15 amp Branch ckt double tap

[Richard M. Ross]

I have a 15amp breaker with a copper solid conductor and an aluminum stranded conductor double tapped. The breaker is rated for AU/AL, however it does not appear to be rated for a double tap connection. There are no vacant breaker positions. Is there a replacement breaker to accommodate this configuration, both solid and stranded? If not, I assume there is a breaker with the proper double tap for two solid conductors and if this is the case, is there an acceptable splice to pigtail a solid copper onto an aluminum stranded?

[Robert Meier]

You could use either of these. I would prefer the ones with the set screw:

[Sean Fogarty]

Those purple wire nuts sure are expensive.

[Jim Port]

That may not even be stranded AL.

[James L. Keilson]

Richard under no circumstances can you "Double Tap" a breaker. Your issue is not how to put the 2 dissimilar wires together as that is a violation. You need to only report the issues you found and not try to come up with a recommendation for correction. However to correct that issue they either need to find a "Cheater" or tandem type breaker rated for that panel or set a sub panel next to that panel to allow for more physical breaker spaces. Either way they need a Licensed and capable electrical contractor to asses and correct the issue.

Jim

[Richard M. Ross]

Double tapping is ok if the breaker is rated for double tap. And so far from my research, stranded wire maybe used on a breaker. Therefore It appears you could have a double tap on a double tapped rated breaker with one solid and one stranded.

Let me reword my question to eliminate the issue of discussing this with a client and ask if you ran across the above situation, (a double tap on a double tapped rated breaker with one solid and one stranded) would you call it as a defect?

The Realtor had asked me how much it would cost to repair and I told him if the second circuit wasn't needed, it could cost very little and that there might be some other options which would also be inexpensive, but only a licensed electrician can tell you for sure and the worse case would be adding a sub panel for an additional breaker.

[Robert Meier]

Originally Posted by rross2

Double tapping is ok if the breaker is rated for double tap. And so far from my research, stranded wire maybe used on a breaker. Therefore It appears you could have a double tap on a double tapped rated breaker with one solid and one stranded.

Let me reword my question to eliminate the issue of discussing this with a client and ask if you ran across the above situation, (a double tap on a double tapped rated breaker with one solid and one stranded) would you call it as a defect?

The Realtor had asked me how much it would cost to repair and I told him if the second circuit wasn't needed, it could cost very little and that there might be some other options which would also be inexpensive, but only a licensed electrician can tell you for sure and the worse case would be adding a sub panel for an additional breaker.

I agree that with the proper listed CB you can install more than one conductor (SQ D QO comes to mind). Also if the current circuit is operating without any problems it might be OK to simply splice the two conductors together and install a pigtail to the CB.

[David P. OKeefe]

How about this fix. Leave the al wire on this breaker and pigtail the copper wire onto another copper.

[Larry D. Kage]

Originally Posted by Robert Meier

I agree that with the proper listed CB you can install more than one conductor (SQ D QO comes to mind).

For example: