First time I’ve seen this combination… in the main panel, which does not have a label, I have several ITE breakers, several Siemens breakers, and a Square D breaker. Everything looks good, just the different brands jumped out at me. Anything wrong with this scenario?
I have never seen a panel that allows this many different brands of breakers. Not saying its not possible, I just never have seen it. With the label on the interior of the panel missing it would be hard to prove.
But here is the way I understand it. All electrical panels need to get tested in order to receive and UL or underwriters laboratory seal of approval. These panels are only tested with the breaker manufactures brand and they do not mix and match (the possibilities are too many to many to even try).
So that in effect it would say on every panel the brand and type they are compatible with, (some do come to later), on that interior label. So mixing and matching would not have been tested, hence the UL testing procedures were not administered in this configuration so the panel in effect, is not UL rated and not tested for the installation in a house in this exact configuration.
I would feel confident in saying that Siemens and square D are not compatible, but proving it now is difficult without the interior label. Was there a sub panel anywhere?
Does this help?
I reread what I typed and I confused myself…but I hope you get the idea. Trying to type on a phone and just don’t have time to re type…I hope you get the idea.
Russell is correct. He confused me too. LOL.
He is correct about the mixing of breakers and the UL listing. I will call this out and explain to the client about the issue. I don’t make a big deal out of it but I do recommend that the only breakers that should be in the panel are the ones that are listed for use in the panel. A licensed electrician should be able to figure it out.
If the label is not there just report the mix of breakers in the panel. You don’t need to worry that there is no label. You have reported the problem.
I have never seen one panel missing the label, let alone all the ones that get posted about here.
The posts above are correct. For the most part the breakers need to match the brand of the panel. There are a few classified breakers listed for use in other brands of panels. However, you will not find them listed on the label as acceptable for use in that panel as the panel was not tested with them.
Agreed Jim and maybe it was on the other side of the dead front cover. So technically not on the electrical panel.
I have seen many panels with all of the labels missing. Usually they are panels that are about 30 years old. The glue just fails at some point and the paper label falls out.
Brands aren’t really the deciding factor. What’s important is TYPE, which is always written on the breaker. For instance, this panel takes TYPE QP. Since Siemens bought ITE you’ll notice both brands say TYPE QP in this panel.
That Square D is TYPE HOM. HOM didn’t exist when ITE was making panels. So there’s no way it was ever on the label. If you prioritize your report, on a scale of 1 to 10, this is about a two. IMHO.
When an electrician gets a classified breaker he’s also supposed to get a little paper. He’s supposed to glue the little paper to the panel as an addendum to the label. The added label has the panel listed and the breaker listed. All the classified breakers I’ve used had the word “classified” on them, but without that added label there’s no way to know it belongs there.
Is this what you mean to be classified…I thought it was a brand name
Yes.