Panelboard Questions

[jim dungar]

Jim, those look like Square D tandems to me. QO20303020 is a set of (1) 2030 and (1) 3020

The inner handle tie looks like a Square D but not sure about the outer handle tie.

I am talking about the two side by side single pole tandems on the upper left. I don't see any Square D logo or information stenciled on those breakers

 

[Jraef]

Interesting, Why would they make such as the "genuine" QO is, for the most part, readily available. Also how would the use of a "Classified" breaker in the SD panel, even though code allowed, effect the SD long standing policy that the use of any breaker other than "theirs" would void any panel warranty?

If you were, for some reason**, to buy a Square D panel and buy ONLY the Siemens or Eaton Classified breakers, it would likely be a Code violation, because in the initial installation, those breakers would constitute a 110.3B violation of the PANEL listing, let alone the Square D panel warranty.

But AFTER a panel is installed and the warranty is already expired anyway, a contractor or homeowner doing retrofit work can ADD the Classified breakers.

**During the Covid supply chain crisis, this sort of thing was happening a lot more than it had before... One of my local Eaton distributors stocks the Eaton QO Classified breakers, which generally sat on the shelf collecting dust. But in 2021 they sold out completely.

 

[Jraef]

I am talking about the two side by side single pole tandems on the upper left. I don't see any Square D logo or information stenciled on those breakers

Jim,
For some reason, the "newish" QOTs (side x side), have no logo on the front, brand new from the factory.

Makes me wonder if maybe they are a little ashamed of themselves for being copycats...

 

[JoeStillman]

Jim,
For some reason, the "newish" QOTs (side x side), have no logo on the front, brand new from the factory.

Makes me wonder if maybe they are a little ashamed of themselves for being copycats...

They're probably made by an OEM who is neither of them, but sells it to both. I toured the Westinghouse plant in Beaver PA back in the last century and they were OEM'ing for Square D and Cutler Hammer, which was a separate company back then.

 

[jaggedben]

If you were, for some reason**, to buy a Square D panel and buy ONLY the Siemens or Eaton Classified breakers, it would likely be a Code violation, because in the initial installation, those breakers would constitute a 110.3B violation of the PANEL listing, let alone the Square D panel warranty.

But AFTER a panel is installed and the warranty is already expired anyway, a contractor or homeowner doing retrofit work can ADD the Classified breakers.

Since when does the code care whether a panelboard is still under warranty?

 

[jim dungar]

Jim,
For some reason, the "newish" QOTs (side x side), have no logo on the front, brand new from the factory.