# Split breaker?



## jasonvanorder (Feb 23, 2009)

Anybody know anything about them? The wife picked up a window ac unit and it keeps popping the breaker it is one breaker with 2 switches and 2 different amp ratings. The top half the keeps tripping is rated at 15 amps and it runs halfthe house. The bottom is rated for 30 amp and is bridged to the next 30 amp for the dryer. Can i get 2 seperate breakers for that one spot and upgrade to a 20 amp instead of the 15?


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## BIG DAVE (Mar 3, 2003)

kind of confused at what you trying to say!!! sounds like the breaker
you have is called a cheater!!!! one breaker feeds two circuits.. i have seen them at 15-15 amp, 20-20 amp, 15-20 amp... but never 15-30amp???
and what do you mean the 30 is bridged together with the bottom of it???
a dryer should be a 220volt breaker, and should not trip cause of the ac 
unit... i can see a window shaker blowing a 15 breaker, read the tag on the unit and see what the amprage or wattage is, and size your wire and breaker to that...post a pic of the breakers if you can...


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## BIG DAVE (Mar 3, 2003)

jasonvanorder said:


> Anybody know anything about them? The wife picked up a window ac unit and it keeps popping the breaker it is one breaker with 2 switches and 2 different amp ratings. The top half the keeps tripping is rated at 15 amps and it runs halfthe house. The bottom is rated for 30 amp and is bridged to the next 30 amp for the dryer. Can i get 2 seperate breakers for that one spot and upgrade to a 20 amp instead of the 15?


no pic needed!!! just got the pic in my head... you have 1single pole breaker that branches out to two seperate locations... 15-30!! called a cheater.. 15amp is for plugs and lighting... can see why tripping that one when you plug in the ac unit..., 30amp is ganged together with another 30amp single pole breaker, for the dryer!!! hack!!!! hope your not the one that did this, if you did you should be ashamed of youself..imo!!! run a dedicated circuit from the rating of the ac unit...


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## jasonvanorder (Feb 23, 2009)

BIG DAVE said:


> no pic needed!!! just got the pic in my head... you have 1single pole breaker that branches out to two seperate locations... 15-30!! called a cheater.. 15amp is for plugs and lighting... can see why tripping that one when you plug in the ac unit..., 30amp is ganged together with another 30amp single pole breaker, for the dryer!!! hack!!!! hope your not the one that did this, if you did you should be ashamed of youself..imo!!! run a dedicated circuit from the rating of the ac unit...


Thats just what it is. We just got the place in April so it wasnt me that did this. When we bought it the lights didnt work in half the house so we made them fix it before hand so they must have went as cheep as possible. I should be able to put new breakers in and get rid of this hillbilly junk right? Run 3 breakers instead of 2. I know just enough about electrical work to get myself in trouble.


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## FREEPOP (Apr 11, 2002)

The very first thing I would worry about is if the wiring was adequate for the currrent draw of the A/C unit. Switching the breaker out will allow it to draw more current but it is improtant that the breaker is the weakest link. If not, it can be very dangerous!


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## WoW (Oct 26, 2010)

jasonvanorder said:


> Thats just what it is. We just got the place in April so it wasnt me that did this. When we bought it the lights didnt work in half the house so we made them fix it before hand so they must have went as cheep as possible. I should be able to put new breakers in and get rid of this hillbilly junk right? Run 3 breakers instead of 2. I know just enough about electrical work to get myself in trouble.


My word, was your home inspector and agent out to lunch on that deal?

It doesn't sound like they fixed anything.

Get an electrician in there to figure out what you have got going on and the best way to really solve your problems.


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## boomstick (Aug 31, 2010)

WoW, I'll second that


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## jakeo (Sep 14, 2004)

ASAP


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## MSUICEMAN (Jan 9, 2002)

what kind of service/breaker panel do you have? maybe have to/should upgrade to a new loadcenter.


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## BIG DAVE (Mar 3, 2003)

jasonvanorder said:


> Thats just what it is. We just got the place in April so it wasnt me that did this. When we bought it the lights didnt work in half the house so we made them fix it before hand so they must have went as cheep as possible. I should be able to put new breakers in and get rid of this hillbilly junk right? Run 3 breakers instead of 2. I know just enough about electrical work to get myself in trouble.


no you cant just put in new breakers to fix it!!! if you have a cheater breaker in there already, chances are that your panel is full...(not maxed
out in amperaged) but out of spaces!!! you take out the cheater you have there now... and the 30 single pole breaker, that leaves you 2 free spaces..
now you have to replace the 220volt for your dryer!!! with just that 220volt
breaker, those two spaces are used up now!!! now you have to find a open
space too replace the 15amp (for your plugs and lighting)... then you need 
to look at the tag on your ac unit to see what the amperage or wattage is!!
if it shows only the wattage!!! take the wattage and devide that by 120 or 
220 volt what ever the voltage is!!! you have a 120volt unit cause you said the 15 amp cheater was tripping!!! run a dedicated circuit to the window you have the unit in all should be well!!! another open space needed.. so you need 4 altogether.. BUT!!! like others have said... have a qualified electrician do it for you!!! not saying you dont know how... but hate to read the paper bout a fire killing a family... dave


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## STICK in the eye (Dec 26, 2008)

BIG DAVE said:


> no you cant just put in new breakers to fix it!!! if you have a cheater breaker in there already, chances are that your panel is full...(not maxed
> out in amperaged) but out of spaces!!! you take out the cheater you have there now... and the 30 single pole breaker, that leaves you 2 free spaces..
> now you have to replace the 220volt for your dryer!!! with just that 220volt
> breaker, those two spaces are used up now!!! now you have to find a open
> ...


 
AMEN to that !!!


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## ih772 (Jan 28, 2003)

*NO, you can't put a larger breaker in to keep it from tripping unless the wire is the correct size.* 

Most likely the 15 amp breaker is connected to #14 copper and that is the largest breaker you can put on that circuit or start a fire in the wall. The wire would need to be #12 or larger to use a 20 amp breaker.


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