SWD rated breakers

[Riograndeelectric]

I have a small lighting job to install a couple of new circuits for some incandesent lights that are part of a lighting display. custome prefers to use the breakers in lieu of a switch controlled contactor to turn lights off at night. SO I will have to install SWD rated brekaers.

My question is has any one ever looked at the inside of a SWD Rated breaker as compared to a normal breaker.
I wonder what the differiance is beside being rated for SWD. These are QO plug in typ breakers.

[stickboy1375]

After many years of operation, breakers used this way can fail to trip on overload due to spring wear. This situation can be a serious safety problem. If breakers are required to switch lighting loads, switch duty (SWD) breakers should be used.

[stickboy1375]

I believe SWD and HACR design standards are now common for any breaker being manufactured today..

[mdshunk]

If you're talking about QO's, most of them are switch duty nowadays whether you wanted them that way or not.

[Riograndeelectric]

After many years of operation, breakers used this way can fail to trip on overload due to spring wear. This situation can be a serious safety problem. If breakers are required to switch lighting loads, switch duty (SWD) breakers should be used.

I fully agree with what you are saying about using the SWD rated brekaers but caa you say for 100% sure that SWD rated breakrs really do have a better spring and contacts. |
sometimes I feel like the manufactours are selling the NEC a buch of BS just to get more money.

is there a UL standard that SWD breakers are made by as compared to regular breakers?

[stickboy1375]

I fully agree with what you are saying about using the SWD rated brekaers but caa you say for 100% sure that SWD rated breakrs really do have a better spring and contacts. |
sometimes I feel like the manufactours are selling the NEC a buch of BS just to get more money.

is there a UL standard that SWD breakers are made by as compared to regular breakers?


It would be under UL 489.

[jim dungar]

I have a small lighting job to install a couple of new circuits for some incandesent lights that are part of a lighting display. custome prefers to use the breakers in lieu of a switch controlled contactor to turn lights off at night. SO I will have to install SWD rated brekaers.

My question is has any one ever looked at the inside of a SWD Rated breaker as compared to a normal breaker.
I wonder what the differiance is beside being rated for SWD. These are QO plug in typ breakers.


SWD is an optional UL rating that is available only on 15A and 20A 1 pole breakers. SWD breakers undergo testing (including life cycles) similar to that of common "light switches".

For higher rated ampaciites or for multi-pole breakers you need to use HID breakers instead.

SWD breakers may have different contacts than normal (HID breakers definitely have different contacts to handle ballast inrush).

All breakers intended for switching have "better" mechanical latching mechanisms (not springs) to accommodate the wear of more on-off operations.

[tallguy]

I have a small lighting job to install a couple of new circuits for some incandesent lights that are part of a lighting display. custome prefers to use the breakers in lieu of a switch controlled contactor to turn lights off at night. SO I will have to install SWD rated brekaers.It should be noted that you don't have to use SWD CBs for incandescent loads, only fluorescent. See 240.83(D).

Surprised that nobody else mentioned this. Is this changing in 2008?

As Marc noted, since you are using QO anyway, it's most likely moot. Grab a QO breaker and you will see "SWD" on the little white sticker with the listing info, etc.

[Riograndeelectric]

Thanks for all the input. I did look at a QO breaker and low and behold it is SWD rated never knew this before.
got to love this forum.

[tallguy]

Thanks for all the input. I did look at a QO breaker and low and behold it is SWD rated never knew this before.Me neither. But Marc mentioned it and I thought he was nuts:smile: since I'd never noticed it before (silly me), so I grabbed one and looked. Voila!
got to love this forum.Yep.

[831]

I have never been comfortable w/ "folks" getting into a panel and switching lights. In a perfect world sure, but in reality??? I guess if it's just one person that gets in there and operates them, no biggie, but what happens when an employee gets in there, the breakers aren't identified correctly/clearly and the wrong breaker is opened or closed???

The upsell to a contactor operated by local switch can be done in the name of cheap insurance. However, people are cheap and a SWD breaker versus and "expensive" contactor/enclosure, well... I understand the customer's point.

