Save $ on breakers?

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ritelec

ritelec

Senior Member
Location
Jersey
Looking at a potential panel replacement. Cutler hammer tan 20 circ mail lug to a 32 circ.
The existing breakers are a combination of older (decade or more) and older (couple to 10 years) aged breakers.

Would you feel comfortable reusing these breakers in a new panel to offer the home owner a savings, or would you just replace them all with new?

Besides the internals, I'm always concerned with the jaws that clip on the buss being laxed.

Thank you
 
If it's getting inspected all the breakers need to be the same manufacturer as the panel.

Other then that I've used old breakers before

You can tell Wich ones are good and no good . If the house is wired some what correct most ckts shouldn't even use 50% of there capicty .

I'd tie in the old breakers and out an amp probe on it. Replace the ones that are 75% of the rating

Sent from my SM-G986U using Tapatalk
 
nickelec said:
If it's getting inspected all the breakers need to be the same manufacturer as the panel.

Other then that I've used old breakers before

You can tell Wich ones are good and no good . If the house is wired some what correct most ckts shouldn't even use 50% of there capicty .

I'd tie in the old breakers and out an amp probe on it. Replace the ones that are 75% of the rating

Sent from my SM-G986U using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
The tan handle are CH style, so only CH breakers will fit, unlike the BR style. I’ve heard of people finding loose clips on the CH style, but I haven’t run across any, and in my area, most of the older panels are CH style, as that was the only thing sold here for many years.
 
ritelec said:
Looking at a potential panel replacement. Cutler hammer tan 20 circ mail lug to a 32 circ.
The existing breakers are a combination of older (decade or more) and older (couple to 10 years) aged breakers.

Would you feel comfortable reusing these breakers in a new panel to offer the home owner a savings, or would you just replace them all with new?

Besides the internals, I'm always concerned with the jaws that clip on the buss being laxed.

Thank you
Click to expand...
I have done this in the past, but I don't think I will anymore. A nice new service with a bunch of 30 year old breakers in it? No thanks. I also stay away from overpriced breakers like tan handle and QO so that helps.
 
As a homeowner and project advisor I can tell you this:

If you could honestly tell me you felt they were a fire/safety/reliability risk = replace them.

Otherwise:
A. Replace everything older than 10 years
B. Install GFCI anyplace code or prudence would suggest I do so.
C. If the cost is less then $200 to replace the remainder please do so. Otherwise please reuse as possible using newest first.

$200 is just an arbitrary cost of my hassle plus your extra trip and setup time times the likelihood of it happening in 3-5 years. Honestly $200 is probably high, but peace of mind has a value too. More than that though and I'll take the money and accept the potential hassle down the road.
 
ritelec said:
Looking at a potential panel replacement. Cutler hammer tan 20 circ mail lug to a 32 circ.
The existing breakers are a combination of older (decade or more) and older (couple to 10 years) aged breakers.

Would you feel comfortable reusing these breakers in a new panel to offer the home owner a savings, or would you just replace them all with new?

Besides the internals, I'm always concerned with the jaws that clip on the buss being laxed.

Thank you
Click to expand...
A few months ago I would have told you to replace them all. These days it comes down to what you can get. As long as the breakers are listed to be used in the new panel and a visual inspection shows them to be in good condition I would not be overly concerned about replacing them.

However, if you change out the panel are you going to have to put in AFCI? It seems like you are adding circuits. It might be simpler to leave the existing panel alone and just add a new one in the vicinity of where you want to add circuits.
 
Thank you. I’m on the fence for replacing them.
The new circuit is repurposing a 120v circuit to a 240v

The existing 20 circuit panel has 1 tandem in it and it looks like 2 splices where some one spliced circuit together to install on single breakers.

I’m thinking there are some guys that would install two more tandems to fit a two pole In and be done with it but I don’t have it in me.

In NJ panel changes don’t require afci’s to be installed.

I’m also thinking of adding a sub panel instead



Do to lack of space ( small utility closet ) if you turn around from the existing panel the new sub panel would be right there.

pretty sure the repurposed circuit at 240v is not required to be afci protected , but to get the panel feeder space in the main panel I would need to relocate two 120v circuits up and over that 6 feet to the new sub panel. Wonder if those two circuits would require afci’s


there’s also a small area down low under the panel Where I can squeeze a small sub panel. Thing is there’s a 1/2” water line there. Any issues installing the panel over that water line and let the water line run behind it? Is it not a smart thing to do or would it be like installing a sub panel anywhere else and a plumber came and put a water line for a bathroom or whatever ?


Thank you for letting me think out loud.
 
As to reusing

The C-H's are lifetime guarantee
Lifetime ran out on the older ones with metal rail clips, but SH will still give me new breaker, no questions asked, if I bring in one where plastic case is molded to fit rail
 
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