Used breakers from Panel upgrades
- Thread starter Mule
- Start date
- Status
quogueelectric
Senior Member
- Location
- new york
Im curious what everyone does with old used breakers when you do a panel upgrade?
I save a few QO and BR's fon the van for poor folks that need a free breaker.....
I throw them out and when my partners pick them out of the garbage I blast them so they dont talk to me for at least 2 weeks. Four dollars is worth someones life? Not on my watch.
peter d
Senior Member
- Location
- New England
I save anything that looks halfway decent. But, anything old, water damaged or GE goes right in the barrel.
Really,?? I havent heard of a experience where a breaker would not trip, I've seen them trip premature, not reset, fried and crusty inside, burn the lugs off...etc...but a functioning breaker not trip at all.....never seen it....
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peter d
Senior Member
- Location
- New England
FPE is really the only breaker with that reputation. As bad as GE and Murrays are, they will trip...it just takes some time.
TOOL_5150
Senior Member
- Location
- bay area, ca
quogueelectric
Senior Member
- Location
- new york
Would you put that breaker in your mothers house? I dont do anything less for a customer and I charge accordingly I dont do this for practice anymore. I also explain this to the customer when they ask why my price is higher than the other prices they got. The other electricians are puting a 50 year old piece of crap in your house to put 4 bucks in thier pocket and that will cost you an extra 200 on my price for which I am making a fair profit but not jeopardizing your life for a hundred bucks in old used breakers. I can hear the bristling from here. Bring it on.
TOOL_5150
Senior Member
- Location
- bay area, ca
I agree with you. Hows that? I dont toss em though.. I sell em off to a breaker broker.
~Matt
peter d
Senior Member
- Location
- New England
I'll toss any breaker that's 50 years old or 20 years old. If it's 5 years old and looks brand new, I'm saving it.
TOOL_5150
Senior Member
- Location
- bay area, ca
To add to my thought.. I hate the thought of re using the old breakers in a brand new panel. If im goign to charge a customer X amount for a panel replacement - it needs to look like I actually did something.
Since I only install square D panels for the most part, Re using old breakers isnt a question since I am usually pulling out zinsco, fpe, ge or westinghouse. However, Even if I was pulling out a QO panel to replace it with a new QO, I wouldnt automatically do it - I would offer it as an option to the customer and explain hoe re-using the old breakers could save them some money, but I would leave the option to them.
~Matt
LarryFine
Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
- Location
- Henrico County, VA
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor
I use only new brekers for new installations, but I'm not afraid to replace an older breaker with a newer used one.
Why is a 20-yr-old breaker in a panel any better than a replacement 20-yr-old breaker? Because it was unplugged?
Why is a 20-yr-old breaker in a panel any better than a replacement 20-yr-old breaker? Because it was unplugged?
steelersman
Senior Member
- Location
- Lake Ridge, VA
where can I sell mine? I have some that I know I'll never use but would like to get some money for them if possible.
JJWalecka
Senior Member
- Location
- New England
If everyone thought like this the world would be a better place.
Is there a way to test and assure that a used breaker will operate accordingly?
JJ
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iaov
Senior Member
- Location
- Rhinelander WI
This may be the wrong place to ask this but what is the difference between a Homeline panel and a QO other than cost. The square D rep told me the insides of the breakers are the same.
zog
Senior Member
- Location
- Charlotte, NC
As a guy who tests breakers for a living I can tell you failing to trip is very common, I see it all the time. Granted, I dont test these small breakers the Op is talking about but same priciples=same failure moes I would guess.
zog
Senior Member
- Location
- Charlotte, NC
Yep, primary injection test, but for these breakers the test would cost more than the breakers so why bother? Replace them.
Junk breakers go in the dumpster, however...I mostly hold onto the healthy looking QO breakers, and larger BR's, because most of my resi upgrades are HOM by customers request due to price. These used QO breakers are fully functional, and I have no problem re-installing it.
IMO, the used breakers in truth belong to the HO, not me, but they will just throw them away, so if I can help the next person that really doesnt have alot of money, and needs a replacement QO230 or 260 or whatever... I'll do it in a heartbeat. Not often, but the west side of our town is really low income, and I assure you that they cant afford a $100+ bill for a service call and breaker. If its landlord situation, thats a different story, I replace it with new.
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electricguy61
Senior Member
Where in Oklahoma is your business? I was a contractor in Tuttle for @ 10 years, and a firefighter in Yukon for 2. Still have buddy's in the business in Ponca City area.
My oldest daughter is marrying a young man from Tuttle on March 14th and moving there the next week.
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- Location
- Massachusetts
Yes, and I am sure I have some used breakers in my own panel.
Paying customers get new equipment.
Where in Oklahoma is your business? I was a contractor in Tuttle for @ 10 years, and a firefighter in Yukon for 2. Still have buddy's in the business in Ponca City area.
My oldest daughter is marrying a young man from Tuttle on March 14th and moving there
Im a bit protective of my privacy only because this in on the net, but we are closer to Ponca than the other two, have a couple of aquaintences in Ponca, and know some have worked at the refinery there...........
my helper son in law is also a full time fire fighter.....
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