Best residential load center

[jeff48356]

If I was putting one in my own home I would go with Siemens. It's personal taste. You can get a 40/80 with a copper bus for around 160 bucks. They come with the ground bars included in case you are putting it after a disconnect which is nice.

The 40/80 Square-D Homeline sells for $127 at Home Depot, and comes with some breakers. That's always the panel that I install when wiring a new house.

[kwired]

I'm an old CH type guy.

But I've worked with QO, Homeline, Siemens, GE, Bryant (many versions) etc etc.

Still a preference for CH even if I cannot state what that is....

One kind of gets used to something they use a lot and just feels good about it because of it's familiarity I think. I am a little biased toward Square D in general, partly because I am so familiar with their products and know how to navigate the catalog when needed. But my main supplier is a Square D distributor and can get anything out of the catalog if needed, and they don't have Eaton, Siemens, or GE power distribution products. Other suppliers that do have those don't necessarily have great ability to get anything those others offer either. One place stocked GE loadcenters, but if you wanted motor controls and such stocked Siemens. Makes sense, right?

There was only one electrical supply house in the area that carried square d. I was told that they couldn't carry other brands or square d would shut them off.
The supply house just closed it's doors (nothing to do with SD) they just retired.

I think that may be more common for the smaller supply houses, but those are disappearing or at least being bought out by larger companies. Those larger companies still purchase enough volume that Square D isn't as particular about it. I know my nearest Square D distributor once was one of those small companies and they had to get rid of the CH-line they used to sell or Square D wouldn't give them dealership status. That store is still open, been sold to bigger company, and then eventually sold again. The current owner has places nationwide, and still owns competing stores in some places that are right across the street from one another but with different names, and different product lines in certain aspects.

[Knuckle Dragger]

I was a "square D only" about 20+ years ago. One time I needed to do a service replacement on the fly. The closet distributor carried Siemens. The design was so much more practical than the square D with the full length neutral bar. Eventually Siemens backed away from the full length neutral bar and now square D has it.
I now use mostly Eaton BR for the residential jobs.

[peter d]

Can you post pics of these new BR load centers?

[MAC702]

One other comment, that granted gets beyond the thread title of "residential" is another thing that really annoys me about square D is their lower cost homeline line is not available in three phase so you have to use overpriced QO. The other guys offer everything in three phase.

I've tried Googling them and can't find them now, but I know I used 3-phase Homeline breakers/panels when I worked in Colombia in 2005. One of them I took new out of the factory sealed box and gave myself a 3-phase shock through the three fingers that were touching the screws as I installed it. I've never seen before or since a breaker in a factory box in the "on" state.

[LarryFine]

I've tried Googling them and can't find them now, but I know I used 3-phase Homeline breakers/panels when I worked in Colombia in 2005. One of them I took new out of the factory sealed box and gave myself a 3-phase shock through the three fingers that were touching the screws as I installed it. I've never seen before or since a breaker in a factory box in the "on" state.

"[COLOR=#000000]Square D Homeline load centers are ONLY available in single phase constructions, so 3-pole OR 3-phase branch breakers are NOT available."

From: [/COLOR]https://www.schneider-electric.us/en/faqs/FA175909/


I have made it a point to always turn breakers off before installing them.

[MAC702]

Yes, I'm aware that a US website says they are not available.

Yes, I'm aware that a breaker should be off when you install it. That's why it's an anecdote.

[nickelec]

Eaton br makes Pon now also

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

[electrofelon]

Yes, I'm aware that a US website says they are not available.

Yes, I'm aware that a breaker should be off when you install it. That's why it's an anecdote.

So they sell homerline in three phase in other countries?

[LarryFine]

Yes, I'm aware that a US website says they are not available.

Yes, I'm aware that a breaker should be off when you install it. That's why it's an anecdote.

My apologies.

[kwired]

I've tried Googling them and can't find them now, but I know I used 3-phase Homeline breakers/panels when I worked in Colombia in 2005. One of them I took new out of the factory sealed box and gave myself a 3-phase shock through the three fingers that were touching the screws as I installed it. I've never seen before or since a breaker in a factory box in the "on" state.

So they sell homerline in three phase in other countries?

I can see that being a possibility.

[growler]

I know I used 3-phase Homeline breakers/panels when I worked in Colombia in 2005.

Yes, I'm aware that a US website says they are not available.

Well Schneider Electric may not make them but there are factories in other parts of the world where they are not concerned with trade marks and patents and that sort of thing.

[624]

Siemens