Lack of breakers.

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Electricmo

Senior Member
Location
Missouri
Occupation
Lineman
Heard through the grape vine that panel circuit breakers seem to be in low supply around here. Electricians are having to scrounge around to find them. Lots of back ordered parts. Refrigerators and freezers in short supply also. We had to wait a month to get new washer and dryer. Anyone else having these problems?
 
Breakers for residential panels are still available here, but refrigerators and freezers are a problem. You can get one, but likely you won’t have a wide variety of models to choose from. When the pandemic began, people bought them to hoard.... err, I mean “stock up”, on food. Couple that with supply chain disruptions.

My daughter is trying to buy some new furniture. The stores are telling her it could be 8 weeks to get what she wants. Pre-pandemic, anything they sold was a week or less from the warehouse.
 
Square D issue is with most Homeline and QO breakers, but especially impacts the Homeline AFCI's AFAIK.

They supposedly have a plant in Mexico that was shut down for a time because of Covid, and that plus some other issues involved with importing it to the US have put the supply chain behind where it normally was.

I heard that Eaton has similar issues for similar reasons, and their plant in Mexico is in close proximity to the Square D plant, maybe even right across the road from one another.
 
I have yet to buy any extra supply of anything as a result of the Covid.

As for breakers, I make sure of what's in good stock before selecting.

If I must match an existing brand, I look in my used-breakers inventory.
 
I've noticed that the big box stores have low inventory on many Sq D breakers. I needed a 2-P 20 Sq D breaker and none of the 3 stores in close proximity to me had any. I suppose could have traveled 20 miles to the Sq D distributor but I ended up using a Siemens breaker instead. They are cross-listed.
 
goldstar said:
I've noticed that the big box stores have low inventory on many Sq D breakers. I needed a 2-P 20 Sq D breaker and none of the 3 stores in close proximity to me had any. I suppose could have traveled 20 miles to the Sq D distributor but I ended up using a Siemens breaker instead. They are cross-listed.
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The Square D distributor probably didn't have one either. The products are trickling in but most are going to fill months of back orders.

Square D does NOT list their loadcenters for Siemens breakers.
 
electrofelon said:
In fact don't they have that additional protrusion on the bus stab so other breakers won't fit, but their breakers fit in others? Nice move square D.
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Siemens makes a "Classified" breaker to fit into certain QO panels, called a "Type QD". Only available in the most common sizes, 15 thru 60A, 1 and 2 pole, but no AFCI or GFCI options.

Page 1-44 of this pdf, there is a list of the Square D panels it is listed for use with.
 
I have had same issue like most have mention with square D homeline. I found it’s quicker to buy them from my Eaton rep lol.
Any of you guys stocking up on wire or any lighting fixtures you normally use.
 
I was looking for a 30A 2-pole Homeline breaker a week ago and could not find one at the big stores, and Blue was out of all sizes of 2-pole. I finally found one at a small hardware store.
 
electrofelon said:
In fact don't they have that additional protrusion on the bus stab so other breakers won't fit, but their breakers fit in others? Nice move square D.
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I remember when they first introduced Homeline it was mentioned those breakers would fit in competitor panels but competitor breakers will not fit in the Homeline panel. Never tried to plug others into a Homeline before though so never tested that one out for myself.

Have come across many Homeline installed in other panels but can't recall any others installed in Homeline panels.
 
kwired said:
I remember when they first introduced Homeline it was mentioned those breakers would fit in competitor panels but competitor breakers will not fit in the Homeline panel. Never tried to plug others into a Homeline before though so never tested that one out for myself.

Have come across many Homeline installed in other panels but can't recall any others installed in Homeline panels.
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Yeah I am remembering more know, the extra nub makes a competitors breaker not seat fully on the stab so it sticks out about a quarter inch. Will work in a pinch temporarily, but will make the cover all wonky
 
electrofelon said:
Well they may say that but they are clearly designed to physically allow placement in other panels but not other breakers in their panels. That just annoys me, it's a jerk move.
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More than 30 years ago, as salespeople, we were told to always advise/warn/discourage against using non-manufacturer breakers. I have been out of the residential side of the business for several decades now, so I don't know current contractor practices.
 
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