Main Panel ?? Is this allowed?

[pnarron]

Can you do this? 2 conductors under 1 lug. They put in a septic pump in which may be the other 2 smaller conductors. The client said there was a panel in crawl space also and that it had screw in fuses. The water was not on so no need to go in crawl twice; I will go in monday after they install a pump for the well. House was built in 1955. Never have seen sombody have a septic tank with a pump. (area does have poor drainage)

Thanks!

[Joe Funderburk, CMI]

Negative.

"The main panel was "double-lugged", meaning additional conductors draw current directly from the main lugs, possibly without with benefit of over-current protection. An evaluation by a licensed electrician is recommended."

[pnarron]

Thanks for your help, have you ever run across a septic tank pump being wired in with the panel being located in the yard? I will have to get a pitcure to post.

[David P. Valley]

Doesn't matter what it is, double tapped wires and cables are not allowed.

These smaller cables need a dedicated circuit breaker.

[Robert Meier]

Most mechanical lugs are rated for only one conductor. Although they do manufacture lugs that can accept more than one conductor it is highly unlikely that the ones shown in the photo are so listed.

110.14 Electrical Connections.
(A) Terminals. Connection of conductors to terminal parts shall ensure a thoroughly good connection without damaging the conductors and shall be made by means of pressure connectors (including set-screw type), solder lugs, or splices to flexible leads. Connection by means of wire-binding screws or studs and nuts that have upturned lugs or the equivalent shall be permitted for 10 AWG or smaller conductors.
Terminals for more than one conductor and terminals used to connect aluminum shall be so identified.

[Larry J. Michael]

Have electrician evaluate

[Jeffrey R. Pope]

Originally Posted by lmichael

Have electrician evaluate

It has already been "evaluated." It's wrong. Now it needs to be "fixed."

[Larry D. Kage]

Originally Posted by jpope

It has already been "evaluated." It's wrong. Now it needs to be "fixed."

Zackly...

[David A. Andersen]

Thank you Jeff!

[iniquette]

I would not personally recommend evaluation by an electrician, I would just recommend repair for the following reason. If further evaluation is your recommendation, it may get put on the back burner until they get around to it. If you recommend repair, this is more likely to be done asap. Besides, no more evaluation is needed, it is wrong.

[pdickerson]

The double tapped conductors are wrong and need to be fixed, but the more dangerous issue is that they are tapped on the line side of the service disconnect and the only over current protection they have is the fuse on the primary to the transformer. Yikes!

[mnahrgang]

Originally Posted by pnarron

Thanks for your help, have you ever run across a septic tank pump being wired in with the panel being located in the yard? I will have to get a pitcure to post.

Many septic systems have pumps. There are lift pumps that take the effluent from the home to a higher elevation to the septic tank, there are pumps that send the effluent to the field under pressure, and there are various types of aeration systems that have pumps. It is extremely common to have some sort of motor/pump/aerator with a septic system. Most also have an alarm built in that if the effluent gets too deep, and the pump hasn't kicked on, it will let the owners know there is a problem and they need to quit flushing until it's fixed.

[pnarron]

I found out that the 2 wires came out under the deck.(Deck is only 16in high) I had took a photo of under the deck and saw the 2 exposed wires and they had been cut. I taped my tester to a board and stuck it under the eck and sure enough they were hot. Told the realtor that they needed to have the power company cut the power so they could pull the wires out. It rained today to!

[hlowe]

Originally Posted by pnarron

I found out that the 2 wires came out under the deck.(Deck is only 16in high) I had took a photo of under the deck and saw the 2 exposed wires and they had been cut. I taped my tester to a board and stuck it under the eck and sure enough they were hot. Told the realtor that they needed to have the power company cut the power so they could pull the wires out. It rained today to!

Are you saying they were hot, and exposed? Unbelievable!