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Square D Hom breaker on a General Electric box?

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Square D Hom breaker on a General Electric box? Toller 08-06-2007
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Posted by Toller on August 6, 2007, 10:53 pm
I went to Lowes, where I bought my GE box a few months ago, to pick up a 20a
240v breaker. They didn't have any. (well, actually they had some half
size 240v breakers, but I couldn't get them to fit a panel they had
there...). I thought about buying two 20a breakers and putting a nail
between them, but then saw that the Square D Hom breakers were the same
configuration as the GE.
I bought one and it is actually a better fit than the GE breakers.

I know it voids the warranty, can possibly remove the UL approval, and poses
grave harm to home and life; but as a practical matter, is there anything
wrong with this? As long as it makes solid contact with the backplane,
which it does as well as the GE breakers, I can't see where there is any
potential for harm.

Has someone tried this and either been satisfied or had a problem result?



Posted by Mike Dobony on August 6, 2007, 11:15 pm

>I went to Lowes, where I bought my GE box a few months ago, to pick up a
>20a 240v breaker. They didn't have any. (well, actually they had some
>half size 240v breakers, but I couldn't get them to fit a panel they had
>there...). I thought about buying two 20a breakers and putting a nail
>between them, but then saw that the Square D Hom breakers were the same
>configuration as the GE.
> I bought one and it is actually a better fit than the GE breakers.
>
> I know it voids the warranty, can possibly remove the UL approval, and
> poses grave harm to home and life; but as a practical matter, is there
> anything wrong with this? As long as it makes solid contact with the
> backplane, which it does as well as the GE breakers, I can't see where
> there is any potential for harm.
>

Loss of insurance coverage in the case of a fire.

> Has someone tried this and either been satisfied or had a problem result?
>



Posted by RBM on August 7, 2007, 7:00 am
Technically, it is a code violation as the NEC says something like
electrical equipment must be installed as per manufacturers instructions.
Each manufacturer says to only use "listed" breakers in the panel. As a
practical matter, I don't think I've ever seen any "universal" panel with
only the listed breakers in them, nor has any electrical inspector ever
complained about my installing mixed brands in universal panels, and as
you've observed, some "other" brands fit better then the intended brand



>I went to Lowes, where I bought my GE box a few months ago, to pick up a
>20a 240v breaker. They didn't have any. (well, actually they had some
>half size 240v breakers, but I couldn't get them to fit a panel they had
>there...). I thought about buying two 20a breakers and putting a nail
>between them, but then saw that the Square D Hom breakers were the same
>configuration as the GE.
> I bought one and it is actually a better fit than the GE breakers.
>
> I know it voids the warranty, can possibly remove the UL approval, and
> poses grave harm to home and life; but as a practical matter, is there
> anything wrong with this? As long as it makes solid contact with the
> backplane, which it does as well as the GE breakers, I can't see where
> there is any potential for harm.
>
> Has someone tried this and either been satisfied or had a problem result?
>



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