Siemens TVSS breaker question

[Nate Nagel]

Hi all,

bought a house last year... breaker panel is ITE/Siemens, I invested in a 2-pole 20A combination breaker/TVSS for piece of mind. There are two green LEDs on the front of the breaker, that show that the TVSS/surge projection is working. Was down in the basement doing laundry the other day and noticed that one LED is still bright while the other is dim. I switched that pole off and it's definitely glowing, not just getting light from the other LED, but it is noticeably dimmer than the other one. Does this mean that the MOV in there is getting ready to s**t the bed? Will I have to replace this breaker every year or so? At close to $200 a pop, that could get spendy. But I did notice after I installed it that the clock in my coffee maker stopped freaking out and I do have lots of electronics that I'd like to keep protected.

thanks,

nate

[Pete C.]

I'd check the documentation for the breaker / suppresser for interpretation of the LEDs, and also warranty information. The dim LED could indicate a problem with the suppresser, or if could be a problem with the LED (they do fail you know). As for the cost, I'd check around a bit for better prices. I recall the Square D QO series "Surgebreaker" which is a suppresser only that snaps into a two pole space, was somewhere around $60.

[bud--]

I agree. You could also try asking the manufacturer. My guess is that it is only significant that the LED is on or off and that the LED is the problem.