Tandem breakers ( "peanut breakers")

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brother

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Whats your opinion of tandem breakers, (peanut breakers is what we call them). ?? You know the thin breakers that can have 2 circuits on one phase, do you use them or do you think its bad practice??

I personally dont have a problem with them, but had a fellow electrician said he would not use them at certain spots, even if the load and phases could handle it and it was legal in our area.
I can see his point to some degree, because if someone doesn't properly phase them correctly and they are sharing a neutral when you move other ciruits around, you can over heat a neutral. And of course under the 2005 NEC you can only have 42 ciruits in a panel, this changes in 2008 though.

So you do you use them or no? do like them or hate them??
 
brother said:
And of course under the 2005 NEC you can only have 42 ciruits in a panel, this changes in 2008 though.
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Even with the advent of the 2008 NEC you should only install these breakers in the panels locations designed to hold them.
 
I use them, but only on lightly loaded circuits, I figgure you will wind up with excess heat in the breaker pretty easy with a tandem that has two fully loaded circuits on it...
 
If their listed, then why not use them if you have to.
As long as the panel your using them in is listed for where you install them.
If someone miss wires multi-wire circuits that are powered by these breakers, then chances are there miss wiring ones powered by standard breakers.

Just curious, have you run into anyone with a amendment to the code not allowing these breakers?
 
"Tandem's & Piggy backs" I have no problem with them if needed.
 
They can be pretty handy when you need to add a circuit. Just be sure you follow the panel label as to where and how many.
 
What is disgusting is to come across a new installation and find the panel full of twin breakers that might be the ONLY good thing about the 2008 AFCI requirements, putting the binders on that practice.
 
norcal said:
What is disgusting is to come across a new installation and find the panel full of twin breakers that might be the ONLY good thing about the 2008 AFCI requirements, putting the binders on that practice.
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Yep. It's a shame to see a brand new panel all loaded up with TWINKIES.
 
norcal said:
What is disgusting is to come across a new installation and find the panel full of twin breakers that might be the ONLY good thing about the 2008 AFCI requirements, putting the binders on that practice.
Click to expand...

I was working in what had been a jam-packed
20/40 all-in-one today (putting in
a subpanel for a remodel) and was
wondering if the manufacturers were going to
come out with tandem afci breakers. There certainly
would be a market for such a product.
 
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