Have a two pole 80 amp push in breaker that is reading 220 on 1 load side and 120 on the other load side? how is this possible???

is your wiring capable of carrying 50 amps you should have #6 wire to device. Why are you taking white wire off, if the breaker is off, disconnect load side, remove breaker, install new breaker, connect load wires. 220 is measured across the two hot leads. when you reference either side to neutral or ground you wuill have 120 volts. Now having said that is your neutral floated and not connected too ground side. The problem of floating a neutral wire is that if you touch neutral and ground you will receive shock.. Best to call an electrician.

In a traditional North American residential electrical panel (120/240 volt, single phase), installing a single width or single pole circuit breaker, you would expect to read 120 volts from the breaker terminal screw to either ground or neutral. A double width or double pole breaker would provide 120 volts from either of the breaker terminal screws to ground or neutral AND it will provide 240 volts BETWEEN the TWO breaker terminals.

A single-width circuit breaker case that contains two handles is NOT a two pole circuit breaker (these are called "tandem" or "1/2 size" breakers). This is because a single width breaker engages only one "line" in the panel. A double width breaker will engage 2 "lines" as a triple width breaker would engage 3 "lines" of a 3 phase panel. A single wide breaker can not physically engage more than 1 "line" so it will never be able to pass 240 volts.

You must install a double width / double pole breaker to safely supply a 240 volt circuit / device.

If you have (90) 50w lamps = 4500 watts total. Assuming a 120/240 panel, if you put 1/2 on one "side" of the panel and the other 1/2 on the other "side" of the panel, that would be 2250 watts on each half. The generator should be rated *at least* 125% of the load; 4500w x 1.25 = 5625W. Using a 4500W generator on this load will cause it to overheat and shorten its life as it is running at 100% of capacity all the time..

One half of the panel is 120V to neutral, and the other is 120V to neutral - or 240V between both circuit breaker terminals. Ohms law for DC circuits and purely resistive AC circuits says Volts x Amps = Watts; or Watts / Volts = Amps. So, 2250W / 120V = 18.75A on each pole of a 2 pole circuit breaker that feeds the sub panel. A #12 copper wire is rated for 20 amps; but as per National Electrical Code - must be de-rated to 80% of rating which means it is good up to 16 amps maximum. A #10 copper wire is rated for 30 amps, but it too must be derated to 80%, making it good for 24 amps maximum. So, if you are going to feed a sub panel supplying (90) 50watt lamps, you will need to run a #10/3 copper cable from a two pole 30 amp circuit breaker at the generator to a 120/240 volt "main lug only" sub panel rated for at least 30 amps.

Divide your load evenly across the sub panel - (4) 15 amps circuits via (2) two pole 15 amp circuit breakers on each "side" of the panel if you run (2) 14/3 cables out to the lights - or (4) single pole 15 amp circuit breakers if you run (4) 14/2 cables out to the lights. No circuit breaker terminal should have more than 23 lamps that means you have (2) w/ 22 lamps and (2) with 23 lamps. The circuit w/ 23 lamps will draw 23 lamps x 50w = 1150W. 1150W / 120V = 9.6A. The 22 lamp load will be 22 x 50w = 1100W. 110W / 120V = 9.2A. Which is well within the 12A maximum allowed (after derating as required by code) by a #14 copper wire rated for 15A.

Good luck!

1) Match wire and breaker:
http://waterheatertimer.org/Color-codewire.html
http://waterheatertimer.org/See-inside-main-breaker-box.html

2) 7000 watts divided by 240 volts = 29.1 amps.
30 amp breaker x 80% safe maximum = 24 amps.
This means you should use 8 gauge wire and 40 amp double pole breaker for 240volt

3) 7000 watts divided by 120 volt = 58.3 amps.
60 amp breaker x 80% safe maximum = 48 amps.
So use 70 amp breaker and #4 wire.

If you need further help, I’m available over the phone at https://www.6ya.com/expert/gene_9f0ef4df2f9897e7

Hi - I'm an electrician and can help you with your question.

A BR2100 circuit breaker is a 2 Pole 100 Amp (for the part number "BR2100", the "2" indicates the number of poles and the "100" indicates the amperage) circuit breaker. It can be installed in a single phase or three phase 120/240 VAC system panel that specifically lists the BR series breakers as acceptable for use.

A BR260 A BR2100 circuit breaker is a 2 Pole 60 Amp (the part number BR260, the "2" indicates the number of poles and the "60" indicates the amperage) circuit breaker. It can be installed in a single phase or three phase 120/240 VAC system panel that specifically lists the BR series breakers as acceptable for use.

