Plug on Neutral

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JoeNorm

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If I have a QO plug on neutral breaker and an incompatible panel can I just make the pigtail myself? With supply issues having to get creative.
 
JoeNorm said:
There is a neutral lug on the breaker to attach the load neutral.
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That is only for the load side. It will not work because the CB is expecting the line side connection from the bus. Your circuit will have no neutral.
 
If the breaker has a plug-on neutral and a separate terminal for a neutral, it must be some kind of AFCI/GFCI breaker. The neutral for that circuit must pass through the breaker for the fault detection to work. The line side neutral connection is the plug-on, and the load side connection is the terminal. Maybe if you landed the circuit neutral on the neutral bar and attached a pigtail from the breaker neutral terminal to the neutral bar, maybe, it would work as a regular overcurrent breaker, but I doubt it. You definitely wouldn't have the AFCI/GFCI protection.
 
Electromatic said:
If the breaker has a plug-on neutral and a separate terminal for a neutral, it must be some kind of AFCI/GFCI breaker.
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No, a plug-on neutral breaker has a load neutral terminal like a GFCI, but no line-side pigtail.

It does have a line-side clip which merely provides an alternative connection to the neutral bus
 
Does QO (or anyone) make a regular (non-AFCI, GFCI, CAFI) breaker that is a plug-on neutral with a load neutral terminal? What would be the point other than keeping circuit conductors grouped on each breaker--as opposed to hots on breakers and neutrals wherever on a bar?
 
In addition, to the OP, I don't think a plug-on neutral breaker will physically mount into a non-plug-on neutral panel. I believe the breaker relies on the neutral clip for mounting.
 
Here you go-- the breaker snaps in place as an ordinary breaker does but the neutral is gotten thru the outer clamp of the breaker

6249-large_default.jpg
 
At around 2min, it's demonstrated that a QO plug-on neutral style breaker will not mount in a standard style panel.
 
For good reason, a plug on neutral AFCI and/or GFCI will not fit a non plug on panel. But a pigtail neutral breaker will work in either type panel.
 
JoeNorm said:
Thanks all. I clearly needed to read up on how GFCI/AFCI breakers work.
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The AFCI requires a connection to service neutral to provide power for the internal circuit board. But the GFCI needs the neutral to see the potential loss to ground of current.
Seimans now is making an AFCI breaker that has no circuit neutral connection. There is no GFCI component and doesn't need to feed through the circuit neutral to function. The dual function would still need the neutral circuit connection for the GFCI function.

Not sure the impact this new design would have with the use on MWBC wiring and AFCI use.
 
Use the proper plug on neutral circuit breaker for the proper plug on neutral panel. This also goes for standard panels. If you don't follow the manufacturers requirements, you are violating the UL approval rating and opening up yourself to liability.
 
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