Classified circuit breakers and using substitue breakers
- Thread starter dec
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kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
- Occupation
- EC
kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
- Occupation
- EC
curt swartz
Electrical Contractor - San Jose, CA
- Location
- San Jose, CA
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor
UL states we must follow the directions included with the equipment.
Siemens instructions say use only Siemens Type "X" breakers.
GE instructions say use only GE Type "X" breakers.
Eaton states we can use their clasified breakers in GE and Siemens panels.
Using classified breakers contradicts what UL states we are supposed to do. Who's instructions are we supposed to follow?
kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
- Occupation
- EC
I know, same goes for any kind of retrofit item though. Some popular applications these days is LED trims being installed in recessed lighting cans, or LED tubes being installed in luminaires originally designed for specific fluorescent lamps.
I think you are ok to put a classified breaker in a panel it is classified for, that does however(IMO) relieve the OEM of the panel from any liability they may have related to that breaker vs if one of their breakers were installed and shift that liability more toward the classified breaker manufacturer. If rules of neither product are followed then it is totally on the installer I would think.
ohm
Senior Member
- Location
- Birmingham, AL
I use CL breakers in all panels up to and including 50A except CH panels, because Eaton didn't get them listed for those panels. Go figure
I love CL because I don't have to stock every brand under 60A, except Eaton's BR and Sq D's QO.
I love CL because I don't have to stock every brand under 60A, except Eaton's BR and Sq D's QO.
ramsy
NoFixNoPay Electric
- Location
- LA basin, CA
- Occupation
- Service Electrician 2020 NEC
Where do you buy these? No one stocks Eaton CL's in my area.
kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
- Occupation
- EC
Unless I misunderstand something, why would Eaton make a "classified breaker" for one of their own product lines?I use CL breakers in all panels up to and including 50A except CH panels, because Eaton didn't get them listed for those panels. Go figure
I love CL because I don't have to stock every brand under 60A, except Eaton's BR and Sq D's QO.
ramsy
NoFixNoPay Electric
- Location
- LA basin, CA
- Occupation
- Service Electrician 2020 NEC
It would seem Ohm's remark was some kind of unsolicited advertising without a clue.
kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
- Occupation
- EC
I have seen classified breakers in catalogs, but can only recall seeing classified breakers that fit a QO panel in the wild.
Can't imagine they are less cost then using the proper OEM, though I could see it being worthwhile to stock a few on a service truck just to avoid having to run after the correct unit, if you are one that strictly follows listing. I sort of don't see that much value in running after the proper GE or Siemens breaker when I have a Homeline that will work just fine. The Homeline bus it is listed to plug onto is just cheap aluminum bus and will burn up just as easily if the connection goes bad. I would bet most of them have had some testing with other panels, they just never went to the extent necessary to get them listed or classified for that purpose.
Homeline supposedly fits in most other panels with same mounting and bus style, but is also designed so those others won't fit in a Homeline panel. Tell me they don't intend some of their product to get installed into other panels with that design.
Can't imagine they are less cost then using the proper OEM, though I could see it being worthwhile to stock a few on a service truck just to avoid having to run after the correct unit, if you are one that strictly follows listing. I sort of don't see that much value in running after the proper GE or Siemens breaker when I have a Homeline that will work just fine. The Homeline bus it is listed to plug onto is just cheap aluminum bus and will burn up just as easily if the connection goes bad. I would bet most of them have had some testing with other panels, they just never went to the extent necessary to get them listed or classified for that purpose.
Homeline supposedly fits in most other panels with same mounting and bus style, but is also designed so those others won't fit in a Homeline panel. Tell me they don't intend some of their product to get installed into other panels with that design.
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