Piggyback Breakers
- Thread starter bobselec
- Start date
- Status
- Location
- New Jersey
- Occupation
- Journeyman Electrician
Who told you this and what was their reason?
I don't know if that's what you were told or not. Perhaps if you included a bit more information instead of asking with a fragmented question.
Questions like this don't convey much information, especially towards what you're wanting to know.
Perhaps if you just ask the person who tells you this type of stuff where, exactly, their information comes from.
ceb58
Senior Member
- Location
- Raeford, NC
If he is older maybe his mind is slipping:roll:
hillbilly1
Senior Member
- Location
- North Georgia mountains
- Occupation
- Owner/electrical contractor
With all the arc faults required in residential now, they sure will be harder to use!:grin:
- Location
- Chapel Hill, NC
- Occupation
- Retired Electrical Contractor
ceb58
Senior Member
- Location
- Raeford, NC
readydave8
re member
- Location
- Clarkesville, Georgia
- Occupation
- electrician
yeah the guy at the counter told me they were out of them.
jxofaltrds
Inspector Mike®
- Location
- Mike P. Columbus Ohio
- Occupation
- ESI, PI, RBO
Some of us are not the best at posting. He is also new to this forum so be gentle.
Hendrix
Senior Member
- Location
- New England
LOL Gentle, in here
Jim W in Tampa
Senior Member
- Location
- Tampa Florida
I agree on uses being limited and the places that are not such as fixrd appliances are not a good choice for piggyback but they are legal
What's a piggy back breaker?
He he, thank you. But "tandem" or "half size" would have sufficed. I'm a little "new fashioned" I still don't want to know what a "troffer" is I do now, but it still takes a couple seconds to realize it's a gutter, or wireway.
I do now, but it still takes a couple seconds to realize it's a gutter, or wireway........ I still don't want to know what a "troffer" is
To most of us, this is a troffer:
Last edited:
That's exactly what came to my mind when I heard the first time the word "troffer"
To most of us, this is a troffer:
To find out more on our lingo, click here.
goldstar
Senior Member
- Location
- New Jersey
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor
Some of the guys at the supply counters like to make blanket statements like "installing tandem (piggy-backed) circuit breakers are a code violation". By the same token some of us are naive enough to take this as Gospel truth.
In reality, the statement is partly true and partly false. If you have an older breaker panel that is approved for tandems and accepts tandems then you can add add'l circuits. However, that doesn't mean you can convert a 40 circuit panel into an 80 circuit panel. You can usually find the information on the panel cover door as to whether you can use the tandem or not and where in the panel they can be installed.
On the other hand, if you have a newer panel in a new residential installation where arc fault breakers are installed, you will not be able to use tandems if you have to remove an arc fault breaker in order to add the circuit, irrespective of whether the panel accepts tandems or not.
In reality, the statement is partly true and partly false. If you have an older breaker panel that is approved for tandems and accepts tandems then you can add add'l circuits. However, that doesn't mean you can convert a 40 circuit panel into an 80 circuit panel. You can usually find the information on the panel cover door as to whether you can use the tandem or not and where in the panel they can be installed.
On the other hand, if you have a newer panel in a new residential installation where arc fault breakers are installed, you will not be able to use tandems if you have to remove an arc fault breaker in order to add the circuit, irrespective of whether the panel accepts tandems or not.
- Status