main breaker replacement

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Trouyano

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good morning,

I need to replace faulty main service breaker. The panel is a Murray 100 amp . the breaker has a screw holding it down (through the middle of it )... can find a replacement for it. if you install a new Murray breaker its only supported by the panel cover.. do I have to replace panel or does anyone know where to get a replacement..

Thank you
 
Not sure about how easy it will be to find a replacement, will advise you to make sure the bus is in good condition because if the breaker failed as a result of heat issues - your replacement probably will not last long. Discoloration is a sign it was overheated, even if it looks good otherwise.
 
As I understand it, main breakers have to be held in place by some sort of captive hardware or clamp (as if factory installed). The panel cover cannot be the sole support for that breaker
 
goldstar said:
As I understand it, main breakers have to be held in place by some sort of captive hardware or clamp (as if factory installed). The panel cover cannot be the sole support for that breaker
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I think OP understands that, he merely was mentioning that he is having difficulty finding a replacement breaker with the hole for the screw that secures the breaker - which would leave the cover as the sole method of holding it in place.
 
Siemens breakers are the exact same and even have the same numbers (mostly). Now whether an AHJ in your (OP) area will accept that is unknown.
 
Little Bill said:
Siemens breakers are the exact same and even have the same numbers (mostly). Now whether an AHJ in your (OP) area will accept that is unknown.
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I was thinking of mentioning
Siemens. I think Murray is a part of Siemens now, but they still maintain it as a separate division, have no idea if their breakers are listed for interchangeability with one another.
 
If he has one of the older Murray panels I don't think either of the newer main breakers will work.
 
kwired said:
I think OP understands that, he merely was mentioning that he is having difficulty finding a replacement breaker with the hole for the screw that secures the breaker - which would leave the cover as the sole method of holding it in place.
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Granted, but from the nature of his question I didn't think he understood that it had to be secured in place by a means other than the panel cover. Wouldn't you agree ?
 
Trouyano said:
good morning,

I need to replace faulty main service breaker. The panel is a Murray 100 amp . the breaker has a screw holding it down (through the middle of it )... can find a replacement for it. if you install a new Murray breaker its only supported by the panel cover.. do I have to replace panel or does anyone know where to get a replacement..

Thank you
Click to expand...

Lowes in our area handles Murray panels and breakers http://www.lowes.com/pd_71948-1318-MP2100P_0__?productId=4062621&Ntt=murray&pl=1&currentURL=%3FNtt%3Dmurray&facetInfo=
Of course the picture is dark you can't tell if it has the main hold down hole in it.

Lowes also has a 100 amp main breaker panel: http://www.lowes.com/pd_70948-1318-LW1224B1100_0__?productId=1098487&Ntt=murray&pl=1&currentURL=%3FNtt%3Dmurray&facetInfo=
But again can't tell anything from the picture :(
 
goldstar said:
Granted, but from the nature of his question I didn't think he understood that it had to be secured in place by a means other than the panel cover. Wouldn't you agree ?
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He said he can find a breaker but doesn't have the hole for the hold down screw. Then proceeded to say that only the cover would hold it in place and asked if he needed to replace the entire panel. Seems as though he is at least somewhat suspicious that would not be right or he wouldn't have asked if the entire panel needed replaced.

But that is just how I read between the lines, somebody else maybe has something different from either one of us.
 
kwired said:
He said he can find a breaker but doesn't have the hole for the hold down screw. Then proceeded to say that only the cover would hold it in place and asked if he needed to replace the entire panel. Seems as though he is at least somewhat suspicious that would not be right or he wouldn't have asked if the entire panel needed replaced.

But that is just how I read between the lines, somebody else maybe has something different from either one of us.
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Not looking to turn this into an English lesson. We all read the same sentence and you and I came away with different interpretations. The choices offered were 1) Does anyone know where I can find the proper breaker and 2) Can I use the panel cover to hold the breaker in place. Not knowing where he could find the proper breaker takes care of option # 1 so I merely wanted to point out that using the panel cover was not a proper option. That should have ended any "suspicion."
 
goldstar said:
Not looking to turn this into an English lesson. We all read the same sentence and you and I came away with different interpretations. The choices offered were 1) Does anyone know where I can find the proper breaker and 2) Can I use the panel cover to hold the breaker in place. Not knowing where he could find the proper breaker takes care of option # 1 so I merely wanted to point out that using the panel cover was not a proper option. That should have ended any "suspicion."
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Either way the information has been brought up if OP didn't know before, that is part of what this site is about, bringing ideas the table that a person may not have thought of. A simple reply from OP would let us know what he was thinking, but this could be one of those one post members.

ETA: ok 34 post members, can't see a member's number of posts when in the editor.
 
qcroanoke said:
If he has one of the older Murray panels I don't think either of the newer main breakers will work.
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I assume you mean Murray breakers built so ON is up, a reverse of any other breaker that is mounted vertical w/ the lugs at the top. A regular breaker would have ON in the down position mounted in the same manner.
 
norcal said:
I assume you mean Murray breakers built so ON is up, a reverse of any other breaker that is mounted vertical w/ the lugs at the top. A regular breaker would have ON in the down position mounted in the same manner.
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The NEC requires that any breaker whose handle throw is vertical be ON on the UP position. If not, you have mounted it in a non compliant way.
 
Trouyano, where are you located? Also, do you have the breaker number? In LA, there are more than a few places that have hard to find breakers, main and otherwise. Having the breaker number is a great start though! Did you do a search online for the breaker? Looked on Fleabay for you. There is a Murray 100@ MB Panel 20 Space going for $60 with free shipping. Probably cheaper than getting the breaker.
 
goldstar said:
The choices offered were 1) Does anyone know where I can find the proper breaker and 2) Can I use the panel cover to hold the breaker in place.
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Except that's not what his post was. He asked if anybody knew where to find the proper breaker, yes. But he did not ask if he could use the panel cover, he said that using a new breaker leaves only the panel cover to hold the breaker in. Clearly he knows that's not good enough.
 
jaylectricity said:
Except that's not what his post was. He asked if anybody knew where to find the proper breaker, yes. But he did not ask if he could use the panel cover, he said that using a new breaker leaves only the panel cover to hold the breaker in. Clearly he knows that's not good enough.
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You are right. I misread this and stand corrected. It seemed to me that there were three choices and I merely wanted to emphasize that one of them was not an acceptable choice (if he was thinking of leaving it that way). Sorry to have pirated this thread. BTW, have we heard from the OP yet ??? Did he find a replacement breaker, did he replace the panel or is he using the panel cover as the hold-down device. Just curious. We may never know.
 
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