Tandem breakers in cutler hammer load center.

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Rivahtech

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Farnham Virginia usa
Hello everyone. I've recently looked at a job that has a cutler hammer ch type panel and this is residential. It has 40 spaces and the issue is there are 6 breakers that are double tapped. The only numbers I found in panel were ch40km200. The info I can find is that this panel isn't capable of having tandems by its model number. Home is for sale so these items need to be fixed but they don't want to spend much on it. I'm just looking to protect myself and make it manufacturer and code compliant. There's other issues to like no romex connectors and such. It's more or less a rats nest. Any help would be appreciated thanks.
 
Since they're looking for "cheap", I would take the double tapped breakers and pigtail the two conductors with one lead to the breaker. If it hasn't overloaded the breaker being double tapped you should be fine pigtailing them. It's also legal!
 
Little Bill said:
Since they're looking for "cheap", I would take the double tapped breakers and pigtail the two conductors with one lead to the breaker. If it hasn't overloaded the breaker being double tapped you should be fine pigtailing them. It's also legal!
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I agree. :thumbsup:
 
Ummm... :slaphead:

...while the preceding recommendations are fine and dandy, there is a big IF attached... and that is, you must ascertain the calculated load of the combined circuits does not exceed the circuit rating after combined. You can't just combine circuits willy nilly without regard for such. "Should be fine" is not the prescribed method for making that determination.

:D
 
Welcome.

jhawkbb said:
Still a newbie but I believe some Cutler CH breakers are rated for two conductors so it might be ok. If not then we would pigtail the two into one and call it a day.
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Smaller CH CH (tan handles) breakers are rated for two conductors of the same size. There is no code violation unless those conductors are going to the same load (paralleled).
 
Smart $ said:
Ummm... :slaphead:

...while the preceding recommendations are fine and dandy, there is a big IF attached... and that is, you must ascertain the calculated load of the combined circuits does not exceed the circuit rating after combined. You can't just combine circuits willy nilly without regard for such. "Should be fine" is not the prescribed method for making that determination.

:D
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Load calculations are proven by the fact the double tapped breaker hasn't tripped!:p
Remember, they are looking for "cheap"!:roll:
 
Just a note, twin breakers only fit type CH loadcenters that have the nibs as shown on the lower part of the rail in the photo below.





There is a huge installed base of C-H loadcenters that were never designed to use twin breakers, without that nib, they fit, but flop around.
 
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