310.4 Conductors in Parallel.
(A) General. Aluminum, copper-clad aluminum, or copper conductors of size 1/0 AWG and larger, comprising each phase, polarity, neutral, or grounded circuit conductor shall be permitted to be connected in parallel (electrically joined at both ends).
Exception No. 1: Conductors in sizes smaller than 1/0 AWG shall be permitted to be run in parallel to supply control power to indicating instruments, contactors, relays, solenoids, and similar control devices, or for frequencies of 360 Hz and higher, provided all of the following apply:
(a) They are contained within the same raceway or cable.
(b) The ampacity of each individual conductor is sufficient to carry the entire load current shared by the parallel conductors.
(c) The overcurrent protection is such that the ampacity of each individual conductor will not be exceeded if one or more of the parallel conductors become inadvertently disconnected.
Exception No. 2: Under engineering supervision, grounded neutral conductors in sizes 2 AWG and larger shall be permitted to be run in parallel for existing installations.
FPN to Exception No. 2: Exception No. 2 can be used to alleviate overheating of neutral conductors in existing installations due to high content of triplen harmonic currents.
(B) Conductor Characteristics. The paralleled conductors in each phase, polarity, neutral, grounded circuit conductor, or equipment grounding conductor shall comply with all of the following:
(1) Be the same length
(2) Have the same conductor material
(3) Be the same size in circular mil area
(4) Have the same insulation type
(5) Be terminated in the same manner
(C) Separate Cables or Raceways. Where run in separate cables or raceways, the cables or raceways with conductors shall have the same number of conductors and shall have the same electrical characteristics. Conductors of one phase, polarity, neutral, grounded circuit conductor, or equipment grounding conductor shall not be required to have the same physical characteristics as those of another phase, polarity, neutral, grounded circuit conductor, or equipment grounding conductor to achieve balance.
(D) Ampacity Adjustment. Conductors installed in parallel shall comply with the provisions of 310.15(B)(2)(a).
(E) Equipment Grounding Conductors. Where parallel equipment grounding conductors are used, they shall be sized in accordance with 250.122. Sectioned equipment grounding conductors smaller than 1/0 AWG shall be permitted in multiconductor cables in accordance with 310.13, provided the combined circular mil area in each cable complies with 250.122.