Serious Challanger Type C breaker issue?

[gregkitzmiller]

I have recently gone through a series of infrared insurance inspections. These inspection have uncovered serious overheat issues in a number of Challanger panels, circa 1988, with Type C breakers, that are all located in one location. The inspection noted temperature variations as much as 110 degrees above ambient. These problems are located, almost exclusively, at 3 pole breakers controlling medium and large AC units, but it is occuring at single pole lighting circuits as well. The hot points appear to be located where the breaker contacts make contact with the panel bus. In one case the heat was extreme enough to melt the bus insulation in the panel and cause arcing and and other damage at the breaker contact. Heating in this case damaged casing on adjacent breakers as well. One note of importance is that this issue did not occur at any location where the Challanger breakers had been replaced with other manufactures breakers, ie. Westinghouse.

My questions would be: If anyone has heard of this condition occuring in Challanger panels in the past? Is there any specific issues pointing to Challanger breakers or panels? Is there any preventive measures that can taken to reduce the heat issues at the connection points?

 

[muskiedog]

I was sent this article an article from 77401 - Thanks

I was sent this article an article from 77401 - Thanks

This article will talk about the Challenger or FPE Panels. http://weissmanelectric.googlepages.com/fpebulletin.pdf

 

[gregkitzmiller]

Thanks for the article. I found that one in my search for any published material on this issue, but these are a Type C breaker, not an E or F type Stab-Lock. These have a connection similar to QO breaker and don't appear to be damaged other than from heat.