Originally Posted By: jmyers
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Mike,
You are certainly correct about the lugs having two wires under the terminal. To my knowledge these lugs are meant to have one wire under them and I doubt they are approved for more than one wire.
While working for an electrical distributor we carried the T & B and the Ilsco brand lugs and I have never heard of any being rated for more than one wire under a single terminal.
Unfortunately I do not think this is a code issue, this would be a UL listing issue. Ultimately, the AHJ would have the final say whether this practice would be allowed.
My biggest concern with this situation would be the wires being different sizes they would certainly have a tendency to work loose. This could cause failure, shorts or arcing of the circuit. Second if the wire was damaged in between the meter and the a/c unit there would be no way to de-energize the circuit causing a safety concern.
In the very least I would request a disconnect be placed by the meter panel if this wire is exposed and venurable to damage. I would entertain the idea of an electrician re-torque this terminal at least annually.
If you have ever come accross any older fused panels you will probably notice this same setup. Sometimes they place the wires under the same lugs (load side) that supply the panel with electricity. Other times they will tap the buss. It is common and you should check the wires for proper overcurrent protection, such as breakers or fuses, for the circuit.
Hope this helps!
Joe Myers
