Old Trumbull "E" Frame panel with GE TE breakers

[JCark01]

I came across some old E Frame panels yesterday. Looking at the bussbars they are set up so that the left side of the panel is one leg, and the right side of the panel is the other. You can see this in the picture below. My question is, how are you supposed to install a 120/240 2 pole breaker? do you need a special part to connect the 2nd pole on the breaker to the opposite bussbar? The picture below is a panel that was recently taken out of service but its the same Bussing. I appreciate your help.

 

[Dennis Alwon]

Perhaps the panel is not rated for 240V breakers. I am really not familiar with that brand so I am not sure. I can guess how it can be done but that's it. I assume the breaker will take up 4 spaces across the panel

 

[John120/240]

I do not know. Just a WAG .....run the black wire to the left breaker......red wire to the right breaker. This would give you 240 V on

your three wire. Common trip was not thought about at this point in time. I do see screws on the inside part of the breaker but

have no idea what they are for. I am assuming your connection to the load wire is similar to todays QO, CH, BR, HO, GE etc breakers

 

[John120/240]

I see now said the blind man...the screws that we see are holding the breaker to the bus, Very similar setup to Pushmatic.

 

[kwired]

I see now said the blind man...the screws that we see are holding the breaker to the bus, Very similar setup to Pushmatic.

That and Pushmatics are simply "bolt on" breakers just like QOB and others made today.

I would suggest putting the panel in the OP in a museum and not in service. There likely was no common trip rules at the time it was made. The thing also likely has more value in scrap metal than it cost when it was new. It doesn't owe anybody anything.:happyyes:

 

[__dan]

If you need 240, tap the feeder and add an adjacent suitable disconnect or panel.

That thing was probably mostly for store lighting circuits, one pole each but lots of them. The GE TE breaker is, imo, built like a tank. Could be a decent piece of equipment if used within its limitations. Could be serviceable and have some useful life remaining.

 

[John120/240]

I do not know. Just a WAG .....run the black wire to the left breaker......red wire to the right breaker. This would give you 240 V on

your three wire.

If you need 240, tap the feeder and add an adjacent suitable disconnect or panel.

Would not one wire to the left breaker.....one wire to the right breaker give you 240 V for what ever application ? Was there any

objection-problem with this set up ? How else would you obtain 240 V the way the bus is built ?

 

[kwired]

Would not one wire to the left breaker.....one wire to the right breaker give you 240 V for what ever application ? Was there any

objection-problem with this set up ? How else would you obtain 240 V the way the bus is built ?

That likely was how to do it when that equipment was new. Today there are issues with common trip or the need of handle ties for straight 240 or for multiwire circuits.

Pushmatics had the handle tie thing worked out but I don't know if they actually made any with common trip feature.

 

[JCark01]

I guess I just don't understand why they would make a 2 pole 240 volt breaker ie the GE TE22050 for the "e" frame panel if the buss couldn't handle it. Perhaps "e" frame panels came with more than one buss style :?

I think I'm going to just tap the feeder and install a second panel. It seems like the safest way. I was thinking about pulling 2 of the breakers that aren't used and installing lugs on the buss bars, but I would have no way of covering the slot in the cover where the breakers used to be.

 

[hillbilly1]

Maybe Zog will chime in, he seems to deal a lot with GE, but I did a quick search, and apparently there is a insulated buss bar that can be used to tie a double pole breaker in. At least that was what it looked like on a three phase version.

 

[JCark01]

Maybe Zog will chime in, he seems to deal a lot with GE, but I did a quick search, and apparently there is a insulated buss bar that can be used to tie a double pole breaker in. At least that was what it looked like on a three phase version.

AHA! That's what I'm looking for. If only I knew where to get one. The breaker I need is easy to find, but i'm sure the buss bar will be much more difficult.