Refurbished Molded Case Circuit Breakers

[Davebones]

Have a old Ge TED136Y150 circuit breaker . We see that there is plenty of refurbished circuit breakers on line . We normally buy new replacement parts if available. What are the concerns if any when getting these so called refurbished molded case circuit breakers ?

 

[zog]

Have a old Ge TED136Y150 circuit breaker . We see that there is plenty of refurbished circuit breakers on line . We normally buy new replacement parts if available. What are the concerns if any when getting these so called refurbished molded case circuit breakers ?

Find out what standard was used for refiirbishment, find out the qualifications of the vendor. Your breaker should come with a test report showing megger, DLRO, and primary current injection test results using calibrated test equipment. Some companies just make them look pretty on the outside.

Little side note, that is not a breaker, it is just a switch, the Y means dummy trip, no overcurrent protection.

 

[templdl]

Is the company that refurbished the breakers capable of testing the breakers to factory production test standards per uL489 requirements?

Using a refurbished breaker may only provide you with a false sense of security. A refurbished breaker that does not meet factory specification may never be required to trip and as such will go undetected.

 

[zog]

That is why you ask for the test report, new breakers are not tested at the factory, they are "batch tested" so one could argue a properly refirbished and tested breaker is better than an untested new one. I have done acceptence testing on thousands of new breakers and have seen many, many fail testing.

However be careful, there are a lot of junk dealers out there, and alot of fancy websites with fake certifications so do your homework.

 

[brian john]

However be careful, there are a lot of junk dealers out there, and alot of fancy websites with fake certifications so do your homework.

Black shoe polish makes them look great, know for a fact this is done. And with rare exception I believe this is the norm, unless as Zog says, you get hard data from a reputable firm.

 

[Jraef]

Black shoe polish makes them look great, know for a fact this is done. And with rare exception I believe this is the norm, unless as Zog says, you get hard data from a reputable firm.

Silicone spray is cheaper and easier to use. Puts a nice shine to the phenolic.

To back up what Zog says, the equipment necessary to perform the right tests on the breakers is VERY expensive, as are the employees with the right skill set and experience to do it. When you see a "refurb" breaker that is too cheap to be true, it probably is a silicone job; ohmmeter to the line and load terminals, quick spritz of silicone spray, box it and sell it. If they spent more than 30 seconds "refurbing" it, they spent too much in their opinion. They really should just call those "recycled" breakers, not refurbished. I know of a company that does both; the recycled breakers are sold for a lot less than the refurbished ones, but they make sure everyone knows the difference. Not all of them are that conscientious.

Good houses disassemble the breakers, clean the insides, check the mechanisms and replace worn components, do an injection test on the sensors, reassemble, test again and reseal them with their name on them clearly identifying them as refurbished and tested, along with a test report. Anything less than that is a recycle.

 

[templdl]

With MCCBs there are no internal renewable parts. also, contacts can not be replaced nor should they be cleaned with abrasives. Most MCCBs are sealed by using a factory and or UL label over the cover where it is joined to the bottom. The refurbishing/testing agency would have ti have a UL authorization in order to remove that seal and then be authorized to do any refurbishing to the inside of the breaker.
However, there is no other way to check and otherwise clean looking breaker on the outside for sediment from a breaker that has sustained flood damage.

But then again there are NEMA Guidelines for Handling Water-damaged Electrical Equipment Ref: http://www.nema.org/prod/be/enclosures/upload/guidelines_handling_water_damaged_elect_equip.pdf.