I think your talking about two separate things. There are splits or half
size breakers, some are tandem and some are not, but regardless, the two
breakers occupy one section of panel buss. Then there are double pole splits
and quads, which occupy two sections of panel buss and are for 240 volt
circuits


"PipeDown" wrote in message
ink.net...
Aside from the other points. A double breaker might be connected to the
same phase or opposite phases in the panel. If they are on the same
phase, you need seperate branch conductors each with its own neutral but
if the two poles of the double breaker are on different phases, you can
use a 3 conductor cable to feed two branches with one common neutral.

In my new square D homeline panel, double breakers use one phase but on my
old panel double breakers were fed from both phases. It just depends on
the box and design.




"RBM" rbm2(remove wrote in message
...
Depending upon the manufacturer, some panels can use either full or half
sized breakers in all buss locations, some buss locations or not at all.
For example if a panel is designed to use 40 full sized breakers, it
won't use any half sized breakers as the maximum amount of poles allowed
in any panel is 42. Some panels will use 20 full sized or 40 half sized,
or any variables with a max of 42


"Robert11" wrote in message
...
Hello:

For new electrical service boxes:

Are they "generally" constructed to take either two of the
half-thickness breakers or a single full
thickness one ? I guess I am asking if the slot positions are generally
designed for either the two, or one, but you don't have an option ?

How about the older ones; how were they designed ?

Is there any disadvantage to the half-thick circuit breakers ?

Thanks,
B.