"Richard J Kinch" wrote in message
. ..
Chris Lewis writes:

Something to check: a half-high double-pole breaker on the wrong spot
in the panel creates a dead short.

Actually, what it produces is a 120V circuit with two hot wire, and
two breakers in parallel. Which won't do you a bit of good with a
240V load, because both legs of the load are at the same voltage -
applying _zero_ volts across the load.

Which is to say, a dead short, thus zero volts by definition.

No, A dead short at this type of voltage would envolve large amounts of
current. Connecting the same phase together at some point gives a difference
of 0 volts but also no current and doesnt blow fuses..