Hi guys, Just wondering if anybody knows the name of the screws that held the panel covers on. The screws had wings, and the washer on the front had hash marks, so that you could orient them vertically or horizontal. Horizontal, if you wanted to tighten the screws. Vertical let you know that the cover could be pulled off. Thanks much. This is an old GE Panel with bolt on breakers.
Old GE panel cover screws with wings.
- Thread starter tld38
- Start date
- Status
- Location
- New Jersey
- Occupation
- Journeyman Electrician
I remember them well, and not only on GE panels. The washer was made from aluminum so when the guy before you over-tightened it they invariably stripped out or twisted and not to mention the wing occasionally crushed a conductor or two so you had some fireworks while tightening. I don't know the name.
GerryB
Senior Member
- Location
- woodbridge, ct. USA
Those have to be one of the worst designs of all time.
I guess they figured 2 guys would be working on those larger panels. So that's what those hash marks mean? Seems like the ones I've worked on just spun around and did nothing. Trying to replace them?
- Location
- New Jersey
- Occupation
- Journeyman Electrician
The hash mark represented the position of the wing. Turn it until it was horizontal and tighten. Seems like those covers were always extremely heavy too. We would end up removing them and drilling and tapping the enclosure.
- Location
- Wisconsin
- Occupation
- PE (Retired) - Power Systems
This is one the the 'tips and techniques' no longer taught to tradespeople. It seems that today's 'panel cover remover' only knows how to use a cordless impact wrench with a 'one-size fits nothing' bit.:rant:
- Location
- Massachusetts
I was working with these this week and they still worked fine because nobody had screwed them up.
They really work well until someone does not understand how they work.
They really work well until someone does not understand how they work.
- Location
- New Jersey
- Occupation
- Journeyman Electrician
JFletcher
Senior Member
- Location
- Williamsburg, VA
Death trap doors: heavy with crappy hardware. We do like infinity and ditch the wing screws, which are always messed up.
- Location
- Placerville, CA, USA
- Occupation
- Retired PV System Designer
Perhaps the biggest danger is that there is no fast but positive way to use one of them to support the panel while working your way through officially setting the rest of
them.
Adding a single tapped hole or two locating pins would mitigate that particular problem, leaving them just fussy and annoying to work with.
wing cover
wing cover
NO fussy about it when you try to remove a cover that can weigh 30 pounds of more and a wire is tangled around the wing mechanism.
wing cover
NO fussy about it when you try to remove a cover that can weigh 30 pounds of more and a wire is tangled around the wing mechanism.
jaggedben
Senior Member
- Location
- Northern California
- Occupation
- Solar and Energy Storage Installer
I'd be curious to see a picture of what this thread is discussing.
- Location
- Wisconsin
- Occupation
- PE (Retired) - Power Systems
Have you ever seen a 'commercial' panelboard built before the late 70's, when for the most part manufacturers were moving toward 'flat front' covers?
kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
And you made sure to keep the conductors inside the cabinet clear of the clamping area.Yup.
Many, but not all, had a foot that sat on the bottom lip of the cabinet to help hold it in place while installing.
kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
Yes.
- Location
- Illinois
- Occupation
- retired electrician
Most of the larger covers had foot that you rested against the bottom lip of the panel to support the weight as you tightened the wings.
- Status