If it were your house...Panel Choice

[electricmanscott]

I always use Siemens, panels mostly because that is what my supplier provides.

I am starting a house Monday and am thinking of going with a different brand. Partly because of my troubles with Siemens made combo AFCIs. (Siemens, Murray & GE).

What would YOU use if it were your own house and money was not a factor in the decision?

Hitting the road to see The Red Sox beat down the Orioles in Baltimore, so I won't be reading 'till Monday. :grin:

 

[BryanMD]

Fenway South?

I like the SD for the visi trip breakers.
I like the CH for the panel lay out.

go Birds!

 

[mdshunk]

Pushmatic .

Lacking that option, it's Cutler-Hammer CH for me.

 

[dduffee260]

I like Federal Pacific, that way you never get called back for nuisance tripping on the breakers. Just make sure your insurance is up to date.

 

[brian john]

Square D, this may go back to the first contractor I worked with they were 100% SqD. I have been a SqD installer since then. Though on a job were we are adding a new panel I match what is existing when possible.

 

[MF Dagger]

Square D QO. I haven't had problems with Siemens at all. They have a nice layout. I hate CH's layout

 

[Bentworker]

I hate to say it but the big box home stores will special order you any Cutler Hammer product for about 30% less than you can get it from anyone else (and most likely they will order Square D for you too). I would use CH or Square D. I like the trip to trip position feature on the square D breakers, that being said I went with CH for my house. I got a 200A feed through meter main, a 42 pole sub with main, and a 18 pole sub with main for less than $460. I'll probably spend another $500 on breakers by the time I buy some AFCI's. I think CH and squareD have lifetime warrantees on their panels (but not on the BR series stuff).

If you have a chance you should just go out and buy a ream of paper, then print out the CH and SquareD catalogs. They are a huge help, and it is a lot easier to work with them when you can flip page to page instead of scrolling up and down endless pdf's on your computer. You can find all of the information online if you spend some time looking around.

 

[mdshunk]

I hate to say it but the big box home stores will special order you any Cutler Hammer product for about 30% less than you can get it from anyone else...

That depends on where you fall in your supply house's pricing matrix. Variable margins have been a fact of the electrical supply business for a very long time.

 

[Buck Parrish]

Cutler hammer covers can be ordered seperately.
You can get the type that will isolate your main from a generator breaker in the top two slots right or left.

I think some other brands have retro fits now.

 

[c2500]

I am a CH fan myself. That is what I installed in my house. The Ch's havea lifetime warranty. I have found the 200amp main with 42 breakers with bonus breakers (5 20's and a dp 30) far cheaper at Lowes than the supply houses locally.

c2500

 

[macmikeman]

If money is no object, then why not a bolt on Square-D panelboard? Just make sure to punch a few extra holes in the top and patch em for future add-ons if it gets flush mounted.

 

[mdshunk]

If money is no object, then why not a bolt on Square-D panelboard? Just make sure to punch a few extra holes in the top and patch em for future add-ons if it gets flush mounted.

I did in my own house, in '96. I have an NQOD, but I prefer the CH-CH for resi work.

 

[mtec]

I use cutler hammer. I know that the L&HD stores carry some panels cheaper I still buy from my suply house. $40 to $60 G's a year carrys some respect at a supply house. at the big store. the teeny bopper behind the desk dosen't care if you spent $500,000 last year "no receipt you must take a gift card for your return". I'm for top service not bottom dollar. My time is worth more than $20 a panel

 

[Buck Parrish]

I did in my own house, in '96. I have an NQOD, but I prefer the CH-CH for resi work.

Did you order the guts with the breakers already on the bar or did you just get lotrs of extras.

 

[mdshunk]

Did you order the guts with the breakers already on the bar or did you just get lotrs of extras.

How do you mean? It takes regular QO's or QOB's. I did neither. Both are truck stock. It happens to mostly have QOB's in it right now.

 

[Buck Parrish]

How do you mean? It takes regular QO's or QOB's. I did neither. Both are truck stock. It happens to mostly have QOB's in it right now.[/QUOTE

Seems like we use to get them for big jobs with breakera already in them.
Bolted down, torqued

 

[roger]

It is my experience that NQOD panels with breakers installed can be bought cheaper as a negotiated package than buying the panelboard and breakers separately.

Back to the OP, I-Line for me and 15 amp breakers for my general lighting circuits.

Roger

 

[tonyou812]

If it were my house I would have to go with SDQO. But I use Siemens cause its a bit cheaper or unless the customer is wiling to pay for the upgrade.

 

[quogueelectric]

I always use Siemens, panels mostly because that is what my supplier provides.

I am starting a house Monday and am thinking of going with a different brand. Partly because of my troubles with Siemens made combo AFCIs. (Siemens, Murray & GE).

What would YOU use if it were your own house and money was not a factor in the decision?

Hitting the road to see The Red Sox beat down the Orioles in Baltimore, so I won't be reading 'till Monday. :grin:

No brainer for me Sqare D QO for me both thermal AND magnetic trip dont think I ever seen one fail either in 35 yrs.

 

[sparky59]

i put sq d homeline panels in customer houses. when i built my house 16 years ago i put a ch-ch panel in it. i would probably put a sq d qo panel in my house today. i like the pretty color when a breaker trips.