Used equipment

[Howard@wherequalitystarts]

Does the IRC prohibit using used (old) breakers for replacement
Such as replacing a federal pacific breaker with a old breaker that works

 

[ptonsparky]

Does the IRC prohibit using used (old) breakers for replacement
Such as replacing a federal pacific breaker with a old breaker that works

I’m curious as to how you determine it still works.

That said, you have a customer that needs a breaker and you will be lucky to get paid even for that. They cannot afford more.

 

[petersonra]

I can understand why you might want to use a used breaker in such a case but my inclination would be to have no paperwork that shows you did such a thing. There's no way that you can personally test such a breaker and make sure that it actually works correctly so you may be putting a breaker in that has the exact same problem as the one you're pulling out or something worse

 

[Jraef]

In the used resi breaker broker world, the term “refurbished” means they wiped the dust off and “tested” simply means they put an ohmmeter on it to make sure the contacts close.

I would not trust an FPE breaker that was still in the factory carton, let alone one pulled from a demo job.

 

[petersonra]

In the used resi breaker broker world, the term “refurbished” means they wiped the dust off and “tested” simply means they put an ohmmeter on it to make sure the contacts close.

I would not trust an FPE breaker that was still in the factory carton, let alone one pulled from a demo job.

An acquaintance of mine worked for Square D many years ago while going to school. he told me once they had a lab fixture set up to test single pole circuit breakers coming off the line. Someone would pull a sample breaker off the end of the line now and then and send it to the lab to be tested. If it passed, the whole batch was passed. If it failed the whole batch had to be tested. I never asked him how they tested a whole batch.

The breakers they tested where tossed in a barrel and eventually thrown away because it would have cost more to put it back in with the batch it came from than it was worth as a breaker. These days they would probably claim they were being recycled, but 40 years ago, no one cared. These days they are probably made off shore so who knows what happens.

 

[Fred B]

Connecticut Electric makes new replacements for several no longer made panels. FPE among them.

Search Results

www.connecticut-electric.com

Not a fan of trying to make do with an obsolete panel, especially one with the history and reputation of FPE. But if it must be, this is better than guessing that a used one will function. I would strongly encourage costumer to update to a different panel all together, and would make it understood you give no warrenty implied or otherwise for installing even a "new" replacement breaker on the obsolete panel.

 

[James L]

Connecticut Electric makes new replacements for several no longer made panels. FPE among them.

Search Results

www.connecticut-electric.com

Not a fan of trying to make do with an obsolete panel, especially one with the history and reputation of FPE. But if it must be, this is better than guessing that a used one will function. I would strongly encourage costumer to update to a different panel all together, and would make it understood you give no warrenty implied or otherwise for installing even a "new" replacement breaker on the obsolete panel.

UBI makes 'em, too.

Home Depot sells a small selection, as do many mom-and-pop hardware stores. New knockoffs are better than used originals