Old GE panel

[junkhound]

1950s GE panel in church parsonage. 30A tied handle bolt on breaker.
What I have never seen before is a GE breaker trip and one side not make internal contact without a few cyclings of hte handles. Hard to find these old GE breakers, left the one in place after getting a 240V output.

Am the guy pastor call when something goes bad. 1 year old Vevor cooktop, no heat. Yes, pastor did check breakers and flipped on an off a few times.

So, meter shows 120V each side at cooktop, but no 240 V, figure the 120 on one side is just capacitve coupling. I had installed the cooktop last year and knew the 10awg was continuous from the panel.

Old 30A GE breaker, tied handles, open up and no 240V although breaker not 'tripped". Meter on breaker, flip a few times and lo and behold, 240 does finally appear.
240V not at cooktop, but the 1 YO vevor glass top resistance cooktop is dead.

Replaced with standard hotpoint 4 burner cooktop I had in the shop. Have not yet tried to troubleshoot the Vevor for why it tripped the breaker and is now 'dead'.

 

[junkhound]

1950s GE panel in church parsonage. 30A tied handle bolt on breaker.
What I have never seen before is a GE breaker trip and one side not make internal contact without a few cyclings of hte handles. Hard to find these old GE breakers, left the one in place after getting a 240V output.

Am the guy pastor call when something goes bad. 1 year old Vevor cooktop, no heat. Yes, pastor did check breakers and flipped on an off a few times.

So, meter shows 120V each side at cooktop, but no 240 V, figure the 120 on one side is just capacitve coupling. I had installed the cooktop last year and knew the 10awg was continuous from the panel.

Old 30A GE breaker, tied handles, open up and no 240V although breaker not 'tripped". Meter on breaker, flip a few times and lo and behold, 240 does finally appear.
240V not at cooktop, but the 1 YO vevor glass top resistance cooktop is dead.

Replaced with standard hotpoint 4 burner cooktop I had in the shop. Have not yet tried to troubleshoot the Vevor for why it tripped the breaker and is now 'dead'.

typo error edit: 240V NOW at cooktop, but the 1 YO vevor glass top resistance cooktop is dead. totally different meaning!

 

[LarryFine]

First, for 99% of trouble-shooting, I suggest using a solenoid tester, not a volt-meter.

Test line-to-load (fall-of-potential) across each pole of the breaker with the cook-top on.

I.e., line-one line (panel bus) to line-one load (terminal), then line-two line to line-two load.

A good switch, breaker, fuse, spice, connection, etc, should show zero volts across it.

 

[ramsy]

A good switch, breaker, fuse, spice, connection, etc, should show zero volts across it

Larry‘s generosity fountain never quit flowing, long after the lack of reward eventually turned most away.

 

[LarryFine]

Larry‘s generosity fountain never quit flowing, long after the lack of reward eventually turned most away.

Thank you. This really is enjoyable for me. And I meant splice, not spice.

 

[readydave8]

capacitve coupling.

Not the good leg flowing through resistance?

 

[junkhound]

Not the good leg flowing through resistance?

Thought that originally also, but still there when cooktop disconnected, about 1/2 V lower on normal AC on fluke.
Not there when the lo-Z position used on Fluke meter...

If I had another old GE breaker I'd dissect the failed one to see what the innards look like after nearly 70 years. I simply toggled the old one till 240 appeared at the output.

 

[James L]

And I meant splice, not spice.

I thought you meant being prepared to take a break for some pumpkin pie 🫣