[mkmona04]

As you can see from the photo, I have a bunch of mismatched circuit breakers in my box. I plan to neaten up the wires inside and swap out the mismatched (GE) breakers for new ones that are of the same and correct type.

The panel label (photo attached), I think, states to use Murray Breakers, type MP-T. So I went to home depot and purchased new breakers (see attached photo) that indicate they are Murray type/tipo (Spanish I think?) MP-T.

I also attached a photo of the Murray breakers (2 of them side by side) that are currently in the box. I plan to just keep those even though they look slightly different than the new ones?

My question is are the new breakers of the correct type for my panel box?

Thank you

 

[Datawise]

I don't know what your rules are where you are located, but I do see a lot of breakers that are not Murray. Murray is not a common brand we have up here, at least not that I have seen in 30 years...

I am aware there is approved cross-reference for obsolete panels / manufacturers, but I see what appears to be Westinghouse, GE, Eaton, SquareD logos on many breakers. I am not saying that those are not approved, but what I am saying is that I don't know that they are without doing some research and having better (more detailed) pictures of what is there. Here is a link to a document that may be helpful https://datawisesolutions.ca/~navyguypics/Breakers_Classified_Type.pdf but it is best to get some direction on what is acceptable in your situation from a local professional.

In Canada we do not have many different brands and cross-referencing is pretty simple. I would think that the MP-T breakers are what you want, likely with a Seimens substitute if approved by your inspectors.

Cheers
John

 

[seharper]

Yup, you're solid. You did a good job of matching them.

The "MP-T" label settles the matter.

However when I'm dealing with much older breakers, I also look for certain design language elements -- the UL file number (E82615), the beveled on/off (which is not *entirely* conclusive, I've seen it on other makes of breaker), and the way Murray likes to write the CU-AL endorsement sideways compared to the rest of the text.

Colored handles are also not entirely conclusive; normally it's a BR trait but I've seen it on GE. (both wrong for your panel).

If you want to get super picayune, notice how the new breaker states wire size and torque. That's a new requirement, so obviously they swapped the CSA stamp for the bulky/wordy UL stamp to have room for the torque close to where the screw actually is.

 

[seharper]

I am aware there is approved cross-reference for obsolete panels / manufacturers, but I see what appears to be Westinghouse, GE, Eaton, SquareD logos on many breakers. I am not saying that those are not approved, but what I am saying is that I don't know that they are without doing some research and having better (more detailed) pictures of what is there. Here is a link to a document that may be helpful https://datawisesolutions.ca/~navyguypics/Breakers_Classified_Type.pdf

The "approved cross-reference" is wow, you're looking at it. The big player in UL-Classified breakers (Brand X breakers **approved** for Brand Y panels) is Eaton/Cutler Hammer, and that's their brochure. It covers the gamut, pretty much. The only other UL-Classified breaker of any importance is Siemens QD, which is for Square D QO panels. But Eaton also has that covered with CHQ breakers.

I don't know what QO did to make everyone want to compete with em, oh right, charge 2x the normal price for breakers!

That's it. That's the world of UL-Classified breakers.

Other than that, the only issue you ever get to (here in 'Murica) is mergers & acquisitions... e.g. Westinghouse C - Challenger C - BRyant BR/C - Cutler Hammer BR/C - Eaton BR/C... all of them take BR breakers.

Siemens lines also have history like that... Murray, ITE, (Bulldog??) You have to read the label and ask the smart people.

 

[Datawise]

The "approved cross-reference" is wow, you're looking at it. The big player in UL-Classified breakers (Brand X breakers **approved** for Brand Y panels) is Eaton/Cutler Hammer, and that's their brochure. It covers the gamut, pretty much. The only other UL-Classified breaker of any importance is Siemens QD, which is for Square D QO panels. But Eaton also has that covered with CHQ breakers.

I don't know what QO did to make everyone want to compete with em, oh right, charge 2x the normal price for breakers!

That's it. That's the world of UL-Classified breakers.

Other than that, the only issue you ever get to (here in 'Murica) is mergers & acquisitions... e.g. Westinghouse C - Challenger C - BRyant BR/C - Cutler Hammer BR/C - Eaton BR/C... all of them take BR breakers.

Siemens lines also have history like that... Murray, ITE, (Bulldog??) You have to read the label and ask the smart people.

So looking at those pictures, I counted what I think are 11 (maybe 13) non-Murray breakers in the panel. Can't really tell for sure based on picture quality... Do you think they all need to be replaced?

Cheers
John

 

[mkmona04]

my plan is to replace all of them so they are all the same - so i have no issues when i try to sell house

 

[seharper]

So looking at those pictures, I counted what I think are 11 (maybe 13) non-Murray breakers in the panel. Can't really tell for sure based on picture quality... Do you think they all need to be replaced?

I'm not trying to cross-promote anything here, but somebody over on diy.stackexchange.com is a breaker maestro. And would probably recognize which of those were legacy Murrays and which are not. Obviously the ones that say Eaton, Square D and GE are off to Craigslist.

I will say this: replacing a 30-year-old breaker prophylactically isn't wrong. It's not like you're even being wasteful; breakers do age, and modern breakers are better. E.G. they are all SWD so you can throw them under load without fatiguing them.

(SWD breakers, if you've ever been in a "Big-box store" or industrial site, the lights are run off a 120V or 277V breaker panel, and there are no switches other than that. The breakers are the switches.)