Broken clip on Square D breaker
jpattillo
| Posted in Energy, Heating & Insulation on
I bought a new (new old stock) Square-D QO-style 2-pole, 30 Amp GFI breaker to install in the subpanel for my garage/shop. Unlike the other QO breaker’s in my house’s main panel, this one had plastic clips to hold the breaker onto the mounting bar in the panel. I wanted to make sure the breaker would fit, so I snapped it into the panel. It fit just fine, but when I pulled it out I promptly snapped both the plastic clips off the breaker. As many of you may know, these breakers and not cheap. Can this be fixed? It sure seems like the plastic clips were awful flimsy.
Replies
Was that the HomeLine version?
No, it's a QO breaker, a QO230GFI. It is odd, the regular (non-GFI) breakers they sell at the borg have a metal clip that grabs the mounting bar, but many of those you see on electrical supply websites have plastic clips.
Oh, I see.
You know, you should just take it back and get a new replacement.
It is possible that there was a weak spot from the manufacturing process. Regardless, the seller should make good on that.
I have never seen plastic clips on a QO.
Are you sure it is an actual SD breaker, not someones Knockoff?
I ran into some this past summer. It was a pretty old panel and of course because of this, the breakers cost more.
...but when I pulled it out I promptly snapped both the plastic clips off the breaker. As many of you may know, these breakers and not cheap. Can this be fixed?
According to the Square D web site, the answer is no: http://www.squared.com/us/misc/faqInternet.nsf/2a7a2a67c5b079a085256a9900703521/72c4ccafb66a303885256c1b00630986?OpenDocument
Not that it makes any difference, but are you sure that they didn't break while being inserted? I have one in my hand, and it seems to be much more likely to break while being pushed in, particularly if it isn't perfectly lined up with the mounting rail.
Like rez said, the seller might be inclined to help, regardless of fault. If not, you may want to contact Square D directly. They've been around a long time, and the QO series is not their 'consumer' line.
Bob
Edited to fix hyperlink. I hate frames...
Edited 11/30/2007 7:30 pm ET by bobguindon
Edited 11/30/2007 7:48 pm ET by bobguindon