Siemens and Murray interchangable?

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mdshunk

mdshunk

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I'm not sure why it took so long to notice, but I did notice the other week that Murray and Seimens plug-on breakers are 100% identical, except for one letter on the breaker. The case is identical. I drilled out the rivets on two, and the insides are identical. Has anyone ever run across anything that makes them officially interchangable?
 
Years ago I used Murray exclusively simply due to the price. The supply house that I bought most of my material at started stocking Siemens which they got from the same people and there I was with all those Murray breakers and no panels.

A quick call to the salesman by the code official and I finished up with most of my Murray breakers in the Siemens panels.

I don?t know if there is anything in writing or not but I still from time to time will use one of the Murray breakers in a Siemens panel and have never been called on it. Siemens bought out Murray or vice versa or something like that happened.
 
I tried several times to get something in writing from Seimans......to no avail.

I have been red tagged for an MP in a QP panel.

Dumb.

They are OBVIOUSLY the same breaker with the only difference being the MP/QP stamp.
 
Officially.......Seimens interchanges with ITE and Crouse Hinds and not Murry ( officially that is )

Best bet is to use Cutler Hammers " Classified " breakers in those panels as they have been approved by UL as a valid replacement.
 
radiopet said:
Officially.......Seimens interchanges with ITE and Crouse Hinds and not Murry ( officially that is )

Best bet is to use Cutler Hammers " Classified " breakers in those panels as they have been approved by UL as a valid replacement.
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Actually the best bet would be to just use Siemens.

I have used Murray and Siemens interchangably in a pinch. No big deal.
 
Not sure if they are officially interchangeable, but the inspectors in my area(Middle Tennessee) let people interchange Siemens and Murray breakers all of the time.
 
Pierre C Belarge said:
Here is another link that may help.



http://downloads.eatoncanada.ca/downloads/Low%20Voltage%20Circuit%20Breakers/Application%20&%20Product%20Overview/Cutler-Hammer%20UL%20Classified%20Replacement%20Circuit%20Breakers%20-%20Product%20Overview.pdf
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Nice article. I saved it to my phone (I am really starting to love the "smartphone." :grin: ) as a reference because I am starting to stock these breakers more and more. I have loyalty going years back to SqD, but this is one more reason to switch.
 
mdshunk said:
I'm not sure why it took so long to notice, but I did notice the other week that Murray and Seimens plug-on breakers are 100% identical, except for one letter on the breaker. The case is identical. I drilled out the rivets on two, and the insides are identical. Has anyone ever run across anything that makes them officially interchangable?
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If they are so much alike - why do they cost a little different - At least locally.... My bet would be that if you cracked open a CH-BR it would be pretty much the same, as well as a Homeline.... And they all FIT each other (legal - NO!) - why have they not proprietary-ified them with some sort of rejection tab or something? My thoughts are they are all in a race to purchase one another.... :roll: Is the BR design that good? I think not....
 
220/221 said:
I tried several times to get something in writing from Seimans......to no avail.
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That's right, Seimens will not give you anything in writing. I find this very strange. The story is always the same "Seimens owns Murray", so what's your problem, they fit.

Unless there is a label in the panel listing all the different types of breakers that can be used with it. I have never been able to find anything official stating that a Seimens breaker is automaticlly acceptable in a Murray panel.

I just use the Cutler Hammer listed breakers to be safe. Not that many Murray panels left in this area anyway.
 
r_merc said:
MP Circutt Breakers are listed on the inside of the Siemens Sticker as a listed Breaker. No Issues at all.
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Maybe so, but I was working on a Murray panel, and it only permitted MP and didn't even mention QP.
 
mdshunk said:
Maybe so, but I was working on a Murray panel, and it only permitted MP and didn't even mention QP.
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You probably have the same problem that we have. Only one place that I know of that still sells any Murray panels or breakers. A little hardware store in the country. Murray just is not used in this area anymore. If you find a Murray panel it will be at least 15 to 20 years old before the were bought out by Seimens. In those days there was no reason for Murray to list Seimens as a replacement breakers ( so they didn't ).
 
growler said:
That's right, Seimens will not give you anything in writing. I find this very strange. The story is always the same "Seimens owns Murray", so what's your problem, they fit.

Unless there is a label in the panel listing all the different types of breakers that can be used with it. I have never been able to find anything official stating that a Seimens breaker is automaticlly acceptable in a Murray panel.

I just use the Cutler Hammer listed breakers to be safe. Not that many Murray panels left in this area anyway.
Click to expand...

I don't think you can make a UL listing retro-active to something that was manufacturered years ago.
 
e57 said:
If they are so much alike - why do they cost a little different - At least locally.... My bet would be that if you cracked open a CH-BR it would be pretty much the same, as well as a Homeline.... And they all FIT each other (legal - NO!) - why have they not proprietary-ified them with some sort of rejection tab or something? My thoughts are they are all in a race to purchase one another.... :roll: Is the BR design that good? I think not....
Click to expand...

Siemens-copper bus
Murray-aluminum bus
 
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