breaker locks as a means to not turn off??

[sundowner]

So I have an open air building - a concrete stadium. Several heat tape breakers got turned off by mistake last fall as part of the "winterizing" process, pipes were frozen and burst when re-opened this spring.

My question is can I put the little "anti-trip" cogs on these Sq. D 20 amp breakers such that they wont get turned off again by my building maintenance guys. I dont see a violation doing this - but I'll anyway -

Thanks!!

 

[Dennis Alwon]

I believe there is nothing wrong with that. I have seen it many times. The breaker can actually trip but you can't turn it off without removing the lock.

 

[infinity]

Yes you can use them. They're actually required by the NEC for some types of circuits.

 

[kwired]

Those or the pad lock attachment for single pole QO can have lock applied in on or off position. As mentioned, it will still "trip" even if locked, you just can't reset it until you remove the lock, or locking attachment.

 

[Knuckle Dragger]

Use them on F/A and emergency light circuits all the time.

 

[sundowner]

Thanks all - just ordered a hand full - hopefully I'm out of the woods on this...

Steve

 

[Jraef]

It sucks that you had to find out the hard way...

I had to put them in at my cabin, because even though my instruction sheet to renters was EXPLICIT about not turning off any breakers, at least once a year some well meaning renter would do it and kill power to my heat tape and the little motorized valve I put in to keep water flowing in the pipes.

 

[sameguy]

Use them on F/A and emergency light circuits all the time.

+1