I was a little surprised nobody else ventured a guess.
Probably because they thought it would just be a wild guess.
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Yep, the one on the left and right are #12.
And just one more Thing…I see most of the breakers are Square D, but there are also at least Two that are Cutler Hammer and another I think is a “Challenger” Brand (by the font “15”) no matter what, that oddball doesn’t even line up or fit properly. So mis-match of breakers/panel alone would warrant a recommend and some corrective action by a “Real” Electrician.
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Click the link to Sean’s post and his email is listed. You have to email him and see if he’ll make you a set.
The white-colored is #14 from older Colonial Flex 14/2 NM
Early thermoplastic cables utilized TW insulation which is likely what the white conductor is. According to Chapter 9, Table 5 in the NEC #14 TW has an outer diameter of .133" and #12 THHN .130". The white colored insulation can make it appear larger too when compared to black. This solidifies the point made earlier that one should avoid trying to size the conductor by its insulation.
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…and the homeowner said, “It works doesn’t it!” shortly before the house burned down.
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Robert you’re spot on, that’s exactly what it is. The black is the newer THHN. No nylon on the whitey 
Robert, speaking of different brand breakers, would you immediately condemn a breaker of different brand that is it not classified (labelled so on the breaker)? if not, what’s the process to condemn, or require its removal for further eval, a breaker (visually, without its removal)? other than “visually apparent” improper fit/size and or evidence of overheating?
If I were inspecting a panel and it had different breakers from different manufacturer’s I would issue a violation and cite 110.3(B). If the installer wants to research the different brands of circuit breakers that are listed for that panel or are classified then the inspector should accept that. I wouldn’t expect an inspector to do the leg work if all of the circuit breakers weren’t the obvious ones listed on the panel label.
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Assuming the installer has done the research and the breakers are approved… what documentation would you need to see not to call it out/issue violation?
I would start with something from the panel manufacturer if that even exists.
So you would accept official documentation from either the panel’s manufacturer or the maker of the classified breakers only?
Honestly I never gave it much thought. IMO the breakers should be designed, listed and manufactured by the panel manufacturer. That would solve the problems that we have with all of this cross pollination of breakers being made by third parties and figuring out which ones are listed or classified for which panels.
Eaton even manufacturers classified breakers that fit Sq D Homeline panels. It just makes it more confusing when you have to find a chart to ensure that the breaker is correct.
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100% but we encounter it during home inspections all the time. It’s very common, especially in older panels, for someone to add or replace a breaker with one that is not of the same brand/listed on the label. Too often, if not most of the time, it is not called out.
OK, so here’s how I report mismatched breakers. Any thoughts on this would be appreciated.
Apparent mismatched circuit breakers were found in the primary distribution panel. Concerns are that, if not listed for use by the manufacturer of this panel, breakers from different manufacturers may not fit the panel properly, potentially resulting in a loose connection that could overheat and cause a fire hazard. In addition using mismatched equipment could void any manufacturer’s warranties. Mismatched breakers should be investigated and replaced as needed by a licensed electrical contractor.
But Larry, Uncle George know all about lectricity!
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