Worn out breakers

A

AC\DC

Senior Member
Location
Oregon
Occupation
EC
I got service request that an HVAC contractor requested breakers changed out because they were worn out. How does one gauge that unless the handle like sloppy? I don’t know how you can say they’re worn out.
 
I have never heard of general use branch breakers wearing out. 1 pole 15A and 20A breakers are often switching duty rated (SWD) which means they pass the same test as light switches.

There are few old or cheap brands, like Pushmatic, where they don't stay closed when turned On, but nothing that causes breakers to trip easily. The bimetal used in breakers doesn't deflect enough to change its characteristic, just like thermostats can last forever.

But hey, as long as they are paying you there is no reason to argue with them.
 
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I can’t believe Hvac guys they must just slammed their heads to make money. He just has to reset the breaker tripped from the previous unit short now and he never reset it.
 
jim dungar said:
I have never heard of general use branch breakers wearing out. 1 pole 15A and 20A breakers are often switching duty rated (SWD) which means they pass the same test as light switches.

There are few old or cheap brands, like Pushmatic, where they don't stay closed when turned On, but nothing that causes breakers to trip easily. The bimetal used in breakers doesn't deflect enough to change its characteristic, just like thermostats can last forever.

But hey, as long as they are paying you there is no reason to argue with them.
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That takes the money and run I get it, but I wouldn’t want someone to do it to me so I don’t do it to other people. I’ll tell him honestly there’s no need to change it and there wasn’t.
 
Most MFG indicate breaker life span of between 30 - 40 years. That would mean anything installed before 1985 is due to be replaced.
 
Yes—— they also want to sell them so got to judge- if they were made well they should last a long time—— people here have posted Edison bulbs still working and my led does on a year —- older stuff is just built better
 
Fred B said:
Most MFG indicate breaker life span of between 30 - 40 years. That would mean anything installed before 1985 is due to be replaced.
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I don’t think that is based on anything other than marketing agenda…

When I worked for Siemens for the breaker division, this issue came up several times (albeit for industrial breakers). Nobody could tell me where that 40 year determination came from and I found no documentation of it (in the places I had access to). Yet everyone just repeated it when asked.
 
I have had a GE THQ 100A main breaker nuisance trip on me, many times. I had added AC where there wasn’t one, but then the customer had added a 50A hot tub circuit on their own, so between those two new loads and the dryer, oven and water heater all came on at the same time, they kept tripping the main. They said it had probably tripped more than 20 times. I got there to upgrade their service, but it was underground and the utility wanted almost $20k just to trench to their house from the nearest transformer vault. So I talked them into gas appliances, that way they could live with the 100A service they had. That main kept tripping though, even though it was only pulling around 70A worst case. Replaced it and the problem went away. I attributed it to “thermal memory” on the bimetal sensor, from repeated tripping and although several people have since tried to debunk that, I still think it’s the best explanation.
 
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I've seen several breakers that trip under rating like that. One for a commercial dishwasher during the middle of a rush.

I guess I figured the contacts were burned from all the tripping and had built up heat from the burns and caused it.

That is why I don't appreciate it when guys use a short to force a trip and find a breaker.
 
AC\DC said:
I asked my supply house for a Breaker with SWD rating. They told me that all breakers nowadays R SWD rated and he hasn’t seen those for years. Is that true
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SWD only applies to 15 and 20 amp single pole devices. This is a rating for switching tungsten and fluorescent loads.
Your supply house maybe confusing HACR with SWD.

But all UL489 Listed breakers, <100A, are tested for hundreds of full load operations and hundreds more non-load operations. In general it is hard to wear out any toggle style breaker.
 
Sure they can. I’m sure every one of us here has replaced a breaker on a service call. I’ve had some fall apart in my hands when I pulled them out. I’ve had some trip with a couple amp load, or no load at all.

But there should be something that it’s doing, or not doing, to warrant replacement.

I get a decent amount of calls from HO, they have some electrical issue, and probably 50% of the time they tell me “I replaced the breaker and it’s still doing it”. No kidding! Some folk seem to think swapping breakers is synonymous with electrical troubleshooting. 🙄😂
 
Seven-Delta-FortyOne said:
Sure they can. I’m sure every one of us here has replaced a breaker on a service call. I’ve had some fall apart in my hands when I pulled them out. I’ve had some trip with a couple amp load, or no load at all.
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Absolutely some breakers will fail.
But no where near the amount people claim have 'worn out'.
 
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