would do it for you free. Good Luck my friend.

If you have a FPE panel, you may want an electrician install a new PANEL. Those things are notoriously unreliable. There is a reason they don't make 'em anymore.