Replacing GTE Sylvania Breakers!?

[davedottcom]

I need to replace (2) 3 pole 50 amp GTE Sylvania breakers and I can't find them ANYWHERE!

(Not the Zinsko ones that are 6" long!)

They are the type that match the popular design like GE, Murray, Siemens, Crouse Hinds, ITE, Home Line...

Are there ANY breakers available today listed for use in these old GTE-Sylvania panels?

Dave

 

[jimwalker]

Re: Replacing GTE Sylvania Breakers!?

Have you tried home depot (big orange)
they carry a lot of old stuff

 

[templdl]

Re: Replacing GTE Sylvania Breakers!?

Have you looked on the loadcenter nameplate? As I recall it should have westinghouse quicklag breakers approved on it. Westinghouse breakers should also should also cross to bryant, challenger, and the C-H BR breaker.
For documentation for the AHJ you may have to put together a paper trail

 

[davedottcom]

Re: Replacing GTE Sylvania Breakers!?

The only thing I could find on the panel was a sticker inside the cover that read:

Use only GTE Slyvania Breakers Type A, C, AND HAGF
(It might have said HARF it was very faded!)

Dave

 

[curt swartz]

Re: Replacing GTE Sylvania Breakers!?

The Cutler-Hammer BR series is the direct replacement for this panel. If you look at a BR120 breaker it will also have a C120 part number on it. Sylvania became Challenger then Westinghouse purchased the Challenger line but didn?t merge the Challenger and Bryant lines together. When Cutler-Hammer purchased the Westinghouse distribution line the merged the two lines together but use the Bryant catalog numbers. The old Sylvania/Challanger numbers are still printed on the breakers so they can be used in older panels.

The HAGF you read was correct and represents a GFCI breaker.
HAGF20 = is a single pole 20 amp GFCI breaker.
HAGF250 = two pole 50 amp GFCI breaker

 

[davedottcom]

Re: Replacing GTE Sylvania Breakers!?

Thanks Guys!

Now this is what I like to see, a thread opened and closed in 5 posts!!!



Dave

 

[electricmanscott]

Re: Replacing GTE Sylvania Breakers!?

Closed schmosed! :Lets keep this one going. Who's with me?

 

[davedottcom]

Re: Replacing GTE Sylvania Breakers!?

Electricmanscott,

Don't start with me! Sam already has me All "worked up" about the Leviton Switches first thing in the morning!



Dave

 

[johndeereman]

Re: Replacing GTE Sylvania Breakers!?

Hey at least you guys are trying to install the proper equipment in the proper panels. The contractors in the area that I inspected would put any breaker that fit & could not under stand why I woulld reject the job.

 

[iwire]

Re: Replacing GTE Sylvania Breakers!?

I work with someone that was able to jam a Siemens breaker into a GE panel.

Keep in mind this was a bolt on panel and breaker.

There was some bending of the breaker line side terminals in order to make the swap and the trim would not fit properly.

It has been fixed and the idiot..., oh, I mean person, has been chastised.

 

[davedottcom]

Re: Replacing GTE Sylvania Breakers!?

Thanks templdl, and curt swartz. You guys are right on the money. I got ahold of an outfit in Texas that confirmed the Cutler Hammer BR series is now acceptable for use in the GTE Sylvania panels. I ordered (2) 3-pole 50's (should have them in a few days) and I can get the CH - BR single poles at the Depot like Jim said!

By the way, isn't it funny the same exact breaker that wasn't listed for use in that panel originally, is now, although no changes have been made!!! :roll:
(Corporate $$$ Politics )

Thanks Again,

Dave

 

[templdl]

Re: Replacing GTE Sylvania Breakers!?

Dave,
I'm not positive but it wouldn't surprise me if Westinghouse made the sylvania breakers anyway.
There's a lot of name branding going on. GE name brands a few smaller transformers for C-H, C-H probably name brands some smaller breakers for GE, as they may also do with larger industrial breaker for Siemens, etc.
It makes sense for these manufacturers to do so to keep down the cost of items that are too costly to be self manufactured. Then each manufacturer works with UL to get their listing. So, even though they may actually physically and electrically identical if there is not documentation that includes interchangeability of the products them your SOL.