Tandem Breakers??


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Old 04-30-11, 10:45 AM
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Tandem Breakers??

Wondering if someone could tell me whether my breaker panel accepts tandem breakers. It has the following information stamped on the front and the inside:

Square D Company
QO Load Center
Cat No. QO8-16
Series L4

If this panel does accept tandems, is there anything I need to know about installing them?

Thanks for the help.
 
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Old 04-30-11, 11:01 AM
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Looking at the numbers it appears to be an 8 space, 16 circuit panel. Is your panel have 8 breakers/spaces now?
If so, then tandem should be OK. Not much to know about tandems. Pop the old one out (with the panel off) pop in the tandem. Put the old circuit on one screw. Put the new circuit on the other. I suggest not moving the existing circuits around to other spaces unless your 100% sure they are not multiwire circuits.
 
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Old 04-30-11, 02:52 PM
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Thanks for the reply.

Yes, the panel has 8 breaker spaces currently. The previous owner had wired two circuits into one breaker. I'm assuming that's a no-no, and because there is no more room it appears that a tandem breaker is the easiest solution.
 
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Old 04-30-11, 03:21 PM
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The previous owner had wired two circuits into one breaker. I'm assuming that's a no-no
Not if he did it by tieing the two wires to a pigtail and running the pigtail to the breaker. Some breakers are rated for two wires but I'll leave that for the pros to answer.
 
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Old 04-30-11, 03:51 PM
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Both the Square D QO and Homelines can accept two conductors in the 15 and 20 amp sizes.
 
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Old 04-30-11, 05:15 PM
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The panel accepts tandems, and the breakers 30A and under are rated for 2 wires.
 
 

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