| Double tapped circuit breakers are the most | | | | This is a quick and easy fix. |
| widespread electric flaws that i find while carrying out | | | | Different Circuit Breaker - One more simple repair |
| house inspections, and they're typically among the | | | | would be to replace the breaker with a type that is |
| simplest defects to correct. Right now I will describe | | | | made for two main wires, as long as the panel is |
| just what double tapping is, when it's and isn't a | | | | designed for it. |
| difficulty, why it's an issue, and just how to fix this | | | | If there are much more problems occurring aside |
| condition. | | | | from just a double tap, the repair might get much |
| Double tapped wiring is alright if the breaker was | | | | more involved. For instance, if a house owner finished |
| made for two main wire connections. If your breaker | | | | off a cellar and included a circuit for the basement |
| is made for two wires, it will say so directly on the | | | | bedroom on to the breaker for the bathroom |
| breaker, and the port will probably be made to hold | | | | receptacles, merely adding a pig tail for the wire |
| two wires in position. This is adequate. To my | | | | connections wouldn't be a suitable repair, because the |
| understanding, the only real manufacturers that make | | | | bathroom receptacles can't be on a shared circuit. In |
| breakers that can be double tapped are Square D | | | | this case, the wires would need to be split off on to |
| and Cutler Hammer... but not all their breakers may be | | | | two separate breakers. There are a few ways to |
| double tapped. When the circuit breaker is not built to | | | | achieve this: |
| hold two wires, the wires could come loose at some | | | | Add A Circuit Breaker - If there is room in the panel, |
| stage in the future, even if they feel very tight | | | | an additional breaker may be added, and the wires |
| today. Free wire connections can lead to getting hot, | | | | split off to the two different breakers. |
| arcing, and quite possibly a fire. | | | | If your panel will accept tandem breakers, it'll say so |
| How to fix: The steps I'm going to list below are a | | | | inside the panel, and the specific locations where |
| few widespread means of working with double | | | | tandem breakers can be used will be identified. A |
| tapped circuit breakers. | | | | panel may allow all tandem breakers, no tandem |
| Pig Tail - This is normally the simplest and best repair. | | | | breakers, or some tandem breakers. |
| The offending wires simply get disconnected from | | | | When none of the above options are achievable, the |
| the circuit breaker, connected to a single wire with a | | | | repair might require replacement of the panel with a |
| wire nut, and that single wire gets connected to the | | | | larger one, or the addition of a subpanel. This would |
| circuit breaker. Now, I know just what you're thinking: | | | | obviously get much additional expensive. |
| "What's so tough about that?" The answer is nothing. | | | | |