Existing Challenger Panel

[jaylectricity]

I'm re-wiring a house that is basically 3 stories + a basement. Most of it is new construction but some of the first floor wiring will remain intact.

There used to be two meters on the house but now I installed one 200 Amp manual bypass meter feeding a Square D Homeline panel. Some of the existing wiring goes to a Challenger panel in the basement. Also I'm running a few new circuits to the sub-panel for the living room and a bedroom. I'm going to have to put arc-fault breakers down there.

The guy wants inexpensive. Will it be cheaper to find arc-fault breakers that I can legally put in the Challenger panel or cheaper to replace the panel?

 

[Riograndeelectric]

I am not sure how you can get cheap /inexpensive when using AFCI Breakers.

I think that the Cutler Hammer Bryant series AFCI should be a suitable use for the Challenger panel. Challenger was owned by Westinghouse which is now owned by Cutler Hammer.
I do not think you are going to save much by using a breaker made by others but not listed for the panel.

 

[wawireguy]

I'd call your inspector and ask them if you can use a BR in there. I looked on Eatons website and couldn't find any compatibility information. You might be able to find a AFCI that is listed for use in a challenger panel.

Found this older post, might answer your questions:
http://forums.mikeholt.com/archive/index.php/t-78561.html

 

[jaylectricity]

Found this older post, might answer your questions:
http://forums.mikeholt.com/archive/index.php/t-78561.html

Yeah, thanks...I found that before I posted.

Also I didn't mean to give the impression we wanted to do it cheap, we just don't want to replace the whole panel with a new one. Well, I do, of course but I don't want to tell him that I have to and have him find out from somewhere else that we didn't have to. It's a small town.

 

[Sonny Boy]

Install a subpanel for the AFCIs.

 

[guitarchris]

if you HAVE to change to something else (ie can't use BR's in the current panel) you might want to look at a interior swap. Cutler hammer sells interiors that fit in other manufacturers panels/cans. not sure of the cost but it would save a ton of labor if the panel is in a finished wall. just a thought. .....I bet you will be able to use the BR breakers

 

[izak]

I was pretty sure that the compatibility with Westinghouse went with ITE....siemens blah blah

replacing a panel isnt really that expensive.... $200 and a couple 3 hours of labor.....
even in finished walls