How Does A Tandem Circuit Breaker Work

A tandem circuit breaker is a double circuit breaker that takes up the space of a single circuit breaker on a panelboard.

How does a tandem circuit breaker work. A tandem breaker is the same size as any other standard or single pole breaker but it has a key difference. The use of tandem circuit breakers is a perfectly acceptable practice as long as the panelboard is designed for tandem circuit breakers and they re installed in locations within the panelboard. A tandem circuit breaker is a double circuit breaker that takes up the space of a single circuit breaker on a panel board. The circuit breaker is an absolutely essential device in the modern world and one of the most important safety mechanisms in your home.

You ll also hear them called duplex slimline twin half height half inch double and wafer breakers depending on local customs. If you look at a slot that was made for a single circuit breaker and instead you find two narrow breakers you ve identified a tandem breaker. Their name says it all. This limits the ability to use a single 3 wire cable to feed both circuits as is sometimes done for kitchen countertop circuits and in other applications.

That allows you to add new breakers when your breaker box doesn t have any new slots open for it. Each has its own toggle switch and the breaker snaps into the panel just like a regular breaker. The primary function of a circuit breaker is to protect the wire from overheating referred to as an overload and fault currents referred to as a short circuit. This breaker sports two smaller breakers built into one regular sized breaker body.

Whenever electrical wiring in a building has too much current flowing through it these simple machines cut the power until somebody can fix the problem. Assuming your circuit panel is cleared to accept a tandem breaker you can install it the same way you install a regular breaker. Since a tandem circuit breaker uses only one space in the breaker box it is connected to one of the hot bus bars and therefore uses only one phase of power. Because tandem circuit breakers allow for two circuits to be installed on a panel board in a one circuit breaker space they re typically used after a panel board has been filled to capacity with standard circuit breakers.

A tandem breaker supplies two separate 120 volt circuits. Many electricians even call them cheater breakers for their ability to fit two into. Tandem breakers are extremely easy to identify.