Breakers matching Panel

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CharlieE

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I am looking for information on installing mismatched breakers in a panel such as a Square D breaker in a Eaton panel
Is there a code or requirement I always thought there was but now I have an issue with a solar company installing a Square D breaker in a Eaton panel and the cover dead front does not fit
 
The breaker type must be listed for the panel. The brand name is technically irrelevant, but the type and listing must match. That said, I've never seen a Sq-D breaker listed for an Eaton panel. But also many types are really the same form factor and people do it all the time without causing problems. So the dead front not fitting seems like it's probably from the box being bent a little out of shape or something, not because of the breaker brand. Pics might clear that up.
 
jaggedben said:
So the dead front not fitting seems like it's probably from the box being bent a little out of shape or something, not because of the breaker brand. Pics might clear that up.
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Doesn't the Square D Home line breaker have a rejection feature to make it incompatible with other manufacturers?
 
jim dungar said:
Doesn't the Square D Home line breaker have a rejection feature to make it incompatible with other manufacturers?
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I want to believe that Sq D Home Line was developed to compete with and fit into other panels.
But, other brands of breakers could not fit in Home Line panels. However, there is always a however in life,
I now know that is not true.

Ron
 
No Square D breakers are listed for use in any other brand of panel, regardless of whether they physically will plug in or not. So as mentioned, it would be a 110.3 violation. People ignore this fact a lot, but it is still a Code violation.

Eaton makes what are called “Classified” breakers that are listed to work in certain competitor’s panels. They make several types for the different mfrs. Eaton has paid to have these specific breakers tested in specific competitor’s panels, so for retrofit of existing, they are acceptable per Code. It’s not just any Eaton breaker though, the Classified ones have different part numbers. So again, even if they physically plug in, it does not mean they are properly listed. You must make sure you are using the proper version in the proper panel it is Classified with.

Siemens makes a Classified breaker to retrofit into most Square D QO panels, but not Homeline. Siemens does not make any other Classified breakers and no other mfr. does either as far as I know.
 
CharlieE said:
I am looking for information on installing mismatched breakers in a panel such as a Square D breaker in a Eaton panel
Is there a code or requirement I always thought there was but now I have an issue with a solar company installing a Square D breaker in a Eaton panel and the cover dead front does not fit
Click to expand...
Thank you all, I know you could help. I'm returning to the form after being pulled out of retirement, Had to re-join after not remembering my login info.
 
Jraef said:
No Square D breakers are listed for use in any other brand of panel, regardless of whether they physically will plug in or not. So as mentioned, it would be a 110.3 violation. People ignore this fact a lot, but it is still a Code violation.

Eaton makes what are called “Classified” breakers that are listed to work in certain competitor’s panels. They make several types for the different mfrs. Eaton has paid to have these specific breakers tested in specific competitor’s panels, so for retrofit of existing, they are acceptable per Code. It’s not just any Eaton breaker though, the Classified ones have different part numbers. So again, even if they physically plug in, it does not mean they are properly listed. You must make sure you are using the proper version in the proper panel it is Classified with.

Siemens makes a Classified breaker to retrofit into most Square D QO panels, but not Homeline. Siemens does not make any other Classified breakers and no other mfr. does either as far as I know.
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Connecticut Electric has classified siemens breakers for alot of legacy panels and some current. They also have other classified breakers for legacy like pushmatic and zinsco. So there's atleast some other classified breaker manufacturers.
 
jim dungar said:
Doesn't the Square D Home line breaker have a rejection feature to make it incompatible with other manufacturers?
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No, not in my experience.
electrofelon said:
no its the opposite. The bus has a modification that makes OTHER brands not fit in their panel, but their breakers fit in other panels. ...
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Not true in my experience either.

Eaton BR, Siemens Q (or MP/ITE/whatever) and Homeline all use the same solid stab rejection feature for (most) tandem/quad breakers, otherwise full space breakers fit anywhere. In my experience.

GE is the one that's truly different. Full space breakers are still physically interchangable. But the GE 'skinny' breakers are truly different and only work on GE busbars. And iirc no GE panels have notched stabs for other brands tandems/quads that require that.

Now if you include plug-on neutral AFCIs and GFCIs then I think nothing is cross compatible.
 
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