When to replace old electrical gear

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I always struggle with this. I line switch board, QO load centers 1976. For the purpose of this discussion, assume you dont want/need the work so don't consider incentive to "make a sale" or not.

Maybe replace the older breakers? I dont like those older black I- line breakers. I think I can live with the newer Grey Q frame for a few more decades. There are a few newer QO, but most look original. Replace those or you think they are fine? Does anything go bad or get less effective with breakers besides possible accumulation of decades of dust making the parts not move as well? I hate those bottom neutral bars in the loadcenters, but I can live with them - will mostly be MWBC's so not a lot of neuters. Or rip it all out and start over? What would you do?

P.S. as an aside, note that the right hand load center is smaller - 12". I guess they made them in both 12" and 14.5 back then? Dont think I noticed that in a QO before.
 

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mbrooke

Batteries Included
Location
United States
Occupation
Technician
I always struggle with this. I line switch board, QO load centers 1976. For the purpose of this discussion, assume you dont want/need the work so don't consider incentive to "make a sale" or not.

Maybe replace the older breakers? I dont like those older black I- line breakers. I think I can live with the newer Grey Q frame for a few more decades. There are a few newer QO, but most look original. Replace those or you think they are fine? Does anything go bad or get less effective with breakers besides possible accumulation of decades of dust making the parts not move as well? I hate those bottom neutral bars in the loadcenters, but I can live with them - will mostly be MWBC's so not a lot of neuters. Or rip it all out and start over? What would you do?

P.S. as an aside, note that the right hand load center is smaller - 12". I guess they made them in both 12" and 14.5 back then? Dont think I noticed that in a QO before.


Honestly, keep it. I've seen much older, much newer in FAR worse condition. That actually borders on mint if you ask me. Square D is also quality stuff.
 

sameguy

Senior Member
Location
New York
Occupation
Master Elec./JW retired
Old breakers can have the grease dry, if you feel bad setup a shut down and cycle the breakers; they will reset or not, other than that they should be fine. Barring constant overloads that never tripped.
 

Jraef

Moderator, OTD
Staff member
Location
San Francisco Bay Area, CA, USA
Occupation
Electrical Engineer
Yes, the only concern with molded case breakers regarding something “wearing out” is if the breaker trips multiple times, or is constantly used as a switching device. The basic mechanical design criteria for molded case breakers is 10,000 switching operations, which 99.9999% of breakers never see. But if the breaker is turned off and on once per shift every day, 3 shifts /day, 7 days per week, that’s just a little over 9 years of life. Electrically that same value applies to switching under rated load, but drops to just 50 operations under short circuit trips. In real life most never make it to 50 short circuit trips, it’s usually less than that when you start seeing problems.
 
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