SquareD QO vs Homeline for residential

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JoeNorm

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WA
Mainly due to supply to my area most companies around here use SquareD panels and Breakers for residential. For years I have personally used QO because it's just what I was used to and everyone believed it was/is the gold standard.

But QO prices compared to Homeline make QO a very tough sell. QO Stuff is typically more than double the price of HL. Is there anything about the build and reliability of QO that justifies this? I haven't heard of many issues(if any) with Homeline. Not that I have had any issues with QO, it has worked great so far.

I am about to start making the switch unless I can be convinced otherwise. I remember there being talk about copper vs aluminum bus bars. Is QO solid copper and Homeline not? How else can they justify such a price difference?

thanks
 
I am a residential only contractor. Our primary product is Homeline. I'll admit that I feel that the QO method of attachment to the bus is superior, and I like the visi-trip window. That said, the cost increase and lack of options for half sized breakers (tandems, quads) is hard to swallow. In my opinion, Homeline is still a superior product over something like a Siemens panel. Eaton BR seems to be a pretty comparable product to Homeline but we almost never install their panels, mostly just deal with them in existing projects.

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I have had no problems with using Homeline and BR panels and breakers.

It's my understanding that the same internal parts are used in both lines.
 
marmathsen said:
I am a residential only contractor. Our primary product is Homeline. I'll admit that I feel that the QO method of attachment to the bus is superior, and I like the visi-trip window. That said, the cost increase and lack of options for half sized breakers (tandems, quads) is hard to swallow. In my opinion, Homeline is still a superior product over something like a Siemens panel. Eaton BR seems to be a pretty comparable product to Homeline but we almost never install their panels, mostly just deal with them in existing projects.

Sent from my Pixel 7 Pro using Tapatalk
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Of course there will be more opinions than there are electricians on this, but I feel completely opposite about two things you said. I actually dislike the QO bus system, and I feel siemens is a superior product.

I feel QO is way overpriced. No Sq D, you crap is not made of gold, get over it. My complaint about homeline is the size of the AFCI breakers, limited 'quad" breaker options, and that they dont make it in three phase. One of the big problems with SQD in general for me is their successful push to get the surge protector in the code and thats mainly why I generally avoid them now.
 
I like the BR line; they make several tandem models, and are available in three-phase.

I also have no problem with Siemens and sometimes choose their contractor packs.
 
QO now has smaller AFCI and GFCI breakers than their first generation. I wonder if Homeline will follow? Or have they already and I don't know?
 
electrofelon said:
No Sq D, you crap is not made of gold, get over it.
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I don't understand where you're going with this. I'm not a Square D ideologue. I mostly use Square D because they are the only brand my main supplier sells and it's been my primary brand since I started in the industry.



electrofelon said:
My complaint about homeline is the size of the AFCI breakers, limited 'quad" breaker options, and that they don't make it in three phase.
Click to expand...

I agree, I wish Square D had smaller AFCI and GFCI breakers like many other manufacturers do. Same thing with quad breakers. 3 phase doesn't seem like a problem since Homeline is aimed at residential, and they have QO to meet that need.

To their credit Siemens often seems to be at the forefront of different breaker configurations. I can say though that in my experience, I have had a lot more troubleshooting issues with Siemens AFCI breakers than any other brand. I think that's primarily where my bias comes from.




Rob G, Seattle
 
marmathsen said:
I don't understand where you're going with this. I'm not a Square D ideologue. I mostly use Square D because they are the only brand my main supplier sells and it's been my primary brand since I started in the industry.
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What I meant was Sq D seems to have this attitude that there stuff is made of gold. My comment was directed at SQ D not you. Although I do try to avoid sq D when I can, it is what the closest supply house has back home so I do use it often for resi stuff.
 
electrofelon said:
Of course there will be more opinions than there are electricians on this, but I feel completely opposite about two things you said. I actually dislike the QO bus system, and I feel siemens is a superior product.

I feel QO is way overpriced. No Sq D, you crap is not made of gold, get over it. My complaint about homeline is the size of the AFCI breakers, limited 'quad" breaker options, and that they dont make it in three phase. One of the big problems with SQD in general for me is their successful push to get the surge protector in the code and thats mainly why I generally avoid them now.
Click to expand...
So you probably hate Eaton for their successful push for arc faults too, to be fair.
 
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