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[Novaguy]

The module is approximately 15' from the controller.  As far as the coupler/repeater being installed, I installed it like it was shown on the diagram from leviton.  Two breakers side by side.  Is there another way I am suppose to install it?  Like I said, I tested the coupler repeater and it was working properly (it was receiving x10 signals).

[roger1818]

The module is approximately 15' from the controller.  As far as the coupler/repeater being installed, I installed it like it was shown on the diagram from leviton.  Two breakers side by side.  Is there another way I am suppose to install it?  Like I said, I tested the coupler repeater and it was working properly (it was receiving x10 signals).

You have to be careful that they are really separate breakers and not have it connected to connections on the same "double" breaker.  If you do wire it this way, it will appear to work, it just won't couple the phases.

I have extracted the following quote from Phil Kingery's Which One Should I Use - Part IV

Don’t make the mistake that is often made by DIY’ers and even some electricians. They wire the double-breakers as shown in Figure 7 which causes the passive coupler to be wired from one leg and then right back to the same leg. That doesn’t help much. Instead, the passive coupler needs to be wired as shown in Figure 8.

Phil doesn't show this in his diagram, but properly the two breakers should be tied together so that they will both turn on and off together.

[Novaguy]

Good news...I just got a call from my alarm company who said the system is now working flawless.  The alram wasn't programmed correctly.  However, I am curious if the electrician wired my coupler/repeater properly.  Here is what he did.  1 dual pole 20 amp breaker.  One hot to one and one hot to the other, neutral to neutral.  The directions called for two seperate 15amp breakers, however, this is what I got.  Is it wrong?  Remeber this is my vacation home, so I can't just go and check on things right away.  I will probably be out there again in several weeks.

[roger1818]

Good news...I just got a call from my alarm company who said the system is now working flawless.  The alarm wasn't programmed correctly. 

That is good news

However, I am curious if the electrician wired my coupler/repeater properly.  Here is what he did.  1 dual pole 20 amp breaker.  One hot to one and one hot to the other, neutral to neutral.  The directions called for two separate 15amp breakers, however, this is what I got.  Is it wrong?  Remember this is my vacation home, so I can't just go and check on things right away.  I will probably be out there again in several weeks.

Dual breakers are typically (always?) on the same phase so if he connected the two hot wires to the same breaker module then he wired it incorrectly.  To bad they don't put a status light on the C/R to indicate that it has been wired across the phases correctly.

[Novaguy]

Roger,

Sorry if I am asking dumb questions.  I want to thank you in advance for answering my questions.  Do I need to buy seperate breakers and put them on oppisite sides of each other?  I'm a litlle confused   The directions just said 2 seperate 15 amp breakers and hot to each one.  On the diagram it showed them right next to each other vertically, so I figured it was ok to use a double breaker.  I know my system is working now, however, I do want to have the part I purchased hooked up properly.

[jatracy]

1 dual pole 20 amp breaker.  One hot to one and one hot to the other, neutral to neutral.  The directions called for two separate 15amp breakers, however, this is what I got.  Is it wrong?

My gut felling is to agree with Roger1818 unless this particular breaker is feeding 220V to some appliance. That is unlikely since it is 20A, but in order for an appliance to get 220V, it must be wired to both phases of the incoming power.

When you say dual pole, are you referring to the type that has 2 small independent switches on it (this type physically occupies 1 slot in the breaker box) or are you referring to the type that has two large switches that are tied together (this type physically occupies 2 slots in the breaker box)?

Basically if the breaker only occupies 1 slot, then you have both taps connected to the same phase and it is not wired correctly.

[Novaguy]

It is taking up two slots, however it only has one trip lever on it and it is 20 amps.  The guy messed up when he bought the breaker, but I had it installed like that anyway.  What I wanted was two 15 amp breakers that take up their own slot (that was what the instructions called for).  If it is wired incorrectly, I can always change it myself.  So once again, is it installed incorrectly?  You guys are a wealth of knowledge...

