Very slightly OT: Circuit breaker compatibility

Ok, not electronics but electrons flow here:

I just disassembled a panel that was so throughly botched by a "licensed" electrician that major corrections are in order. Among many mistakes he didn't properly protect it from the elements, a breaker has rusted and the tap-off is loose. Needless to say, the usual ancient stuff. Question:

Can I replace EQ-P breakers from ITE with these from Siemens?

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One of the customer questions asks that and a guy answered yes but I am skeptical because there are a lot of incompatibilities in American breaker systems. For example, while the Cruise Hinds breakers I have (I think that's now Murray) look identical they do not fit. Almost but not quite, going only 90% of the way in and they are 1/20" too fat.

Roughing in a whole new panel would be MAJOR structural rework.

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Regards, Joerg 

http://www.analogconsultants.com/
Reply to
Joerg
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[snip]

They don't have electrical inspectors in Californica? A breaker without an enclosure?

Somewhere you can look up compatibility. I had the problem many years ago when I needed to replace the pool breaker that had failed. Somewhere on the web I found a guide. ...Jim Thompson

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| James E.Thompson                                 |    mens     | 
| Analog Innovations                               |     et      | 
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Reply to
Jim Thompson

Breaker-Q225/100183751

You could always try it and return it if it didn't obviously fit.

And yes, the whole "each brand is incompatible" thing is a royal pain in the ass.

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www.wescottdesign.com
Reply to
Tim Wescott

Oh, it has an enclosure. Inspection ... phhhht ... I don't know how that ever passed.

I found them as well. However, even their own search site does not find the breakers that were in there:

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Problem is, manufacturers change the stuff a lot so new stuff may not fit a 30-40 year old panel. That sure was better in Europe, all standardized and you were independent of manufacturers.

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Regards, Joerg 

http://www.analogconsultants.com/
Reply to
Joerg

Yeah, might combine that with a bike ride. Probably lots of bike rides to lots of places until something fits. At least that causes me to lose weight.

Even amongst their own products there is incompatibility with many manufacturers. Same with faucets. I learned that (at least in the US) it does not pay to invest in high-Dollar name-brand fixtures because 20 years down the road it's anyone's guess whether you can still find spares. Better to use a good hardware store model and replace the whole thing when it wears out.

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Regards, Joerg 

http://www.analogconsultants.com/
Reply to
Joerg

Is there a Habitat for Humanity Re-Store near you? They have all sorts of salvaged materials, including panels and breakers at ours. If they don't happen to have the right kind, somebody there might know an old hardware store that has a lot of old stock.

Jon

Reply to
Jon Elson

sounds like we got it better here

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NT

Reply to
tabbypurr

Do you not have standard DIN rail mounted breakers over there?

Reply to
Chris Jones

Ouch. That looks even worse than here.

In the US we also have the phenomenon that a series is dropped completely. For example, here at the house we have Zinsco panels for which there are no more breakers. Used ones almost cost collectors prices and aftermarket ones used to be "a Dollar an amp" and now it's more like "two Dollars an amp".

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Regards, Joerg 

http://www.analogconsultants.com/
Reply to
Joerg

No :-(

Oh how I miss those. In Germany I could walk into a hardware store, get pretty much any 16A or 25A breaker du jour, click it in, connect the wire, close the panel and call it a day. However, some panels in Germany were sealed and regular folks weren't supposed to open them. If the meter reader saw that seal missing his eyebrows would narrow.

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Regards, Joerg 

http://www.analogconsultants.com/
Reply to
Joerg

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