Single pole and double pole circuit breaker and appliances?

What is the difference between a single pole and double pole circuit breaker?





Say I have a 30 A single pole breaker. So that means that it is providing 30 A of current at 120 V. Power = 3600 W.





If I have a 30 A double pole breaker, what does that mean? Each pole is 30 A, I know, and each pole is at 120 V. So is the power still 3600 W from any one pole?





When a water heater is 240 V, 4500 W maximum, what does this mean?





Does it mean it can only receive 18.5 A of current at 240 V?





So, if a double pole breaker is used, does that mean that it can rate up to 35 A, since it is a 120 V?





Why does a double pole breaker have to be used? What is the difference between single and double pole? Does it have to do with AC?

Single pole and double pole circuit breaker and appliances?
Single pole breaker means just that it handles one circuit, usually 120 volts. A double pole breaker is for 240 volts, not two 120 volt legs. You do not add 120 volts together to get 240 volts. You can only get 120 volts by going from 240 to neutral. When it says 240 v at 4500 watts that's the maximum wattage it can handle.
Reply:a breaker is a switch (like for lights) -if you have a 30 amp breaker and run an appliance which pulls more than thirty amps it should switch off so the wire doesnt burn up and cause a fire -


your theory is correct - the best thing to do is to look at the Plate on the appliance it will normally tell you what the maximum size breaker you can use with it





also each pole is a phase -you have to phase each wire correctly in a breaker panel a/b -a double pole breaker insures this is done-again so you dont burn up the wire and the motor functions correctly