Electric Breaker Out of Slots

[I-zheet M'drurz]

There's a joke in there somewhere about how guys always -think- they could stand another 2", but I'm not gonna go there. In the immortal words of ol' slick Clinton: "Ah feel your pain."

[Arnie Goetchius]

Oh my.. The tears ran down my leg!! Thanks for your response.

[Mark or Sue]

Go to Home Depot and grab one each of all these "interchangeable" breakers ....a Square D Homeline, a GE, a Siemens, and a CH BR. Now look at how they grab the bus. Each will have a different shape and thickness of bars that contact the bus. Are you sure your panel bus bars are as thick as the panel intended to hold that breaker? Are your bus prongs as long as the ones intended to hold that breaker?

If a connection becomes poor, that breaker and bus stab will get hot. Eventually, that bus finger could melt. Flames will probably not come out of your panelboard, but you'll have a mess on your hands and need to replace the panel.

Finally, I've heard of many people using these breakers, and ones sold as "Interchangable group" before with no problems. You could say its a manufacturer's plot to ensure business, and you may be right. There is little incentive to spend money to get your breakers listed for all the combinations of panelboards on the market. You're probably fine, but I'd carefully look at the differences between the Sylvania breakers and the ones you replaced them with. Also look at the bus and breaker for black spots, scorch marks, or melting, and feel these breakers when under load to see if they are hot. I've seen colored disks at Home Depot that you stick on the breaker. They change color when they get warmer than a breaker should get. Consider sticking those on your breakers.

-- Mark Kent, WA

[Zaf]

There was actually one piece of information missing. The main will trip when either pole decides to trip. In addition to the VA rating as a whole, taking which phase powers each load (i.e. you would'nt want both ACs and the fridge on the same phase) needs to be looked at. I also have 100A service and convinced myself I'd be OK, even adding in transient loads like hair dryers and toasters, although they may not be in use to long enough to be a factor.

[Arnie Goetchius]

Both A/C's are central units running on 240 and the oven would also be on 240 which by definition is on both poles. This represents half the load. The rest of the load is spread roughly evenly (or at worst 55/45) between the two poles.

[modervador]

For the cooktop, gas is preferred by most chefs. I don't think there's anything particularly more appealing about a gas oven. Convection ovens are all electric, if memory serves. I've heard that the new ideal is gas top, electric under.

2" sticking out into the kitchen can be expensive indeed. I can see it now: "Does this new oven make my ass look fatter?"

%mod%

[Terry]

Yup. makes sense. We have one 'slot' in our main panel that can't now be used because some years back, even with a 'proper' breaker of same manufacture as the panel (Square D), the breaker became faulty, over heated, contacts lost temper, became loose contact with the buss and corroded it. No matter we are OK without that one double pole position and at a pinch could use a 'single' on the other leg/pole in it. Terry.

[Terry]

Minor point but; ** viz. balancing the loads on the two 'sides' of the 115/230 volt supply? "The other 'leg' of the same 230 volt (115-0-115) phase". I dont think the the two 115 volt 'hots' are normally different 'phases'. If so they would be 120 degress apart and voltage between them would not be twice 115 = 230 volts.

200 ampservice common here for past 30 years. But mainly cos of electric heating.