circuit breaker help

[dbtexas]

I've got a 30 amp double pole "Challenger" circuit breaker and need to replace it. What are the chances of a different brand replacing it? The reason I ask is on the box it says to replace with the same brand and once in my past I went with the same brand (different house). Also if I priced it right on the web, I see the same "Challenger" breaker (I think???) costing around $16.00 while a different brand but same type in a local Home Depot cost about half as much. Is there a difference in quality and assuming it fits, will it be as safe / good? Advice ???

** remove .invalid from my email address to reply by email **

[Tom Pendergast]

Hogwash. The warning/advisory whatever you want to call it, is there to make sure you keep buying equipment from them. It's a breaker, it's a load center, they have conductive metallic pieces that meet, end of friggin' story.

Does your tinfoil hat need tightened up?

TP

[Guyz-N-Flyz]

I'd have to disagree with conclusion here Tom. Mr. Horn is correct, IMMHO. Sure the breaker might fit into the slot, and it might appear to work just fine, but if the contact points --the buss bar tab and the breaker clip (standard for many home type electrical panels-- don't inter-lock tightly and completely, there is a chance that arching could occur. Over time, a constant arching will erode (burn apart) the buss tab and the breaker clip.

Furthermore, the UL listing is not a "warning/advisory whatever you want to call it," and has nothing to do with any particular manufactures products, thus it is not there to keep folks buying particular manufactures products. UL listings are ubiquitous, and are there to protect the consumer--not the manufactures!

Op

[Thomas D. Horne]

I see that the criticism you have been subjected to by others has caused you to become as vitriolic as some of your detractors.

I have been a working electrician for over three decades. During that time I have seen plenty of burned up buss bars. In some cases it was failure to properly seat the breakers or leaving them under strain from conductors that are improperly positioned and shaped to enter the breaker's terminals but in others the cause was a mismatch between the breaker and the buss bar's materials.

I was not referring to the manufacturers boiler plate language that is designed to discourage the use of other manufacturers breakers regardless of listing or recognition by a testing laboratory. Certainly SquareD would prefer you use their breakers rather than a UL recognized Thomas & Bettes unit. The difference here is that the Thomas & Bettes unit has been tested for use in a SquareD homeline panel and a bryant has not. If you want to gamble with your own safety that is your business but it is irresponsible to suggest to others that it is safe to do so.

-- Tom

[Tom Pendergast]

I'm citing common sense. It's not like there are a hundred different breaker footprints. If you manufacture your breaker to fit a GE load center, then there is no reason -NOT- to make it fit the exact same form as a genuine GE breaker. It's not like you can shave a 1/16th of an inch off each contact and make it fit a Square D box.

This is an argument for the folks who say you can only use "Official GM Part # 3349843432132_B Windshield Washer Fluid" in your Chevy Truck. Some folks bite on it hook, line and sinker.

TP

--

[Thund3rstruck]

Tom Pendergast rambled on about something in :

But, if the metal on the breaker is too different than what's in the box, then you can have a reaction, if you will, where tarnish/whatever builds up. After a bit, the breaker could get hot...

That's what the manufacturer is worried about.

On that topic, here's a humorous site:

NOI

[TURTLE]

this is Turtle.

Thomas , awwwwww , Your speaking a fellow who is using PVC drain pipe to vent his gas hot water tank with right now and thinks it is OK. He also will run air condenser unit outside with a fuse type disconnect with 3/4" copper pipe as the fuses in it and thinks it is OK. Ask him about it and get a laugh.

Sorry Tom Pendergast, I couldn't help myself. I had to say it.

TURTLE

[TURTLE]

This is Turtle.

Yes now Tom , we agree with you. Now go back to what you was doing.

TURTLE

[Thomas D. Horne]

What kind of documentation would you find helpful? I don't know of any studies on the comparative failure rates of recognized vs untested combinations of breakers and panels. The point I was trying to make is that there are listed or recognized breakers available for most panels. Since a fully tested combination is available why would you not use it. If you save five dollars but then cause the loss of the panel, your home, or even a life what have you gained?

-- Tom