Double Tap

[Lockformer]

I am an electrician in Northwest Indiana and I do a lot of work for realtors. In this area, just about every home buyer hires a private home inspector and makes his offer contingent on the home inspection. Typically, the home inspector will make out a list of repairs or changes that he feels is necessary. After the home inspection the buyer will ask the seller to either pay to have the work done or give him a cash settlement at the closing. Unfortunately the home inspectors have little electrical knowledge. One of their favorite write ups is a "double tap." This is what they call a circuit breaker with two wires connected. The home inspectors insist that this is a code violation, but when asked to prove it, they are unable to. I have gone through the code book and cannot find anything on this. I think the home inspectors are wrong. Has anyone else had to deal with this? I would appreciate your comments.

[twh]

I think this was discussed here:
http://www.hostboard.com/cgi-bin/ult...ic/f/511/t/304

[electric-ed]

Lockformer,

- - -a circuit breaker with two wires connected. The home inspectors insist that this is a code violation- - -

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">It depends on the breaker in question. Some breakers are approved for two wires and others are not.

For example, the Square D QO breakers in the 15, 20, and 30 amp ratings can accomodate two wires if copper wire is used.

Ed

[Lockformer]

Ed,

Thanks for your reply. I took a look at a Square D breaker and noticed a tiny label saying that you can connect two conductors and it even gives the wire sizes permitted. Then I looked at a few others like T & B, FPE, Wadsworth and GE. These breakers do not say how many conductors you can connect onto them, but if you connect two conductors and tighten the screw well, they will hold and you cannot pull them out. So I am wondering if when there is no label on the breaker restricting the number of conductors, maybe can connect more than one. In other words, if the manufacturer only allows one conductor, they would tell you on the label.