Comments on this set up

[Peter Doane]

- Zinsco panel in a detached garage (main for the manufactured home).
- 4 poll main breaker
- Three splits under the main breaker, (1) down to the panel below, (2) out to the manufactured home, (3) could not trace where its going.

First time I've seen a set up like this, was hoping you electrical vets had any comments other then the normal zinsco - blah, blah.

Thanks

[Marc D. Shunk]

That's a pretty freaking weird panel. That's not a 4-pole main breaker. That's two, two pole breakers. One, for a subfeed breaker, and one to take care of the branch breakers in the lower section. A 200 amp feed hits those main lugs on top, then it goes through two double pole, 100 amp breakers. That's 100 amps for the subfeed breaker, and 100 amps for the branch breaker buss below.

It appears the main breaker on the left there is double-tapped. Once, for another subfeed, and once to go down the the buss for the branch breakers.

[jbreazeale]

Dang, Marc, you must LIVE on this board!! LOL!! Anyway, for the record I concur with your assessment. Gotta call out that double tap.....as if there was no way to avoid it! Geeze!

[Peter Doane]

Originally Posted by Marc D. Shunk

That's a pretty freaking weird panel. That's not a 4-pole main breaker. That's two, two pole breakers. One, for a subfeed breaker, and one to take care of the branch breakers in the lower section. A 200 amp feed hits those main lugs on top, then it goes through two double pole, 100 amp breakers. That's 100 amps for the subfeed breaker, and 100 amps for the branch breaker buss below.

It appears the main breaker on the left there is double-tapped. Once, for another subfeed, and once to go down the the buss for the branch breakers.

Marc,
The reason I called it a 4 pole was because I could not trip each double pole independently. All 4 trip together,.... and I could not find out where they tied together other then possibly internally and hence my deduction of a 4 pole.
Thanks for your insight!

[Frank L. Bartlo]

All 4 trip together? That is hella weird.

"Howard, Fine, and Howard Electrical at your service" ... nyuk, nyuk, nyuk...

Can't make out whether the bottom left terminals are double-tapped or they are hard-wired connection off the mains passing under the "quadruple pole" breaker to the bottom bus... were they double-tapped, Peter?

[Speedy Petey]

Originally Posted by fbartlo

All 4 trip together? That is hella weird.

This is similar to many Siemens 200 amp main breakers. They used to use two 100 amp breakers in parallel to get the 200 amp two pole. All four handles were tied together.
I have one in my own home.

[Marc D. Shunk]

Originally Posted by Speedy Petey

This is similar to many Siemens 200 amp main breakers. They used to use two 100 amp breakers in parallel to get the 200 amp two pole. All four handles were tied together.
I have one in my own home.

Yeah, but if you look at this panel, it only has the handles tied in two pairs. Weird.

[Speedy Petey]

Oh. OK, I see it now.
Pretty much like the old fuse panels with the two pullouts at the top. One lighting main and one range.