is it acceptable, safe, and meets code to use a pig-tail splice to eliminate double lugged circuits in a circuit box?
This has come up in a home inspection on a house we are buying and the seller used this method to comply with our request to eliminate the double lugged connections. Circuit box was already full, so only other alternative was to install sub panel or 2nd panel. Seller opted for less expensive choice. Is this fix safe? Does it meet NEC guidelines? Would it pass a permitting inspection?
Yes it is perfectly safe and acceptable. What do you mean by "pass a permitting inspection"? If the home has a CofO and no open building permits what is being inspected?
The old dreaded "double tap" is a favorite of home inspectors to justify their existence. It IS NOT the deadly violation they make it out to be, but yes, in many cases it is a violation.
Thing is, a few breakers (HOM, QO, CH, ??) DO allow two conductors attached, but the funny thing is I still see HI's calling them out.
Thanks all for responses...
To Speedy Petey... The house is already occupied (we are purchasing an existing home). My question concerned if this was a new-built home, would a city/county official (not sure exactly which agency does this) issue a permit to allow occupancy of a home with this type of circuit box wiring.
As a rough rule, it is acceptable for a screw terminal to hold two straight wire ends not touching or crossing over each other where the wire ends can't slip sideways out from under the screw just prior to tightening the screw.
"... what it is that you are pigtail-splicing together ..."
If the two subcircuits double lugged on a breaker were not supposed to be parts of the same branch circuit (for example one is supposed to be a dedicated laundry circuit) then converting the double lug situation to a pigtailed connection will not correct that violation.
For two wires to be under one breaker terminal the terminal must be listed to accept two wires. If it isn't I don't care how nice and pretty the installation is it is not legal.
You could always just install some tandem breakers & eliminate the whole issue of "is it okay to pigtail" or "can I connect these 2 circuits together" just a thunk.
I don't know what school these other guys went to, but they weren't paying attention.
NO ONE can say if the three wires bonded together to make a " pig tail " is legal or not, because no one was given the information needed to answer.
What is the load on each of the two loads connected? Using the NEC rating of 180 VA per receptacle, and the rating of each lighting load, what is the combined load? If the panel was installed correctly and loads were evenly distributed per phase and each breaker installed was properly loaded, then just putting two wires together could very well be dangerous. Especially since most homeowners do not check their breakers for effectiveness on a routine basis as would be done in a commercial application. Non-serviced breakers can and do lock up over time.
I don't know what school these other guys went to, but they weren't paying attention.
NO ONE can say if the three wires bonded together to make a " pig tail " is legal or not, because no one was given the information needed to answer.
What is the load on each of the two loads connected? Using the NEC rating of 180 VA per receptacle, and the rating of each lighting load, what is the combined load? If the panel was installed correctly and loads were evenly distributed per phase and each breaker installed was properly loaded, then just putting two wires together could very well be dangerous. Especially since most homeowners do not check their breakers for effectiveness on a routine basis as would be done in a commercial application. Non-serviced breakers can and do lock up over time.
Thank you for bringing an old thread back to life. Where did they go to school. They are licensed Electricians with a couple of them who have over 30 years of experience in the field.
Pete could you imagine the sheer amount of Magic Smoke that would be released if every 120 volt circuit had 180 volts feeding them. I do not even want to begin to think of that mess.
He said 180 volt-amps, not volts. Volt amps = watts (if power factor is 1).
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