# Tandem 3 pole



## Spark Master (Jul 3, 2012)

Do they make tandem 3 pole breakers ?
The standard type breaker. Not bolt on...


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## Dennis Alwon (May 9, 2009)

I doubt it


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## wildleg (Apr 12, 2009)

what would you need that for ?

I've never seen a tandem 3 pole bolt on. 

I may have seen some 3 poles with handle ties, or I might just be dreaming.


You could probably get some 3 poles with optional parts for simultaneous trip (or common trip, or whatever it's called), you need to talk to someone who deals in that stuff (zog or brian). But I doubt you would find snap on ones. but hey, who knows ?

Anyhow, you won't find it in the mini breaker size I'm sure. (if that's what you are asking. since you didn't post the frame size)


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

I've never seen one.


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## Spark Master (Jul 3, 2012)

I need a 30/30 tandem. Handle tied would be best. 3 pole, snap in. standard size breaker.
Otherwise it needs another sub panel, and it would have to be line tapped off an 800amp main buss bar. And the plant can't go down.

I can't be the 1st one to need this.


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

Whatever 'standard size' is........... 

Just because this is a need for something doesn't mean it has been invented. And produced. And available.


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## wildleg (Apr 12, 2009)

Spark Master said:


> I need a 30/30 tandem. Handle tied would be best. 3 pole, snap in. standard size breaker.
> Otherwise it needs another sub panel, and it would have to be line tapped off an 800amp main buss bar. And the plant can't go down.
> 
> I can't be the 1st one to need this.


when you provide enough information, maybe someone will be able to help you.


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## macmikeman (Jan 23, 2007)

Put in a 3 pole 60 or 70 for a main where the thirty sits, and add a sub panel off that, if your loading calculations allows for it, but we know you did that just prior to asking about tandem breakers right?


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## NacBooster29 (Oct 25, 2010)

Spark Master said:


> I need a 30/30 tandem. Handle tied would be best. 3 pole, snap in. standard size breaker.
> Otherwise it needs another sub panel, and it would have to be line tapped off an 800amp main buss bar. And the plant can't go down.
> 
> I can't be the 1st one to need this.


I really have no idea what the heck.you're asking for? 
A 3 pole 30 amp snap in breaker? 
When I think of tandems I think of a breaker that fits in a typical opening 1" that has two distinct ocp and handles. 
They are however on the same pole, so its not a 2 pole breaker. 
I'm confused by your phrasing..


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

NacBooster29 said:


> I really have no idea what the heck.you're asking for?
> A 3 pole 30 amp snap in breaker?
> When I think of tandems I think of a breaker that fits in a typical opening 1" that has two distinct ocp and handles.
> They are however on the same pole, so its not a 2 pole breaker.
> I'm confused by your phrasing..



There are 240v tandems...... with handle ties.


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## Magoo5150 (Mar 1, 2007)

This is what we call a tandem breaker. I have never seen them in a three pole.


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## NacBooster29 (Oct 25, 2010)

480sparky said:


> There are 240v tandems...... with handle ties.


So, what he is asking for is a 3 pole, 30 amp, with two handles per pole? 
I can honestly say I have never seen this animal...


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## JRaef (Mar 23, 2009)

Spark Master said:


> I need a 30/30 tandem. Handle tied would be best. 3 pole, snap in. standard size breaker.
> Otherwise it needs another sub panel, and it would have to be line tapped off an 800amp main buss bar. And the plant can't go down.
> 
> I can't be the 1st one to need this.


So you need 2 x 30A 3 pole breakers, but you only have room for 1 of them?

There is no way to accomplish a tandem 3 pole breaker arrangement. For tandems to work, there needs to be a way for the breakers to trip each other so that all 3 poles open when one of them overloads. On 2 pole breakers, you do that on the inner 2 with a common pin, then a bale on the outer two that supposedly forces the un-tripped breaker off (rarely actually happens that way though). 
















For many suppliers, they can't call the outer two a "2 pole" breaker, they can only be used as 2 separate 1 pole breakers.

But there is physically no way to make that work when you go to 3 poles.

Put in a 60A 3P sub feed and install a sub panel with the two 30A 3P breakers in it.


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## JRaef (Mar 23, 2009)

Sorry, I was thinking "twins", not "tandems". Twins are side x side, tandems are over/under.

I suppose it is theoretically possible to do 3 pole tandems, but nobody even does 2 pole tandems, so 3 pole is not even on the radar.


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

NacBooster29 said:


> So, what he is asking for is a 3 pole, 30 amp, with two handles per pole?
> I can honestly say I have never seen this animal...


Not in a 3P configuration. But 2P tandems do exist.


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## gnuuser (Jan 13, 2013)

the only 3 pole (conductor) breakers ive seen are 3 phase 
the op needs to give more information before we are able to help with his problem


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## btharmy (Jan 17, 2009)

Sounds to me like he is trying to gain a 3 pole spot in a panel that is full. If there are any 1 pole 20a breakers in the panel, it would be much easier to just buy 3- 1 pole, 20a tandem breakers and gain the 3 spaces that way. Just because you are installing a 3 pole breaker, doesn't mean you need to put it in tandem with another 3 pole breaker. On the other hand, maybe the panel is full of 3 pole breakers. In that case, I would do a small sub as was recommended. Without more info, this is all speculation.


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## WyrTwister (May 2, 2015)

Spark Master said:


> I need a 30/30 tandem. Handle tied would be best. 3 pole, snap in. standard size breaker.
> Otherwise it needs another sub panel, and it would have to be line tapped off an 800amp main buss bar. And the plant can't go down.
> 
> I can't be the 1st one to need this.


 What happens when the power goes off ? Does the plant go down or do they have generator back-up ?

We have taken down telephone buildings and hospitals for power cuts .

But , no , I can not remember ever seeing a 3 pole tabdim CB .

God bless
Wyr


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