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Thinline breaker

grumpy356

grumpy356

bordering on illiterate
Joined
May 19, 2020
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244
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GE Box.

Can I install 2 double pole Slim Line breakers in a spot that currently has 1 double pole standard breaker?
(Currently has a double pole 40, want to pull the double pole 40 and replace it with a Slime Line Double pole 40, and a slim line double pole 50 in the same slot.

Is this a possibility?

Do all GE boxes work with both standard and thinline GE breakers or are they specialized breaker box models?
 
Last edited:
Yes you should be able to.
You just need to understand how the 220 (i assume that us part od what your doing) works.

A double pole full size feeds one to each leg of the feed power.

If your intent is to get 1 40a 220 and 1 50a 220 its not going to work they way you want.

If you get both as 40/50 slim lines then you will get 40a and 50a 220s.
 
total newb said:
Yes you should be able to.
You just need to understand how the 220 (i assume that us part od what your doing) works.

A double pole full size feeds one to each leg of the feed power.

If your intent is to get 1 40a 220 and 1 50a 220 its not going to work they way you want.

If you get both as 40/50 slim lines then you will get 40a and 50a 220s.
Click to expand...
This post is for a friend.

I do understand having to hit both bars / poles in the breaker box.

I just was having trouble getting my head around how you hit both bars for 2 thin breakers in the space of a single double pole standard breaker.
 
I'm not familiar with the GE breakers, but the eaton mini doubles can be had with bars that span the breakers, forcing both outer or both inner breakers to activate simultaneously (just like a regular 2 pole breaker).

I think they can even be had in funny arraingements, like 50/20 above 20/50.

This would give you two 2 pole breakers in the space of one 2 pole breaker.
 
I just googled it.

Apparently what I call "mini double" is actually called a tandem breaker (two breakers in one slot).

Google says that GE doesn't make tandem breakers.

To clarify, below is a pic of an eaton tandem, and two eaton tandems ganged together to make two double pole breakers that fit in two slots.

DNBA1515-FR_768x960.jpg
bqlt-215-215-1_500x500.jpg
 
total newb said:
Yes you should be able to.
You just need to understand how the 220 (i assume that us part od what your doing) works.

A double pole full size feeds one to each leg of the feed power.

If your intent is to get 1 40a 220 and 1 50a 220 its not going to work they way you want.

If you get both as 40/50 slim lines then you will get 40a and 50a 220s.
Click to expand...
on these older GE panels you do end up with the slim breakers offset funny from the other full size breakers, but you just move one of the existing slim single pole breakers to the other side of the double pole ones and it ends up stacking up just fine

however I'd shy away from the 50a slim breakers, as while they do make them and they're kosher and all, you're asking a lot of the little tiny contact patch they got on the buss bar in the panel
 
grumpy356 said:
Do all GE boxes work with both standard and thinline GE breakers or are they specialized breaker box models?
Click to expand...
Some don't have the little crosspieces for the slim breakers. You pretty much gotta look at the bar to see what's there. If the panel's already got some of the slim breakers in it you can be assured though.
 
I would put some of the slim breakers in place of my single pole ones to make the needed space to put full size double pole breakers in .
 
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