It is not possible to have a BR2100 rated for 60 amps, 1 or 3 poles, or a BR260 rated for 100 amps, 1 or 3 poles.

It is not permissible to install any circuit breaker brand or type in any panel that does not specifically include it on a list of acceptable circuit breakers.

Circuit breakers are designed to carry 80% of the amperage rating.
To determine the load a circuit breaker can carry, multiply the circuit breaker amp rating by 80%. This means that if you need to supply more than 80 amps, you cannot use a 100 amp circuit breaker. A higher rating is required. A BR2110 would be acceptable for loads greater than 80 amps, but less than 88 amps because the formula above says: 110 amp x 80% = 88 amps.

To determine the breaker size, determine the load (by measuring with a meter or obtaining amp rating of the load from the data plate) and multiply it by 125%. Using the same numbers in the example above; assume an 88 amp load. 88 amps x 125% = 110 amp circuit breaker. The 60 amp breaker is acceptable for up to 48 amps because 60amps x 80% = 48 amps. A 48 amp load needs a 60 amp breaker because 48 amps x 125% = 60 amps.

I hope this helps and good luck!

You are measuring in the wrong place! If you have a double breaker in the circuit breaker box, measure the voltage at the dryer outlet. You should have 110, 110, 220 at the different terminals.
If that isn't the case, then replace the circuit breaker (assuming that you have the right input voltage into the house)

If you consider doing this the first thing is SHUT THE MAIN BREAKER OFF. Use an auxiliary light source to see when working in a dead panel. Always keep in mind an ARC FLASH ACROSS HOT MAINS HAS ENOUGH HEAT TO PEAL THE SKIN OFF OF YOU. Before an explanation of how to do it you should keep in mind that this is for a single receptacle only. If any other receptacles are on the same circuit they will also be changed to 240 volt receptacles and if you plug any 120 volt device into them, the 120 volt device will be destroyed. That said OK, any 120 volt outlet can be changed to 240 volt by removing the 120 volt circuits neutral, re identifying the white wire with red or black phase tape and connecting it to a new 2 pole 15 amp breaker. The maximum that this circuit will now load up to is, on #14 wire at 80% = 12 amps at 240 volts. The 120V receptacle must be changed to a 15A - 240V receptacle so that 120 volt devices can not be plugged into it. Never use 2 single pole breakers together because code requires that on a fault trip both legs of the 240V circuit must be disconnected simultaneously. OR USED A Quick 220 Voltage Converting Power Supply
Voltage converter buying guide. Voltage Transformer Buying guide.Voltage converters also known as voltage transformers are devices that convert foreign electricity to power devices from different parts of the world. A step down voltage converter is a 220 to 110 volts converter. A step up converter is a 110 volts to 220 volts converter. Our 2-way converters are voltage transformers that convert power from both 220 to 110 volts and 110 to 220 volts. They also work with 100 volts, 110 volts, 120 volts, 220 volts and 240 volts. This model is a 2 way voltage converter / voltage transformer available in many different sizes including 100 watts, 200 watts, 300 watts, 500 watts, 750 watts, 1000 watts, 1500 watts, 2000 watts, 3000 watts and 5000 watts.

ok start at the pannel is there a double breaker there
usually a 30 amp two pole breaker this is how a pannel works first breaker pulls 120 off of one side of pannel second breaker pulls off 120 off the other side of pannel if you look the buss bars you will see that they interchange from one side of the pannel to the other so at the breaker you are checking make sure you have 120 v on output of one half of breaker and 120 on second half of breaker when you use a volt meter put one side to gng the other side to wire comming out of breaker you should have 120 on both sides if not you have a bad or tripped breaker

If I did the math correctly, 5.5 HP is right at the boarderline of 20 amps, particularly for an older machine that has some deteriorating electronics.

What to do? Can you reconfig the motor to run on 220 Volts??? It would then run on 1/2 the amps.

If you have a dedicated 120 line for this compressor now ... all you have to do to change that to 220 is change the breaker (I presume you have a vacant slot to do this). Find the "neutral" for that wire (white) ane make it the "red" for your compressor line ... (and mark it as such for your future behefit) change the outlet from 110 V 20 A to 220 V 20 A. Both lines will run on #12 with G wire.

If you dont have a slot, you could change one of your standard slots to a "piggy back" remodeling style breaker (has two breakers in one slot). This will free up one slot in your panel for the new 220 (double pole) breaker.

Let me know what you think

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Compressor 12/3 with 20 amp dual pole breaker. 220 VAC

Freezer 12/3 with 20 amp single pole breaker 120 VAC