Missing load side pressure plate in FD breaker

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Todd0x1

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This is driving me nuts, these aren't available as a replacement part are they? A couple new 1P 277v circuits are going in at the office and there were two unused 1P 20A breakers in the 277/480 panelboard so I thought cool that will save a few hundred bucks. I look at the breakers and both of them are missing the pressure plate that the set screw pushes down on. Is this something that can be obtained and replaced or are these breakers trash? Theyre Eaton FD1020 (i think).

Then this building has a ATS between the main service disconnect and the main distribution panel. There are some conduits cut off at the floor with conductors from this ATS still in them from when a generator was removed. The main disconnect is a 1200A 480V Pringle switch in an outdoor enclosure (about 10 feet off a 500kva padmount) that I don't believe has been operated or maintained in an unknown number of years, somewhere between 2 and 18. And we need to do a shutdown to get these conductors pulled out of that ATS so the conduits in the floor can get grouted because they're right in the path of a new loading door. No one wants to take on touching this switch, and I am terrified of the cost if it breaks. (We would have the utility de energize before operating the switch, no way is anyone operating this thing energized) /rant
 
I would say you are wise to be leery of a bolted pressure switch that has not been exercised or maintained. Over the years I been involved in a number of them that had issues at the worst possible time. I had one that opened OK but when we went to charge it to close the shaft sheared off.
I would suggest being prepared for any problems.
 
Aside from the Pringle switch issues (which I agree are a serious concern), the breakers don't come with those accessories, you have to order them. Do a search for Eaton V4-T2-312 (that's the catalog for breakers and accessories).
 
" We would have the utility de energize "

Then why even touch that switch (unless you are going to replace it)?

Sounds like a good time to replace the pringle guts ($6,000) and remove the wires from the ATS and put them together with crimp sleeves and 3M cold shrink. All of that stuff is just waiting to bite someone in the butt. Going to cost a lot more if they let it blow up first.
 
Jraef said:
Aside from the Pringle switch issues (which I agree are a serious concern), the breakers don't come with those accessories, you have to order them. Do a search for Eaton V4-T2-312 (that's the catalog for breakers and accessories).
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Its not an accessory, its the load side terminal where the wire goes in and a screw pushes a plate against it. The plate is missing but the screw is there.
 
Russs57 said:
" We would have the utility de energize "

Then why even touch that switch (unless you are going to replace it)?

Sounds like a good time to replace the pringle guts ($6,000) and remove the wires from the ATS and put them together with crimp sleeves and 3M cold shrink. All of that stuff is just waiting to bite someone in the butt. Going to cost a lot more if they let it blow up first.
Click to expand...

The ATS will stay along with the normal input conductors and load conductors. Its the generator input conductors that need to be removed. No reason to disconnect and splice the wires that stay, removing the ATS would require replacing it with a giant pullbox so nothing gained by removing it.
 
They may be available to rebuilders but not to the general public, or they simply may not be obtainable for such an inexpensive breaker.
 
I was talking about turning the ATS into "a giant pull box". Sooner or later the contacts in the ATS are going to be a problem. I doubt the fact that the generator has been removed does away with the requirement to exercise the ATS. Anyhow, just a suggestion.
 
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