testing a 400 Amp main brkr

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la2151

Member
Location
california
HI.. i have a comm customer that has a 120/208 3PH 400 amp main breaker swbd. we had a minor PG& E problem last week which got easily corrected. The PG&E lineman while there suggested the customer get the 400 amp main breaker tested as it has been in service since 1987, I know this has been a long discussion on here too. Another EC friend of mine told me he thought.they really cant tell a lot by testing a main breaker? Should I follow through to get a testing company to come get this tested? Looking for others thoughts & many thanks.
Lorey
 
mcclary's electrical

mcclary's electrical

Senior Member
Location
VA
They would be following HIS recommendation, NOT yours. I would do whatever they asked me. Why talk them out of this? You cannot guarentee the breaker works fine without having it tested. I've seen breakers in service for 30 years without being checked, but as I said, it's his comment. not yours.
 
brian john

brian john

Senior Member
Location
Leesburg, VA
Depending on the manufacture and type of CB it is most likely going to be cheaper to replace the CB.

Typically if I tested this CB it would.
1. Have to be done off hours.

2. For a 400 amp CB I need a utility power outage, and 100 amps at 208 single phase. Or I take the CB to my shop but I still need an outage.

3. Cost $2,800 - $3,200, this does not include any fees charged by the utility and and inspection fees if the utility requires an inspection.

4. Now if you want the new CB tested and you bring it to me around during normal business hours I test it in my free time and you pick it back up around $480.00.
 
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zog

zog

Senior Member
Location
Charlotte, NC
I agree with Brians post, the reason this gets so expensive is the breaker is a bolt in, and requires a shutdown to remove and then install, however replacing the breaker also requires the same shutdown. This is the reason draw out switchgear is used, easy removal and installation of the breakers.

I don't charge anything for testing MCCB's in my shop.
 
S

SEO

Senior Member
Location
Michigan
Thats a very nice service that you offer to your customers but what about non customers that will use your service once to test a breaker?
 
mxslick

mxslick

Senior Member
Location
SE Idaho
zog said:
I agree with Brians post, the reason this gets so expensive is the breaker is a bolt in, and requires a shutdown to remove and then install, however replacing the breaker also requires the same shutdown. This is the reason draw out switchgear is used, easy removal and installation of the breakers.

I don't charge anything for testing MCCB's in my shop.
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iwire said:
Why? :confused:
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zog said:
Becasue I can do it in about 5 minutes with the custom MCCB test rig my company uses (And designed and built), so I offer it as a free service to my customers.
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SEO said:
Thats a very nice service that you offer to your customers but what about non customers that will use your service once to test a breaker?
Click to expand...

zog said:
Those guys usually end up being customers.
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Not to threadjack, but the fact that you guys are surprised at zog's free testing service surprises me.

The 5 minutes he ends up effectively donating often will, as he said, result in a new customer.

Even if he does 24 of those free tests a month (2 hours of time) just a few new customers would more that make up for the "lost" test fees.

Sounds like very smart marketing to me. :)
 
W

wireguru

Senior Member
mxslick said:
Not to threadjack, but the fact that you guys are surprised at zog's free testing service surprises me.

The 5 minutes he ends up effectively donating often will, as he said, result in a new customer.

Even if he does 24 of those free tests a month (2 hours of time) just a few new customers would more that make up for the "lost" test fees.

Sounds like very smart marketing to me. :)
Click to expand...

good point. The $ spent testing breakers vs new revenue gained from doing it is probably much, much higher than guys driving out to give free estimates to homeowners who want a new bathroom vanity light.
 
brian john

brian john

Senior Member
Location
Leesburg, VA
I have multiple circuit breakers in my shop form numerous contractors regularly and to offer free testing for my firm would, tie up a tech when he could be generating revenue in the field, tie up my time when I have many other things to do that generate revenue and this is a regular source of income one firm drops of CBs regularly for testing.

I offer many things for free knowledge wise when my time is involved but I am in business to make money.
 
brian john

brian john

Senior Member
Location
Leesburg, VA
Larry see my link

Phenix, AVO and GE makes a high current test set and a few others.


We have several test sets

ADVERTISED CURRENT output

62,000 Amps
12,000 Amps
2,000 Amps
 
brian john

brian john

Senior Member
Location
Leesburg, VA
And this is not all the equipment needed to test CBs, all in all we have between 500,000.00-1,000,000.00 dollars tied up in test equipment and we are a small shop.
 
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