QO question - bolt vs plug

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jaggedben

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I'm not super familiar with QO panels that take bolt on breakers.

Does anybody know if this panel only takes the bolt-on style or if those narrow sections of the busbars also accept the plug-on type?
 

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Thanks for the quick responses. :)

Unfortunately I don't have info on the panel model. I do know it is about 16 years old.
The busbars certainly look like those catalog items, but maybe I'll just stick with bolt-on to be sure.
 
Possible or not, as a general rule if someone has purposely selected a bolt-on panel, there was likely a good reason, i.e. an industrial facility where reliability is a priority, high vibration possibly coming from machinery, etc. etc. It's generally a bad idea to switch it up in mid stream. The NQOD panel is designed for reducing the number of panel interiors in inventory, so that a distributor can sell the same unit to an industrial account that wants bolt-on, or a commercial/residential complex that is OK with plug-in. The intent was not to mix them in the same panel.

As someone here is wont to say (in their signature line); "Just because you can, doesn't mean you should!"
 
Jraef said:
Possible or not, as a general rule if someone has purposely selected a bolt-on panel, there was likely a good reason, i.e. an industrial facility where reliability is a priority, high vibration possibly coming from machinery, etc. etc. It's generally a bad idea to switch it up in mid stream. The NQOD panel is designed for reducing the number of panel interiors in inventory, so that a distributor can sell the same unit to an industrial account that wants bolt-on, or a commercial/residential complex that is OK with plug-in. The intent was not to mix them in the same panel.

As someone here is wont to say (in their signature line); "Just because you can, doesn't mean you should!"
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The OP didn't ask anything about intent, he just wanted to know what kind of breakers would fit.
 
It's not an industrial facility. It is outdoors (but so what?).

It's possible that the installer chose bolt on breakers because 705.12(D)(5) was not part of the code yet. (2014 reference). I don't know what the rules were on that in the 1995 code.
 
ActionDave said:
NQOB will accept bolt on only. NQOD will accept bolt on and press on breakers.

Are we all in agreement on this?
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Well, I was going to have a facetious remark about breakers not being available for NQOB panels anymore, but apparently I've been misinformed or simply mistaken at some point:

http://www.schneider-electric.us/en/faqs/FA232958/

Long story short, they also take QO breakers. Makes sense: N-QOB and N-QO-D. Its right in the name.

I'll even go out on a limb and suggest maybe the D stands for "dual" as in plug-in or bolt-on.
 
Jraef said:
Possible or not, as a general rule if someone has purposely selected a bolt-on panel, there was likely a good reason, i.e. an industrial facility where reliability is a priority, high vibration possibly coming from machinery, etc. etc. It's generally a bad idea to switch it up in mid stream. The NQOD panel is designed for reducing the number of panel interiors in inventory, so that a distributor can sell the same unit to an industrial account that wants bolt-on, or a commercial/residential complex that is OK with plug-in. The intent was not to mix them in the same panel.

As someone here is wont to say (in their signature line); "Just because you can, doesn't mean you should!"
Click to expand...
Installed several NQ panels over the last 5 years. Put plug on breakers in most of them. One reason I wanted NQ instead of a QO loadcenter is the 20 inch wide cabinet has a lot of room, a couple it was because it is easier to get it in a NEMA 12 cabinet then a loadcenter is. Some other options can come in handy at times as well like subfeed lugs, though I have used them on the 277/480 volt NF panels more often then on the NQ panels.
 
Just did a quote for an Eaton panel that had bolt-on breakers. They were 10 times the price of the snap in kind. This was in a strip mall store build-out. No reason they need bolt-on far as I can tell. I briefly considered changing the entire panel since I'm adding 24 circuits.
 
Coppersmith said:
Just did a quote for an Eaton panel that had bolt-on breakers. They were 10 times the price of the snap in kind. this was in a strip mall store. No reason they need bolt-on far as I can tell.
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Don't know about Eaton, but with Square D if you get a quote for the entire job, panels, breakers, safety switches, motor controllers, etc. they practically give away the breakers compared to what you pay if you just went in and bought a couple of them, (so you always throw some extra breakers on the order to put in your stock).
 
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