Originally Posted By: Kyle Kubs This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Kevin,
The pictures are a little hard to see but they look like something that would be used by someone working on an open circuit to prevent the breaker from being turned on. If that is so they have been installed improperly for the wrong reason... to prevent triping due to overloaded circuits. Could be very dangerous. Recommend evaluation by a Licensed Electrician.
-- Those that say it cannot be done should stop interupting those of us who are hard at work, doing it...
Originally Posted By: Mark Dudley This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Just FWIW, until the part# is known, many circuit breakers will trip whether they are held ‘on’ or not, for the very reason of keeping them from being held on.
They can hold the handle in the ON or Off postion depending on which way they are installed. Yours are holding the breakers ON which has to be wrong unless there is something very "special" about the panel.
-- Richard Moore
Rest Assured Inspection Services
Seattle, WA
www.rainspect.com
Originally Posted By: kmcmahon This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
This was a commercial application. The circuits they protect are for the store’s computers, and night lighting/security. I can see why they don’t want them to trip, but it still seems a hazard to keep them in the “on” position.
Originally Posted By: Kyle Kubs This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Mark is correct that “depending on the breaker itself” it “should” trip anyway internally even if the handle can’t move… In this instance they are likely just in place to keep someone from turning off the computers by accident… - Just need to check the breaker model to be sure…
– Those that say it cannot be done should stop interupting those of us who are hard at work, doing it…
Originally Posted By: rmoore This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Mark Dudley wrote:
.... many circuit breakers will trip whether they are held 'on' or not, for the very reason of keeping them from being held on.
If that is true for Square-D QO breakers (and it makes sense...although I can't seem to find that info on the Square-D site) ) then I can see the logic of having them "locked on" in a commercial application to protect the computers from inadvertant shut-off. Looks like they would be a pain to reset if they did trip though.
added a little later...
AHA!...
After further searching, I just found this on the Square-D site....
Quote:
Handle can be locked in OFF (O) or
ON (I) position. If locked ON (I),
attachment will not prevent circuit
breaker from opening if tripped by
circuit conditions or by pressing
Push-to-Test button.
So I guess it's OK.
Cool...I learnt something today. 
-- Richard Moore
Rest Assured Inspection Services
Seattle, WA
www.rainspect.com
Originally Posted By: roconnor This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Breakers are required to trip in an overload situation even if the handle is locked/jammed in the “ON” position.
A while back someone posted a pic of a breaker with a stick jammed into it apparently to help prevent nuisance trips. It was jammed in the "ON" position, but the breaker was tripped.
Seems like a good "idiot proof" feature of a breaker ... 
-- Robert O'Connor, PE
Eagle Engineering ?
Eagle Eye Inspections ?
NACHI Education Committee
I am absolutely amazed sometimes by how much thought goes into doing things wrong
Originally Posted By: loconnor This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
These breaker holders were used extensively in a mall I worked in. I worked in three seperate stores. Each store manager made it a point to show these to employees. Their purpose was to keep people from “manually” tripping the breaker in the “off” position, to avoid shutting down POS and other computer, and security systems at night, when closing.
