On Dec 25, 1:38*pm, "Twayne" wrote:
,
fzbuilder typed:

Hey Guys, I have a double 20 amp breaker that is connected to each
other. I have one side running the kitchen and one side running the
washing machine in the garage. I was told this is a standard practice,

110Vac appliances, right?

A "ganged" 20A breaker? If one breaker resets, they both have to, right? Is
that what you mean?
* That's what it sounds like and definitely is non-code, NOT standard
practice, and as you're discovering can be dangerous! *Such breakers are
intended to provide 220Vac to some piece of equpiment, NOT as you are using
it, to provide two 110Vac lines. If I'm right AND it's installed properly,
the right one for you box, etc, then you will measure 220Vac between the two
breaker hots, which is its intended use.

So if one breaker is overloaded and tries to break, it's going to try to
take the other breaker with it, right? *That's where it becomes DANGEROUS!
If one breaker starts to heat up due to overload, it can't break the ckt
because the other breaker ganged to it is holding it closed, especially if
it's nice and cool. *So who knows how high the overload will have to get
before that overloaded breaker can overcome the non-overloaded breaker and
open, carrying the other one along with it. *Or IF it can even do so period?
It's possible the overloaded breaker never will be able to overcome the
holding power of the other one, and maybe never open up but simply keep on
providing power until something burns open. As you are seeing. *This could
not happen if it were a 220Vac appliance having the problem and it were
wired properly and to code.

It's easy enough to fix, IF the overloaded breaker hasn't been ruined by the
overloads! *Just remove the pin/screw, whatever that gangs the levers
together and allow them to operate on their own.
* *A much better fix would be to replace the ganged breaker set with two
single breakers, since you're using them for 110Vac anyway. *If you need
220Vac, THEN use a ganged breaker, and ONLY for the 220 equipment.

however, I have a portable hot tub that I use in my garage that I only
use when not using the washing machine. The hot tub is plugged into a
GFCI outlet located about 5 feet down the wall off the washer
receptical that was installed before I moved in.

Irrelevant, but; isn't the hot tub 220V? *Is this a case of mixing 110 and
220 on a ganged breaker? *Ouch! *Don't do that.



Here is the big problem, I have just noticed a piece of conduit that
comes off the furnace that was buzzing, getting hot and it stopped
after turning off the hot tub, the other day I was running items from
the kitchen and the conduit got so hot it was burning paint off the
wall. I shut off the double 20 amp breaker and it cooled down. It now
gets hot with that breaker off and running a space heater upstairs
that is on another breaker. I have the breaker off on the furnace and
am stumped to what is going on or how this my be wired. The conduit
going to the furnace goes to a junction box on the wall that has some
sort of relay on the top of it. Any help would be great. Thanks

If I've understood you properly, that's all explained by the preceding info
about ganged vs non-ganged breakers.

I hope you'll keep us advised,

Twayne

--
We've already reached
tomorrow's yesterday
*but we're still far away from
*yesterday's tomorrow.

Hi Twayne, thanks to you all for your advice. I am having an
electrician on Monday come out if I can't fix this. I have figured out
now that the junction box on the wall that has the conduit going to
the furnace is actually where the 115v comes in and ties off to the
furnace which is 115v. The little transformer on the front of the
junction box is for the door bell. I killed the power to the furnace
(which is on its own breaker) and the (2) 20 amp breakers that is
branched together and opened the box. My meter measured 0 volts. I hit
the breaker and got 115v so I felt confident this my power. I killed
the power and un-tied everything in the box and went around with my
meter and got 0v. I flipped back on the (2) 20amp breaker and re-
measured and still got 0. I went and turned on my hot tub (120v) and
then the box started buzzing and then the conduit started getting hot
again. I double checked that this is the only power source to my
furnace. So I turned off the hot tub. Went back measuring everything
and 0v. I am getting 2.4volt when I read the incoming neutral to
ground. Is that normal? I then proceed to to start to undo the
conduit from the top of the box on there was a spark . I am now
getting convinced this box is somehow screwed in the wall shorting
other wires going down the wall. Anything else to look for? I will
undo the pole connecting the (2) 20amp breakers as I am sure you right
that one can't pull the other and it should be tripping a breaker. I
will be keeping both breakers off till I get the guy out so stop with
call the guy yesterday please. I am the type that likes to figure
stuff out like a lot of us, but I will admit I am stumped.