Please recommend an electrical supplier or other source to find a deadfront replacement for a Cutler Hammer 200 amp panel, I have had no success finding a replacement part. The model number is not legible but panel could be from around 2002-2004. Need this to past final inspection to close out an old expired permit. If I can't find a complete deadfront, other than replacing the entire panel, calling a metal fabricator was suggested to fill the piece missing in the deadfront - see photo. Any suggestions for a supplier or any other sensible solution (or worst case a metal fabricator)? Thank you.
Can't find a deadfront replacement, need an electrical supplier or other suggestion
- Thread starter Ranch1
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It looks like you have 2 pieces, the dead front cover which is missing the lower left hand corner and a long cover on the left side.
I would have a piece fabricated and added to that lower left hand corner, welded, ground flush and painted.
And have a simple long cover fabricate which I think would have a 90 deg break along each edge painted and fastened in place.
Take the dead front to a good sheet metal shop. C-H should have some matching spray paint if your anal or simply use a commonly available ANSI 61 gray and paint just the repaired corner and added panel and not worry about a color match which should be the least of you problem.
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- Location
- Tennessee NEC:2017
- Occupation
- Semi-Retired Electrician
I would find a supply house that is an Eaton/Cutler-Hammer distributor. They will have easy access to Eaton. Have them contact Eaton to see about a replacement. I don't think the meter/main combos have changed that much. But even if the OP's has they should have specs on that model and could make a replacement.
Of course, price might drive you another direction.
Of course, price might drive you another direction.
Fulthrotl
~Autocorrect is My Worst Enema.~
- Occupation
- E
+1
Yes, when the cost is time is considered the time it would take to try to resource renewal parts most likely would be misc more than the cost of having a local sheet metal shop to the fabrication for you as per my previous post.
- Location
- San Francisco Bay Area, CA, USA
- Occupation
- Electrical Engineer
Just out of curiosity, how did you (or your end customer) end up with a diagonal slice off of a panel dead front like that? :?
kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
- Occupation
- EC
What is missing is a cover that totally encloses the service conductors if it had been bottom fed. Many utilities require that cover in the design so that the unmetered service conductors are not accessible to the user. The meter deadfront needs removed to remove this shield - so user can't easily remove it without breaking the POCO seal and taking the deadfront off the meter section.
To OP - if they still make the same model - purchase a new one and steal the part(s) you need from it, You possibly can get a replacement part, but it will likely be rather expensive and will probably take time to get it, or go to someone/fabricate your own cover.
(ADD) The missing cover was likely removed because branch circuit wiring enters the lower left side - but with cover in place you have no way to get those circuits to the breakers or neutral/ground bus.
Thank you members for all the comments.
"(ADD) The missing cover was likely removed because branch circuit wiring enters the lower left side - but with cover in place you have no way to get those circuits to the breakers or neutral/ground bus."
This makes sense, so it seems the only options are (1) to have a deadfront fabricated by a UL approved sheet metal shop as one piece with nothing impeding the branch circuits or (2) a complete panel replacement.
"(ADD) The missing cover was likely removed because branch circuit wiring enters the lower left side - but with cover in place you have no way to get those circuits to the breakers or neutral/ground bus."
This makes sense, so it seems the only options are (1) to have a deadfront fabricated by a UL approved sheet metal shop as one piece with nothing impeding the branch circuits or (2) a complete panel replacement.
JFletcher
Senior Member
- Location
- Williamsburg, VA
What about used parts? Im sure ebay or the like has someone selling a used or surplus panel that you could use the cover off of.
kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
- Occupation
- EC
Looks like a 3 or 4 inch wide by 18 inches or so long piece of sheet metal is all that is needed. Lay it behind the existing cover and screw or rivet it to that piece. Will have a relatively small opening at the bottom where the existing cover stair steps, but hopefully that isn't too much of a problem, if so some small angle bracket would work if you don't have the skill or equipment to form it with one piece.
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