It says '20' on the handle part but it's a double wide so I'm not sure if this is a 20 or a 40 or what it means.

I tried connecting it to a standard GFCI outlet and it blew it and tripped the breaker as soon as I turned the breaker on so if anyone can tell me what it really is, that'd be great.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/i5jz62xzq0...2018.27.21.jpg

 

That is a two pole, 20 amp breaker. It is used for running 240 volt circuits, or two 120 volt circuits in special circumstances.

If you connected both wires of the GFCI to this breaker, this is likely why it blew up the GFCI. You can use half of the breaker, but a better option would be to change it out for two single pole breakers, or one single pole and one filler plate.

 

That is a 2 pole 240 volt breaker. Unless you connected both the white and black to the breaker it shouldn't have blown the GFCI receptacle. If you did connect both the black and white to it you should read the book Wiring Simplified cover to cover before doing any electrical work. Electrical work can be dangerous if you don't know the basics.

 

It's a 20 amp double breaker for 240 volts. How did you connect it to a GFCI, and where was the wiring that you attached it to? Fill us in on what you are doing before you create a very dangerous situation for yourself. Is this in a residence or in a commercial building?

 

Ah, didn't think of the 240v part. I need to run an electrical line to an island in my kitchen. We used to have an in-wall space heater in our basement that we removed a while ago and the circuit is just sitting there right under where the island is. Since I needed a 20amp circuit to go to the island I thought I could reuse this circuit.

I connected the wires to the GFCI outlet on the Line side and connected the black and white both.

I didn't have anything in the Load side yet as I just wanted to make sure the outlet was working before I extended the line up to the island. When I turned on the breaker it tripped immediately.

 

You really shouldn't be doing electrical work till you know the basics. The white wire of a 120 volt circuit is neutral. Neutral is connected to the neutral bar.

 

On the outlet I connected the black and white just like on any other outlet or switch. I didn't do anything with the breaker. It was already there.

 

But you should have known not to use it as wired. The fact you didn't is why you need to learn the basics.

 

Thanks for the input.....

 

It's a Square D Cat # QO220 and as you were told, it's a 20 amp 2 pole 240 volt circuit breaker. A 20 amp single pole 120 volt breaker would be a QO120.

 

A GFI receptacle would be cheaper than then the GFI breaker for a 120 volt circuit.

 

That's why I was using the original breaker and wiring it to a GFI outlet. Didn't realize it was a 240. Guess I'll have to swap that with a 120v regular breaker and wire that to the GFI outlet if it's a big price difference.

 

Though not best practice the breaker you have will work. You just need to move the white wire to the neutral bar.

 

The breaker is probably $10 or less at just about any hardware or big box store. Probably will cost less than the GFCI receptacle.

 

You will also need a filler plate as suggested by Tolyn earlier to cover half the opening when you switch to a 120v breaker..