[jatracy]

This sounds really fishy to me. From what you have explained, it appears that the coupler/repeater is installed correctly. To verify this, put an AC volt meter across the two terminals of the coupler/repeater and see if you read 220V. If you do not have a volt meter, go buy one (just kidding). No really, you can actually verify this by inspection if you know what to look for.

[roger1818]

It is taking up two slots, however it only has one trip lever on it and it is 20 amps.  The guy messed up when he bought the breaker, but I had it installed like that anyway.  What I wanted was two 15 amp breakers that take up their own slot (that was what the instructions called for).  If it is wired incorrectly, I can always change it myself.  So once again, is it installed incorrectly?  You guys are a wealth of knowledge...

When I was talking about a double breaker, I was meaning one with 2 breakers in one slot.  These are used to allow you to increase the number of circuits in the electrical panel.  If that is what you have, both breakers will be on the same phase.

If it is taking up two slots, then it is probably a 220V breaker (used for 220V appliances and split duplexes) and the breakers will be on opposite phases.  If this is what you have, both breakers should be tied together so that both will always turn on and off at the same time.

As jatracy said, the best way to confirm that it is wired correctly is to make sure there is 220V across the two breakers with an AC volt meter, but if you don't have one and can't borrow one, you should be able to confirm it visually.

If it is wired incorrectly, you should be able to fix it without buying any more breakers and just moving circuits to different breakers.  Just make sure that all circuits are on breakers with exactly the same current rating as they did before (not higher or lower).

[ArtClark]

Quick little Note (Very Late, I know)  If the 20 Amp Breaker has a single switch (I.E. a Bar so both go on/off at same time) then
this will ALWAYS be a 220 breaker.  No-one makes a double breaker for a single slot that ties the 110 breakers together.  The whole idea of taking a single 110 line, breaking into two seperate breakers and then tying the two breakers back together is
senseless.  Manufacturers would not do it.  On normal, single phase power, every other Full size slot is one side of the 220.  The
other slots are the other side.  The easiest way (Without a meter) to check for 220 is just make sure the wires go to any two
full size slot connections that are next to each other.  If you had all double breakers, the same rule applies.

This note is just for reference, in case someone is searching...

[Brian H]

ArtClark; Not in my older homes breaker box. I have like 4 breakers; in a row from top to bottom all on the same phase then the next 4 are the other one. Only a few positions next to each other are 220 across the breakers connection screws.

[KDR]

Brian... who makes the panel box?

Also as another side note, some manufactures made half breakers. You could pull out one standard breaker and install 2 half breakers. Both would be on the same phase. Federal was one.

[ArtClark]

Ah Yes, The half breaker was what I was talking about when I mentioned a "Double Breaker".  You have to always go by the "Full"
breaker size, no matter how many switches are in that full breaker area.  (There are Quad breakers for commercial use...)

Brian, I also would like to know what type of box that is.  The alternate breaker for oppisite sides of the single phase is part of the
federal electrical code.  The original breaker box that I replaced only a few years back was installed in the late 60's to replace the original Fuse Box and these "Laws" had already been estrblished.  Obviously, I'm no expert on the history of national electric code,
but my top level electrical contractor relatives have never herard of that either.  He also said, VERY LOUDLY, that that doesn't mean that it doesn't exist, just that it was manuf. before the code.  By the way, what type of breakers does it take??  I would be very interested and so would my relative.  (Electrical triva is his thing...   He drives me up the wall with the little tidbits he has stored away,
though I enjoy the talks because he has more experence than I could ever have.)

[dave w]

ArtClark; Not in my older homes breaker box. I have like 4 breakers; in a row from top to bottom all on the same phase then the next 4 are the other one. Only a few positions next to each other are 220 across the breakers connection screws.

Wow Brian, That sounds like major confusion for 220V appliances. It sounds like you have a special area of the panel that is for 220V breakers (where they can be side by side)?