Square D - Legacy Breaker Information

[Qckrun]

Hi All,

I hope everyone is doing well!

I am working on a project that we have a substantial amount of old legacy Square D Breakers and we are having a hard time sourcing any relevant information on them.

Does anyone know where or have information regarding Square D Legacy FA 14kAIC Rated breakers and Square D ML-1 Breakers. I've been searching trying to find any information on these breakers, like a manufactured time frame, manuals for them (I assume there are none due to there age), etc, but coming up with very limited information. I assume that is because these are extremely old breakers and record keeping was just not the same as it is today to bluntly put it.

The only information I've been able to find is the following:
- Square D ML-1 = Manufactured in the 50's?, Obsolete, AIC Rating = 14kAIC

- Square D FA = 14kAIC @ 480vAC & 600vAC, Obsolete.
- Square D FA has a distinctive square above the breaker handle, no manufacturers labels on the front (where the "newer" style have the Square D Label Sticker all over the front).

That is about all the information I've been able to find out.

I'm hoping anyone may have some additional information on these style breakers.

Thank you in advance!!

 

[jim dungar]

The ML line was made obsolete when the I-Line breakers were introduced in the 60's. The only way to positively identify them is to look for a label on the side of the breaker with a part number like 999xxx.

The FA breaker was introduced in the 60's and the lugs in and out style (FAL) could be installed in old style ML panels. Originally the part number for these breakers was on a side table. For a while different AIC ratings had different colored handles. In the mid 80s, labels were added to the front of the breaker and the colored handles disappeared. Eventually the FA series was replaced by a dimensionally equivalent FJ breaker. In the 00's the F family was replaced by the H family which is not dimensionally equal but can replace the F breakers in I-Line panels.

 

[Qckrun]

The ML line was made obsolete when the I-Line breakers were introduced in the 60's. The only way to positively identify them is to look for a label on the side of the breaker with a part number like 999xxx.

The FA breaker was introduced in the 60's and the lugs in and out style (FAL) could be installed in old style ML panels. Originally the part number for these breakers was on a side table. For a while different AIC ratings had different colored handles. In the mid 80s, labels were added to the front of the breaker and the colored handles disappeared. Eventually the FA series was replaced by a dimensionally equivalent FJ breaker. In the 00's the F family was replaced by the H family which is not dimensionally equal but can replace the F breakers in I-Line panels.

Jim,

Thank you very much for this detailed information!

This is amazing knowledge and good to know. Either way you slice it, these breakers are extremely old and should be replaced as soon as possible and count your lucky stars they've held together for so long.

I would be amazing if there ever was a chronological order of when things were introduced / removed from service, almost like a flow chart .

I would assume the all black with raised square above the breaker handle was the original FA from the 60's when it was introduced?

 

[ron]

Jim,

Thank you very much for this detailed information!

This is amazing knowledge and good to know. Either way you slice it, these breakers are extremely old and should be replaced as soon as possible and count your lucky stars they've held together for so long.

I would be amazing if there ever was a chronological order of when things were introduced / removed from service, almost like a flow chart .

I would assume the all black with raised square above the breaker handle was the original FA from the 60's when it was introduced?

View attachment 2578810

Molded case breakers are sealed, why would they need to be replaced as soon as possible?

 

[jim dungar]

I would assume the all black with raised square above the breaker handle was the original FA from the 60's when it was introduced?

It could also be from the 80s before the new labeling.

Either way you slice it, these breakers are extremely old and should be replaced as soon as possible and count your lucky stars they've held together for so long.

I have no data that says these old breakers should be replaced simply due to their age. Do you?

 

[Qckrun]

It could also be from the 80s before the new labeling.


I have no data that says these old breakers should be replaced simply due to their age. Do you?

Thank you for the time stamp range. To sum it up, built sometime between the 60s-80s, limited to no documentation available.

I jumped to a conclusion based on how the system is built, as age alone does not warrant replacement. Mechanically they are fine, from a short circuit perspective they most likely will fail due to the system conditions.