Sourcing old/obsolete breakers?

[Dave Garrett]

Anyone know of a source for old/obsolete breakers? One of the breakers in the panel at my parents' house failed. It's a circa-1964 Square D panel, model QO-8R0, and the breaker is a 15A 120/240 twin/tandem one.

The failure mode is that the breaker in question tripped and cannot be reset. An electrician confirmed that it needed to be replaced, but hasn't had much luck finding a suitable replacement locally. There are no known issues with any of the other breakers.

Bay Breakers/Bay Power seems to be one of the go-to sources for obsolete breakers, but they haven't responded to a message I sent via their web contact form.

Anticipating the inevitable recommendation, upgrading to a new panel isn't in the budget right now.

[Anonymous]

Try these guys:

or maybe

[gfretwell]

I assume you are talking about a 240v tandem breaker (2 240v circuits in 2 slots) It isn't legal but I used two of the tandem breakers with the full size handle in line (not 2 little ones side by side) with handle tie kits. Folks install sub panels to solve problems like this if the breaker is truly unobtainium.

[Clare Snyder]

A standard current Square D QO breaker should plug right in - and you can use it in the new QO panel when you eventually replace it - QO215CP should be the part number for the replacement for a 15 amp - QO220CP for a 20 amp. Home Despot even carries them in stock - likely about $25 US

[Clare Snyder]

The QO breaker today fits right back to 1955 QO panels. QOB breakers may not fit the older panels - not sure - but those are the tandem 120 volt ones - not 120/240

[ESP]

From your vague description it sounds like a QOT1515CP breaker

[Davej]

I usually look on Ebay.

[gfretwell]

The fact that he said 240v implies 2 breaker slots, tandem implies two breakers in each slot (two 240v circuits in two slots). I have seen that breaker but not since the mid 60s. It may be because they were not simultaneous trip and depended on the handle ties. That used to be legal, not it isn't.

[Peter]

Their web sites have toll free numbers. Try calling them?

[Dave Garrett]

Thanks to all for the feedback. I realize my description wasn't the best, so to clarify I've uploaded a couple of pics of the panel to Flickr. The breaker that failed is the one in the #2 slot.

[Anonymous]

See this FAQ for info on replacement for that old style.

"What is the difference in QOT Tandem breakers with handles one over the other, versus side by side?

The current style single-pole QOT Tandem Breaker has 2 handles, and the handles are side by side. This style can be used in place of the older style in a single-pole application."

[gfretwell]

OK the breaker everyone has linked will work. I thought you were talking about the "unicorn" tandem 240 breaker. The 2 operating handles are side by side not inline but it works the same. I am surprised your "electrician" didn't know that.

[gfretwell]

With that last statement they are alluding to the two pole (240v) application you used to be able to do with the over/under breakers and a couple handle tie kits. The NEC made that illegal many cycles ago. You can still use it for multiwire circuits, using the handle tie only but you need a common trip pair for 240v applications.

[dpb]

What's on the circuit? Somebody forgot to label the panel (with the exception of the scrawled AC on the cover).

Is it feeding 240V or two 120V circuits? I notice only one side is tripped/off.

[Dave Garrett]

Thanks. I wasn't there when the "electrician" was onsite, and the info I got was second-hand from my elderly father. They'd never used this guy before, but he came recommended by my parents' equally elderly neighbors. Apparently it's time to find someone else that actually knows what they're doing.

[Dave Garrett]

Thanks, that's exactly what I needed to know.

[Dave Garrett]

It's two 120V circuits, AFAIK. My father's office is on the one that was affected by the breaker failure, and that's the room that his modem, router and computers are in, so he hasn't had internet access since this happened.

Now that I know that we don't have to go chasing down a 50-year-old replacement breaker, we should be able to get things operational again fairly quickly.

[dpb]

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I presumed probably as much...I'd not seen those before--I've old SquareD service panels, but not QO variety--even older Stablok before they got into trouble w/ UL...