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Question about a Square D QO GFCI Breaker

1.6K views 5 replies 4 participants last post by  seharper  
#1 ·
Hi folks, can anyone tell me what this means "Compatible with QO plug-on neutral load centers only". My Square D load center has a neutral bus bar... I don't know anything about a "plug-on" neutral. I just ran a couple new circuits to put outlets on an exterior wall beneath a lean-to on the side of my barn and the GFCI outlets that I bought do not fit the weather tight enclosures (they fit the box but since the spring loaded lids are separated (one for each of the outlets) the shape of the GFCI outlet doesn't allow them to close properly). I wound up installing standard 20 amp duplex outlets in the boxes and the lids fit perfectly now but I want GFCI protection for them since they're on the outside... I saw this breaker without a pig tail and thought I might be able to use a couple of these instead of the GFCI outlets. I've installed these before but it was the ones with the pig tail; will this work?.... would like to hear your thoughts.
 

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#3 · (Edited)
"Compatible with QO plug-on neutral load centers only". My Square D load center has a neutral bus bar... I don't know anything about a "plug-on" neutral.
Generally if something says "Compatible with zyzzlegooble only", you don't need to know what exactly zyzzlegooble is, to know it ain't for you.

What you need should be located 3 bins over, but, that bin may be empty due to supply shortages from COVID (production shutdowns + building boom).

Honestly my best advice is to come out of the service panel a short distance to a junction box, fit the GFCI receptacle there, then onward to your protected circuit.

'm fond of a 4-11/16" deep square box with a 2-gang Decora domed cover, connected by <2' of EMT conduit. That lets me protect 2 circuits, plenty of room for the GFCIs, and run the circuit's wires from the breaker through the conduit to the GFCI, then back to the conduit to connect to the circuit that you wired into the panel.
 
#5 ·
Generally if something says "Compatible with zyzzlegooble only", you don't need to know what exactly zyzzlegooble is, to know it ain't for you.

What you need should be located 3 bins over, but, that bin may be empty due to supply shortages from COVID (production shutdowns + building boom).

Honestly my best advice is to come out of the service panel a short distance to a junction box, fit the GFCI receptacle there, then onward to your protected circuit.

'm fond of a 4-11/16" deep square box with a 2-gang Decora domed cover, connected by QUOTE]

Talk about “over thinking” something[emoji51]