Another (dumb?) electrical question

[jethro]

Thanks, daddis! I've been kicking myself for not ordering during the famed $119.95 feeding frenzy this winter. Seeing the aftermath of three hours slicing and dicing cedar and MDF this past weekend had SWMBO not only agreeing to, but SUGGESTING a dust collector without even a hint from me!

--------------------
jethro.
Never attempt to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time, and annoys the pig. --Heinlein

[wwday3]

Another (dumb?) electrical question

Haven't posted for a few months. Been just too **** busy with outdoor stuff to even check the forum out. But, I'm back

A question came up that I am totally unable to answer. It has to do with breakers, so I'll have to rely on one of the fine electrical experts who frequent this board. Here's the question.

(I think "lug" is the proper term. What I mean by it is the location on the breaker where the romex wire is attached).

It's my understanding that breakers are only supposed to have one wire (circuit) attached to the lug. So, why is it set up so the screw is in the middle of the lug plate and there is "room" on either side for a wire. It almost looks like it was intended to allow you to attach 2 wires (circuits) to the same breaker.

If this is too vague, let me know and I will try to reformat the question.

Thanks in advance.

[BobSch]

quote:Originally posted by wwday3

It's my understanding that breakers are only supposed to have one wire (circuit) attached to the lug. So, why is it set up so the screw is in the middle of the lug plate and there is "room" on either side for a wire. It almost looks like it was intended to allow you to attach 2 wires (circuits) to the same breaker.

If this is too vague, let me know and I will try to reformat the question.

Thanks in advance.

I've often wondered the same thing myself. It sure looks like the lug is designed to take two wires.

[Hellrazor]

You need to check with the manufacturer of the breaker. Some do allow 2 wires. Normally this is NOT done though.

[crokett]

I've never seen 2 wires attached to the same breaker and I've been inside breaker boxes with electricians more than a few times.

[LinuxRandal]

Parents old house had a couple of breakers that had multiple rooms hooked up to them. One room (attic bedroom) had been added after the house was built, and the other was a couple of generic outlets in the basement. The important thing is the load calculation to make sure your not going over the rating of the breaker. An electrician told me, this is done when you don't have easy access to put in a junction box, and are not at the point of putting in a new box.

[LarryG]

Mike is correct, according to our electrical consultant. Some breakers are rated for two wires, some aren't. He says he prefers not to see two wires on one breaker even if the breaker allows it.

[LJR]

wwday3, two wires on one breaker terminal? Not usually done. Most household type breakers are rated for one wire. You can get breakers that are rated to accept two wires. When you put two wires under that one screw and tighten it down to the proper torque (yes, there is a proper torque, it's listed in the breaker panel spec sheet in the breaker box) how do you know that both wires are tightened equally? You don't. That loose wire will create excess heat and arcing. With one wire under that screw you know that it got properly tightened.

What can be done (if you're really trying to land more wires) is come off the breaker with one wire and then in the breaker box make a proper splice with the two wires you wanted to land on that breaker. That's code and when you do it boy does it look like cr##. If you do that, you also have to do a boxfill calulation on the breaker box to make sure it's big enough to handle all the splices you now added to it.

I have set a junction box right next to the breaker box and then made all those "unsightly" splices in the junction box. That isn't a "pretty" installation either, but the breaker box is kept neater that way.