'QO' question.

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mdshunk

mdshunk

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A couple of days ago a customer asked me what Square D's 'Q.O.' stands for? I plainly didn't know, and now it's bugging me. I suppose I sould have just called Schneider customer service this week and asked, but it's into the weekend now. There doesn't appear to be squat on the net about what it might stand for. I'm open to the possibility that it is just part of an arbitrary item number, but I'm half-hoping that it actually stands for something. If it does, surely some one here will know.
Thanks.
 
Re: 'QO' question.

I believe it is merely a part number that may have some internal significance to the company but nothing more. Many years ago, Square D marketed an XO. Now we have QO, NQO and NQOD. I know on large frame breakers, meter modules and the like, you can learn a lot from the product code, but on small breakers I think you get a product name, size and number of poles ie: QO115 (QO, single pole, 15 amp.)
 
Re: 'QO' question.

I gotcha, QO stands for "Qwik-Open". Source, page 418, Grainger 2002-2003 catalog. :) By the way, they spelled Quick - Qwik, not me. ;)

[ August 06, 2005, 12:22 AM: Message edited by: GG ]
 
Re: 'QO' question.

I've never heard that before... but it sounds reasonable. SO, what's with the N prefix on bolt on's? Or, for that matter the D suffix? Has Grainger anything to say about that?
 
Re: 'QO' question.

Originally posted by cselectric:
Many years ago, Square D marketed an XO. Now we have QO, NQO and NQOD... ie: QO115 (QO, single pole, 15 amp.)
Click to expand...
Yes, torn out lots of XO

There's also QOB. Most of your reply makes me believe that QO may stand for somthing. The "B" is for bolt-on. The "D" is for dual (bolt or plug on). The "1" and the "15" in your example have significance as to the poles and amp rating. With so many other significant characters in Square D part numbers, it would follow as odd that QO didn't stand for something.
 
Re: 'QO' question.

I guess I was typing as someone was giving the answer. "Quick Open". Simple as that. Thanks a million. Now I can sleep better this weekend. Stuff like that bugs the heck out of me.
 
Re: 'QO' question.

Originally posted by mdshunk:
Originally posted by cselectric:
Many years ago, Square D marketed an XO. Now we have QO, NQO and NQOD... ie: QO115 (QO, single pole, 15 amp.)
Click to expand...
Yes, torn out lots of XO

There's also QOB. Most of your reply makes me believe that QO may stand for somthing. The "B" is for bolt-on. The "D" is for dual (bolt or plug on). The "1" and the "15" in your example have significance as to the poles and amp rating. With so many other significant characters in Square D part numbers, it would follow as odd that QO didn't stand for something.
Click to expand...
It would stand to reason. And according to the Grainger catalog, it does stand for something. Kind of makes one wonder what the X stood for in the old XO's.

(OK, it's Friday night and three of us are here discussing Sqaure D products... something is very wrong with us :p )
 
Re: 'QO' question.

This is only a guess, but after looking through the Granger catalog I would say that NQOD stands for " N ema Q wik O pen square D .

[ August 06, 2005, 12:37 AM: Message edited by: GG ]
 
Re: 'QO' question.

Funny thing, but Square D's website makes no mention of any significance to the QO name. I still like Graingers answer, but find it odd that Square D themselves don't make any mention of it. Though I did learn that the QO has been around since 1955... I had thought it was a newer model than that, thought 55 was still the XO breaker. But, as names go, all the history page tells us is that the D in Square D stands for Detroit fuse, which I already knew.
 
Re: 'QO' question.

Whats the story behind BX cable? Something to do with Bronx, NY?

[ August 06, 2005, 12:32 PM: Message edited by: GG ]
 
Re: 'QO' question.

Originally posted by mdshunk:
It stands for Type B, Experimental or BX for short. The common myth is Bronx, but that is untrue.
Click to expand...
That's debatable.

I have found NO reference to either "definition" of BX.

So until someone can supply some proof that BX comes from the term "Type B, eXperimental" - I'll stick with the story that BX comes from the abbreviation for the Bronx.

I did find these links:
http://www.seatekco.com/bx.htm

http://www.mikeholt.com/cgi-bin/codeforum/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=7;t=001472;p=1#000000

http://www.codecheck.com/wiring_history.htm


That's my story and I'm sticking to it until the jury comes back

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