Main 200 Amp CB Inoperable

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NewtonLaw

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Honesdale, PA USA
I was helping a customer install a new 40 amp circuit. In the process I tried to open the 200 amp main circuit breaker. It would not budge. I was reluctant to force it open since I was unsure as to the possible outcomes. The home owner told me he had purchased a one year insurance policy at the time he purchased the home that is supposed to cover anything not working in order to repair or replace whatever. I told him to turn this in as it was not working in my opinion and sh be repaired or replaced as necessary Since it clearly did not function and posed a safety concern. He did so. The result, the adjuster came and looked at it and said it was allowing current to flow and he was not without power so there was nothing they could do about it. Interesting. I am not sure what his policy says but that CB is fir sure not working and when the home owner ask the adjuster, and the electrician he brought with him, to operate the CB, the Electrican refused and stated he was afraid it might fail.

when I spoke to the home owner, I suggested he have an electrical inspector come over and render a decision as to the operable or non-operable condition of the breaker and go back to the insurance company and request repair again.

Does anybody in this forum have any suggestions I could pass along or experiences similar to this one with some kind of resolution? Thanks for your input.
 
Insurance adjusters job is to deny claims, and the agents job is to collect your money.
If you want what your policy says it's for, then you will have to push the issue.
Best is to get it repaired, then go after them. They wont likely roll over easily.
 
Allowing current to flow is not the only job of a Main breaker. A firefighter must be able to disconnect all power to the buiding without moving their hand more than 6 times. If the Main will not open to kill power, and you have more than 6 total breakers (besides the Main), then that is a code violation so the Main breaker has failed in that function.

The breaker must also OPEN to protect the panel in the event of an overload or short circuit. With a proper current injection tester you could have that breaker tested, but to do so, line side power would have to be disconnected by the utility (or with their permission) by pulling the meter.
 
Cheaper to have the breaker replaced than to have it current injection tested by the manufacturer's field service group or NETA independent testing co. Just my opinion as I have only been in the electrical testing business 51 yrs.
 
ATSman said:
Cheaper to have the breaker replaced than to have it current injection tested by the manufacturer's field service group or NETA independent testing co. Just my opinion as I have only been in the electrical testing business 51 yrs.
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You would probably know better on the cost issue. I certainly would just replace it rather than test it, because if you test it and it fails, then you have BOTH costs! But landlords are funny that way...
 
ATSman said:
Cheaper to have the breaker replaced than to have it current injection tested by the manufacturer's field service group or NETA independent testing co. Just my opinion as I have only been in the electrical testing business 51 yrs.
Click to expand...
You could take it out and send it in for testing. would cost less. power would only be off for a week or two. :)

But if it cannot be manually operated it needs to be replaced anyway.
 
I have dealt with the same issue years ago when we worked for a home warranty company.
Meet the adjuster there yourself and ask him/her to turn it off then back on again.
Politely explain firefighter issue stated above.
 
First, thank you all for your responses. I especially like Jraef's response on the firefighters. I am in the process of helping this customer replace this main CB. I am following up with the local Utility to get an AIC requirement based on the short circuit amps available. Speaking to the power company customer service has become much more arduous when asking for technical information. The next problem I am running into is that this CB is a Bryant BJH2200. There are many BJ2200 units available but I can not find a BJH2200. The BJH is 22 kA while the BJ is 10 kA rated. Eaton lists the BJH2200 but tell me it is not available. Any ideas?
 
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