Which type of breaker delivers 240V across two hot legs?

Study for the TExES Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources 6-12 Test with multiple choice questions and explanations. Prepare for your teaching exam!

Multiple Choice

Which type of breaker delivers 240V across two hot legs?

Explanation:
Two hot legs in a typical residential panel each carry 120V, and they are 180 degrees out of phase. To run a 240V circuit, you need a breaker that taps both legs at once. A double-pole breaker does exactly that: it connects to both hot bus bars and has a handle tie so both sides trip together. When you measure across the two hot terminals, you’ll see about 240V. The neutral isn’t part of this circuit, which is why the 240V appears between the two hots, not to neutral. Single-pole breakers interrupt only one hot leg for 120V circuits. GFCI and AFCI breakers provide protection (ground-fault or arc-fault) and can be single- or double-pole, but their role is protection, not delivering 240V across two hot legs.

Two hot legs in a typical residential panel each carry 120V, and they are 180 degrees out of phase. To run a 240V circuit, you need a breaker that taps both legs at once. A double-pole breaker does exactly that: it connects to both hot bus bars and has a handle tie so both sides trip together. When you measure across the two hot terminals, you’ll see about 240V. The neutral isn’t part of this circuit, which is why the 240V appears between the two hots, not to neutral. Single-pole breakers interrupt only one hot leg for 120V circuits. GFCI and AFCI breakers provide protection (ground-fault or arc-fault) and can be single- or double-pole, but their role is protection, not delivering 240V across two hot legs.

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