Inspected a house yesterday, just completed construction, but this property has a history - builder started in 2015, but was left vacant/unfinished until completed in 2021! C/O’d in April 2021…
In the Square D distribution panel, found 1 EATON brand breaker which doesn’t fit in the panel. It is secure, but the left side of the breaker sticks out about 1/2" more than the right side, and more than the other breakers.
This was approved by the city inspector Feb of this year…
Now, since this is “HACR” type, same as the Square D breakers, is it permissible to mix the manufacturers? It is the only different one.
It is obviously not installed correctly, but I think since they have to take it out, they should replace it Square D equipment to fit the panel… right?
Only Square D Home line breakers are allowed in Square D Home line panels.
The manufacturer label inside the panel may also verify this information for your report. Due you have a photo?
No - it’s obscured by the equipment
This is one of those circular issues that starts with the panel’s listing & rating.
Then you find the breaker’s specs and approvals for what panel is has been tested and approved to go into.
In the end, the panel trumps the breaker, in terms of who gets the final word.
Brand “X” breaker may have been tested and sold as a Square D replacement, but Square D may state only their product is allowed to go into their panel.
That is where I would put my reputation in the end. Manufacturers specs rule, IMO.
Different brand of Breaker(s) than Panel
The Inspector observed the presence of one or more circuit breaker(s) that are of a different brand/manufacturer than the brand/manufacturer of the panel. Although the breaker(s) may appear to fit the panel and may appear to be functional, using breaker(s) that are not designed to work with the specific panel can present a very serious potential fire hazard. Breakers may appear to fit, but they may not fit fully or properly against the panel bus bar(s) - this can cause electrical arcing and/or breaker overheating and can cause a fire. We recommend a licensed electrician perform a full evaluation of the panel and certify that all breakers are compatible with the panel and are 100% safe prior to closing.
Only the panel manufacturers breakers are UL listed for their panel(s), Eaton CI, breakers are UL classified for use in competitive makes of panels, as long as the paperwork supplied with that breaker is with the classified breaker, there is nothing wrong with it. The Eaton BR, & CI, breakers are not the same & are not interchangable, that being said I would only install a Homeline breaker in a Homeline panel. Siemens & Eaton both also manufacture UL classified breakers for SQ D QO panels.
I appreciate everyone’s feedback… The breaker had to be replaced anyway - it didn’t fit! Thanks
There are UL listed and UL classified breakers, listed are OEM, classified,have been UL classified to be used in competitive panel, Eaton CL, (not BR), UBI breakers for Pushmatic,FPE, & Zinsco plug in, + Siemens & Eaton both make UL classified breaker for SQ QO, Sq D does sell any classified breakers.
If breakers are called out for not being the same make with out considering classified breakers, it shows extreme ignorance of the writer, Those are the only ones that I can remember are classified.
Sometimes we call them out to be considered by someone with greater knowledge because they are not always interchangeable and making this determination far exceeds our SOP. We are generalist.
