Say I need to deliver 20 amps to a circuit. Is is possible to use two
10 amp wires tied together to do this?

wrote:
Say I need to deliver 20 amps to a circuit. Is is possible to use two
10 amp wires tied together to do this?

Depends on what you mean as to how you intend.

Physically, two 14ga wires paralleled would be adequate, yes, but if
you're speaking of household wiring, NEC forbids multiple connections on
a breaker terminal so that expedient isn't allowed.

--

"dpb" wrote in message ...
wrote:
Say I need to deliver 20 amps to a circuit. Is is possible to use two
10 amp wires tied together to do this?

Depends on what you mean as to how you intend.

Physically, two 14ga wires paralleled would be adequate, yes, but if
you're speaking of household wiring, NEC forbids multiple connections on a
breaker terminal so that expedient isn't allowed.

--
NEC also requires wires run in parallel to be 1/0 or greater

On Sat, 11 Oct 2008 11:53:17 -0500, dpb wrote:

wrote:
Say I need to deliver 20 amps to a circuit. Is is possible to use two
10 amp wires tied together to do this?

Depends on what you mean as to how you intend.

Physically, two 14ga wires paralleled would be adequate, yes, but if
you're speaking of household wiring, NEC forbids multiple connections on
a breaker terminal so that expedient isn't allowed.


Are you sure? I'm quite sure there is more than one wire per breaker
in many panels - or would there be one wire on the breaker, tied to 2
or more with wire-nuts? Easy way around that would be heavy wire to a
junction box, where two light wires were connected. However, having 2
LIVE wires connected to one device is, as far as I know, against code.
** Posted from http://www.teranews.com **

wrote in message
...
Say I need to deliver 20 amps to a circuit. Is is possible to use two
10 amp wires tied together to do this?

No, for the obvious reason that if one wire worked loose you would still
have a circuit, but it would be grossly overloaded.

I made a 150' extension cord by cable tying a 14/2 extension cord and a 16/3
cord together with cable ties; using one for the hot and the other for the
neutral. If one conductor worked loose I might have excessive voltage drop,
but it would be safe. Still not legal, but safe.
(I got the extension cords at a going out of business sale for 80% off, but
they were the largest they had.)

On Oct 11, 12:23*pm, wrote:
Say I need to deliver 20 amps to a circuit. *Is is possible to use two
10 amp wires tied together to do this?

No.