# Handle Ties on breakers



## papaotis (Jun 8, 2013)

first, are you in canada where they can have panels sideways? and then with out seeing the picture im geussing the neutral connected to the breaker is actually a white being used as a hot?


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## JasonCo (Mar 23, 2015)

papaotis said:


> first, are you in canada where they can have panels sideways? and then with out seeing the picture im geussing the neutral connected to the breaker is actually a white being used as a hot?


In the US. But the picture shows it as a Neutral, not sure why it is tied into a breaker. haha makes no sense. I'll have to get a phone and take a picture of the question. I'll reply and edit this post when I do that.Thanks for your help!


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## don_resqcapt19 (Jul 18, 2010)

I agree with the answer but not the code sections.


> 240.80 Method of Operation Circuit breakers shall be *trip free* and capable of being closed and opened by manual operation. ...


"*Trip free*" means that the external handle can be physically locked in place and the breaker can still trip to clear faults. When you have single pole breakers tied together with a handle tie, when one breaker trips, it may or may not turn off the other breaker. In most cases, it has been my experience, that it does not turn the other breaker off. With 3 single pole breakers tied by a handle tie, I have never seen one of the three breakers trip and turn the other two off. 

Also, the handle tie will often hold the tripped breaker's handle in the on position so you have no visible evidence of a trip.


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## frenchelectrican (Mar 15, 2007)

JasonCo said:


> Hey, I have a homework question I'm very confused about. it reads:
> 
> There are three individual 1-pole breakers. All three breakers under a handle tie will trip when a ground fault occurs between the load and the breaker.
> A. False B. True
> ...


the handle tie breakers as Don posted above of me he is correct and it supposed to be tripfree system ..

And with handle ties you have to be little extra carefull with it as don mention as I did ran into just not too long ago yesterday in Philippines..

the only way all three poles can trip at the same time is a factory true three pole ( 3 ph) breakers and some of them do have interal common linkage so all three will trip at the same time..


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## backstay (Feb 3, 2011)

JasonCo said:


> Hey, I have a homework question I'm very confused about. it reads:
> 
> There are three individual 1-pole breakers. All three breakers under a handle tie will trip when a ground fault occurs between the load and the breaker.
> A. False B. True
> ...


Only one will trip, the other two may shut off but won't be tripped.


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## 3xdad (Jan 25, 2011)

The key words are "three individual single pole breakers".

In my experience, there is quite a bit of play in handle ties. Lets say you had two or three circuits going to the same j-box or yoke or whatever, so you need the handle tie for these three "individual" breakers.

Otherwise, for example, Square D factory two pole breakers say "common trip" on the handle tie and are made as such.


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