Load Centers

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BlueFox

BlueFox

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Would like to hear some of your experience related information about load centers.

Most of my experience has been comercial and only limited amount of residential.

Going to change out the load centers in my house and was seriously thinking about Square D QO but would like to hear what you think about GE as it would be a considerable price savings. Know for sure I want copper bus.

It seems from the forum most electricians don't have a high regard for GE. Is there any reason?
in my limited experience I have not had any issues with GE load centers or breakers.

Consistant problems like; burned bus, loose bus connections, breakers not tripping, confined working area in can, bad design, finiky arc faults, country of origin would be good to know.


Please let me know what load center you would put in your house.
 
I have no issues with GE-- I thought I would hate it when I was forced to use it but I have grown to like them. I have not had many issues at all with their AFCI so that is a big plus. I have, however, had many issues with Cutler Hammers Afci breakers and I rarely use them.
 
I like GE, on the last SFD we did we used GE with about ten AFCI's and never had one call back.

For service upgrades around here we prefer them because the enclosure is galvanized and not painted. IMO that makes for a better connection with AC cable connectors which rely on the jacket for equipment grounding purposes.
 
I prefer SQ D QO or CH Tan Classic. My problem with GE is I detest the skinny breakers & I am just used to SQ D's neutral bus vs GE's full length neutral bus. It really is a Chevrolet vs Ford vs Dodge issue.
 
I have used the Square D "Homeline" series for years. No panel issues, can not think of an issue with their breakers. Less costly than QO. I have used GE with no problems (just had to re-think after using so many Homeline panels).
 
I've had ge breackers that don't trip.
could be other reasons that added to it , but never gad the problem with sq-D
 
Homeline breakers have same internal mechanism's (less the trip indicator window) as the QO line. This is a good breaker line.

OP did wish to have copper bus - Homeline unfortunately is a tin plated aluminum bus, where the QO line is tin plated copper, though there are some 6 and 8 space panels with aluminum bus, but those same panels are available with copper bus.
 
I prefer Eaton/Cutler-Hammer type CH loadcenters , copper bus & I see that Eaton is copying the SQ D Visi-Trip? indicator too, Siemens offers copper bussed panels too.
 
norcal said:
I prefer Eaton/Cutler-Hammer type CH loadcenters , copper bus & I see that Eaton is copying the SQ D Visi-Trip? indicator too, Siemens offers copper bussed panels too.
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The bus in QO panels is copper also. However, it is plated for extra protection. The CH is bare copper.

Mark
 
I must be the odd ball in the bunch. When I need a residential style panelboard, I use Siemens. Probably because they are the least expensive units I can get.

I don't use afci or gfci breakers though.

No problems to date.

Mostly backfed main. It seems like if you want a backfed main Siemens has usually been the cost effective answer. If you want a regular main CB usually Square D has been cheaper but most times I do not want a breaker as large as what comes with them.
 
norcal said:
But the QO is a cheesy plastic interior.
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You can call it cheesy, but it's a great benefit when there is damage to the bus. You undo ONE screw. Lift out the guts and put new ones in. I've never seen the "cheesy" plastic parts get damaged. Just one man's preference.

Mark
 
busman said:
You can call it cheesy, but it's a great benefit when there is damage to the bus. You undo ONE screw. Lift out the guts and put new ones in. I've never seen the "cheesy" plastic parts get damaged. Just one man's preference.

Mark
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I haven't have any problems with the plastic parts either. I do like how they pretty well cover all of the bus except for the points where the breakers plug on. You don't have as much chance of some stray conductor (especially bare conductors) hitting the bus assembly. And this chance is even improved over older QO series panels where the bus was more exposed.

Only damage I have seen to that plastic is when a breaker to bus connection has overheated - most of those times the entire bus was compromised enough the plastic wasn't really an issue just a side effect.
 
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