I'm sure it's not that complicated, but I just don't like "everyone" accessing panelboards. I don't know the situation in this case and I'm sure it's much simpler than I'm thinking...

[Pierre C Belarge]

I'm sure it's not that complicated, but I just don't like "everyone" accessing panelboards. I don't know the situation in this case and I'm sure it's much simpler than I'm thinking...


Who do you think is accessing the panels (most of the time) when a breaker has tripped/opened?

[831]

Who do you think is accessing the panels (most of the time) when a breaker has tripped/opened?
These will control a display of some sort - sounds retail to me. Retail implies employees opening/closing the store and switching lights. If the right breakers are marked well, maybe not an issue. If not, somebody's gonna get in there are start switching stuff until the lights go out. There are just to many possibilities and I would have a switch controling a coil versus switching @ the panel and I'd be fine w/ the expense of it, but I'm an "i" dotter and "t" crosser. I've been in campus operations and I've lived w/ what humans are "capable" of doing. Humans have a funny way opening their personal/mental "i care" circuit when stuf isn't thier own.

Scenario:

Employee opens store/turns on lights via circuit breaker(s).
Employee, after weeks and weeks of doing same thing begins to know panelboard.
Employee knows that the freezer/HVAC unit/night crawler fridge/whatever is on a particular breaker
Employee gets pissed one day because he/she didn't get a raise
Employee knows he/she is gonna shine the owner the following day because of no raise and also has another little surprise - gonna kill power to the freezer so the ice cream melts or turn the HVAC unit off so it's hot in the morning or the night crawlers start to die/stink up the fridge...

All because humans were granted easy access to something they normally would even think about.

Ever seen what a pissed off custodial employee can do when let go???

[jim dungar]

Ever seen what a pissed off custodial employee can do when let go???

Unless the panelboard is locked this could happen regardless if the breakers are used as switches.

There are breaker "lock-on" devices for loads that shouldn't ever be turned off by accident.

[831]

Unless the panelboard is locked this could happen regardless if the breakers are used as switches.
Indeed it could, but "out of sight, out of mind" theory applies here - big time.

[DaveTap]

How often do you put freezers in your lighting panels? :-?
Solution: add a panel for lighting and lock the distribution panel.
or just hire honest employees. Trust me if a disgruntled employee is trusted to lock-up turning off a freezer is the least of you concerns.

[Riograndeelectric]

retail in away. It is for Habitat for Humanity outlet store

Ace Hardware donated several lighting displays.
I voulnter my time as an Electricain for electrcial work at Habitat. Habitat has to buy the material. Square D donates our electriclal panels and QO plug in style breakers hence the reason for SWD breakers in lieu of contactors

I know the Panel schedules are up to date and accurate
since I am the only one handiling the Electrcial work and also the one that wired the store.
.



These will control a display of some sort - sounds retail to me. Retail implies employees opening/closing the store and switching lights. If the right breakers are marked well, maybe not an issue. If not, somebody's gonna get in there are start switching stuff until the lights go out. There are just to many possibilities and I would have a switch controling a coil versus switching @ the panel and I'd be fine w/ the expense of it, but I'm an "i" dotter and "t" crosser. I've been in campus operations and I've lived w/ what humans are "capable" of doing. Humans have a funny way opening their personal/mental "i care" circuit when stuf isn't thier own.

Scenario:

Employee opens store/turns on lights via circuit breaker(s).
Employee, after weeks and weeks of doing same thing begins to know panelboard.
Employee knows that the freezer/HVAC unit/night crawler fridge/whatever is on a particular breaker
Employee gets pissed one day because he/she didn't get a raise
Employee knows he/she is gonna shine the owner the following day because of no raise and also has another little surprise - gonna kill power to the freezer so the ice cream melts or turn the HVAC unit off so it's hot in the morning or the night crawlers start to die/stink up the fridge...

All because humans were granted easy access to something they normally would even think about.

Ever seen what a pissed off custodial employee can do when let go???