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One More Question Re House Circuit Breakers, Please ?

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One More Question Re House Circuit Breakers, Please ? Robert11 04-08-2008
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Posted by hallerb@aol.com on April 8, 2008, 9:38 pm

> so has anyone found a breaker that wouldnt trip other than FPE stab
> lock??
>
> I've seen breakers of all manufacturers fail. You think Federal is the only
> brand that's had that problem. Try Frank Adams or Zinsco. Personally I think
> the only difference is that Federal sold more product

most breakers work when needed


Posted by RBM on April 8, 2008, 4:36 pm

> hallerb@aol.com wrote:
> ...
>> ...breakers are designed to become more sensitive as they age, ...
>
> Have you any reference from a manufacturer that is a design criterion?
>
> Don't say it isn't so, but I've never heard or seen it mentioned in any
> literature which one would think would be so if were an actual design
> feature.
>
> I just did a search of the entire product brochure for the Square D QO
> breaker series and there's no mention of "age" or "aging" or "sensitivity"
> throughout.
>
> -

From my empirical information I'd agree that breakers become more sensitive
with age, at least ones that routinely control loads close to their rated
limit, but I've never heard or read that it was by any kind of design. Just
more unsubstantiated blather Haller pulls out of his ass



Posted by Smarty on April 8, 2008, 4:56 pm
I was / am an electrical engineer for 40 years before retiring, and have
never, ever heard of such a design which is deliberately engineered to
become more sensitive as it gets older. This concept for a circuit breaker
is pure nonsense in my opinion.

Smarty


>
>> hallerb@aol.com wrote:
>> ...
>>> ...breakers are designed to become more sensitive as they age, ...
>>
>> Have you any reference from a manufacturer that is a design criterion?
>>
>> Don't say it isn't so, but I've never heard or seen it mentioned in any
>> literature which one would think would be so if were an actual design
>> feature.
>>
>> I just did a search of the entire product brochure for the Square D QO
>> breaker series and there's no mention of "age" or "aging" or
>> "sensitivity" throughout.
>>
>> -
>
> From my empirical information I'd agree that breakers become more
> sensitive with age, at least ones that routinely control loads close to
> their rated limit, but I've never heard or read that it was by any kind of
> design. Just more unsubstantiated blather Haller pulls out of his ass
>


Posted by dpb on April 8, 2008, 5:22 pm
Smarty wrote:
> I was / am an electrical engineer for 40 years before retiring, and have
> never, ever heard of such a design which is deliberately engineered to
> become more sensitive as it gets older. This concept for a circuit
> breaker is pure nonsense in my opinion.
...

That's what I think, too... :)

I can see there being an issue of a sizable _de_-sensitization w/ time
if there were some physical process going on in the bimetal or similar,
but I'd be quite certain if it ever was an issue it has been resolved
long ere now...

--

Posted by Smarty on April 8, 2008, 7:01 pm
It's entirely possible that some aging process makes a breaker more
sensitive, less sensitive, totally nonfunctional, etc. Such is the nature of
any design, man made or otherwise. Things change as they age. I just wanted
to make the comment that a deliberate electrical design to become more
sensitive as time passes is not even slightly, remotely possible for a
circuit breaker.

Now, if you wanted to argue that Detroit's engineers design shock absorbers
that are deliberately designed to age in such a way as to have less shock
absorption, then that is a whole different matter.........

Smarty



> Smarty wrote:
>> I was / am an electrical engineer for 40 years before retiring, and have
>> never, ever heard of such a design which is deliberately engineered to
>> become more sensitive as it gets older. This concept for a circuit
>> breaker is pure nonsense in my opinion.
> ...
>
> That's what I think, too... :)
>
> I can see there being an issue of a sizable _de_-sensitization w/ time if
> there were some physical process going on in the bimetal or similar, but
> I'd be quite certain if it ever was an issue it has been resolved long ere
> now...
>
> --


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