jamesgangnc wrote:
On Jun 22, 9:51 am, Tony wrote:
Pavel314 wrote:
This is a theoretical electrical question, not something I actually
plan to do. Say somebody wants to run a new circuit from the breaker
box to one special outlet, like for a microwave oven or window air
conditioner or something like that. Being an ecconomical sort, this
guy decides that instead of buying the proper gauge wire for the job,
he'll use up some 14 gauge wire which is lying around from a previous
job, but run two hot lines and two ground lines in parallel, as
diagrammed below.

Box: Hot ====================
Load Outlet
Box: Ground==================

So we have two black 14g wires running from the hot connector on the
breaker to the outlet and two white 14g wires running back from the
outlet to the ground in the box. Two questions:

1. What gauge single wire would this be equivalent to in current
carrying capacity? That is, would this be the same as running a single
10g or 8g or what? Maybe 14g / 2 = 7g?

2. This seems to be very unsafe but I'm not sure why. It's probably
against every wiring code everywhere. What's the danger with this set
up?

Again, I'm not going to do this, I'm actually going to go out and buy
the proper gauge wire for my project, but this popped into my head and
I wondered what the rest of you thought about it.

Paul

Hi,
Since you mention theory, if you make the length of wires EXACTLY same
to even the load current and make sure two wires always stay connected
TOGETHER, it'll be OK.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I think you're both wrong. A single lead failure results in an
overload on the remaining lead. And I think this is banned by the
code which would require that a conductor connected to a breaker be
rated to carry the load of the breaker. In otherwords an inspector
would fail me for connecting 14/2 to a 30amp breaker. Even though two
pieces of 14/2 could carry 30 amps.
Hi,
I said it based on theory not on real life practice.
OP mentioned theory.