I've seen some good wiring questions answered here, and now I have one. What does it mean if a circuit in the breaker box is double tapped? My brother was having a house inspected and this was turned up.

This is a double tapped breaker.

http://www.acehomeinspection.com/gallery/MVC-225S.JPG

Is that a code violation? Assuming all wiring is the proper size for the breaker, what's so bad about it?

One breaker = one circuit. You can run your cable out of the breaker panel and right into a junction box and split it 100 ways if you want, and it's still one circuit.

For the original post...

Is there a 'sub-panel'? Double-tapping could mean the feeder is tied onto the same lugs as the incoming service. Effectively creates an extra 'main panel', with a good chance of burning up the service conductors. :eek:

I suggest some pics of the panel(s) with the cover(s) off so we can properly scrutinize.

Some breakers are acceptable for dual terminations. If they are, they will be marked as such. Many Square D brand breakers (QO series and others) are like this. They capture the two wires - one on each side of the screw - with a specially-formed square washer. Still, I would only do so in a pinch, and still make sure each wire is sized separately for the size of breaker it is tied onto.

The terminals on the breakers in the picture do not appear to be of a type intended for dual connections. Some situations like this can be remedied with twin/mini/half-size breakers.

Paralleling 2 smaller wires for supplying a larger load is a violation (in Canada anyways) unless you're dealing with #1/0 or larger.

Many home inspectors don't have clue what they're looking at. Trouble is now there is documentation
of a possible issue that you will need an electrician for to analyze, possibly remedy, and vouch for, to satisfy the insurance and mortgage Co's needs.

78bronco460,

I am an electrician, and i DO know what i am talking about. Maybe you should research a little before you make your posts. :shaking:

You can run smaller parallelled wire if you dont have the appropriately sized larger cable (although it in my opinion is not a good way to do it). It IS acceptable according to NEC 2005 article 310.4 to parallel #1/0 or larger sized cable. You take the cmil area of the 2 smaller conductors (as according to Table 8, Chapter 9 of any recent NEC code book) and as long as they add up to equal (or better yet slightly larger) than the original intended conductor size than it IS ok. I should have clarafied the larger cable in my original post, whoopty freaking do. The math adds up, and anyone with a 3rd grade education can prove this.

And some circuit breakers (like square-d QO breakers) do have the capabilities of accepting 2 conductors at the breaker itself. It is not however meant to be used to supply 2 separate circuits. If you run out of spaces in the electrical panel you can use the mini-breakers to add a circuit if you wish. They are quite a bit more expensive than a regular circuit breaker, but they are a legal and safe way to add a circuit.

Tim

TBM Jeep:
Say whatever you like, now that you deleted your post that said to parallel two #12's if you don't have any #10. I don't need a code class from an apprentice on a 4x4 forum. Go suck a nut.