Why is there a gap between your breakers? The gap looks like exactly the amount that you are too wide. That's not right. Are you sure you are hooking the heel of the breaker (outer back corner) and then tipping the head of the breaker all the way in?

Do you see any evidence of overheating or melting of the bus assembly (basically the big black assembly that constitutes everything in the panel other than the box)? Because the only way this makes sense (other than pilot error) is that the bus assembly became warped so it bulges outward in the middle.

 

Something does look odd with the fasteners highlighted with the arrows in my graphic below compared to those in this video.

 

I have a SD Homeline panel. Sometimes when you go to put the panel on you have to wiggle the breakers just slightly working your way down and right to left so that the panel lays against the flat part of the breaker (on the edge). It takes a little bit of patience but it will go on. There is no need to use any tool at all especially a hammer.

Use one hand to hold pressure leaning forward against the panel to hold it in place and then use the other hand to wiggle the breakers etc. Then with the other hand just slightly move the panel left right working you want down the panel.

It sounds like a lot of work but once you have done it many times like me on other panels you get the hang of it.

Just have patience

 

I will try this. I’m sure it’s something I’m not doing correctly. This is the first Homeline panel I have worked with. I have used Square D QO panels in the past and wish the contractor had.

 

Be careful with that metal ruler in the panel.

It looks like the left side bus is cocked a bit from the factory.

 

Was wondering when someone would mention the ruler

 

That gap does not look right, but it sure does look like the little retention pegs are set into the hooks on the backs of the breakers. Manufacturing defect?

 

Yeah, I think somewhere along a train line, due to the snafu at the ports and the heat waves of the last year or two, a double-stack container train wound up sitting in the desert for days. The container was dark colored and along the top of it was the bus assembly from OP's panel. And it sat there getting 180F inside the container, and that warped the plastic.

And I think Square D knows about that, and is why they're so eager to send you another panel.



Now, about swapping the entire panel. Pay close attention and it can save you a world of time.

Note that if you don't have an outside main breaker, the wires coming into this panel are "hot at all times", and you can't change this panel without having the power company come and de-energize those wires. You CANNOT work with those "hot". There are 10,000 amps of force on them.

Once that's de-energized... Note that a panel has basically 3 parts:

• the deadfront cover you already have removed
• the empty gray metal box with all the knockouts. Presumably all your cables and conduits are fit into this.
• The bus assembly, a huge plastic casting that holds everything

Once, someone had a guy wiring their house. He used a "ranch panel" with 8 breaker spaces and "thru lugs" meant to go onward to another breaker panel inside the house. But the owner didn't want another panel. So the clown crammed an entire modern ranch house onto 8 spaces lol. I was able to identify a 30-space panel that used exactly the same "box" size (but no thru lugs). See where this is going? They swapped the 8-space bus assembly for the 30, fit the 30-space lid... took less than an hour. Didn't even need to remove the wires from the breakers, just let 'em dangle (if properly torqued they'll hold).



The entire bus assembly unbolts with 3-4 screws, leaving nothing but the metal box with all the cables and conduits carefully fit into it. Very important: DON'T make this harder than it is: think 3 times, unbolt tentatively, don't do anything irreversible because you don't need to.. If it won't easily release with screws that are visible, look for one hiding behind the main breaker.

So if Square D is willing to send you another identical model panel, just do that. No having to futz with cables. However, speaking of "don't make it harder than it is", before you start, get good labels and label each breaker itself for what circuit it is.

However, the moment you have the old bus assembly off, check the metal box with a plane to make sure the box is actually flat. If the box itself is warped, then you're out of luck.

 

I tried wiggling the breakers again while pushing inward with no luck getting them to line up.


seharper, I agree that if the box isn’t flat in the back I’m SOL. It was installed with screws through the side, so I don’t think whoever originally installed it could have forced it into position and bend it.

I think I’m going to get Square D to send a replacement. I know I’ll need to get the utility company to pull the meter before I start. Once I’ve completed the replacement, will I need to get the county building inspector to check the install? Or will the utility company be ok with just reconnecting? The current box was installed about six months ago.

 

Have you contacted the original installer? IT may be something they can take care of under "customer service" since it appears the panel is defective. Let THEM deal with Square D. You will need to apply for a permit before you begin work, and the county inspector will need to come out and sign off on it. POCO won't do anything without that in most cases.

 

Couldn't the box be beaten back into "flat-ish?"

 

It looks as if the left buss is not being held flat by the rivets. The bottom one is loose, and the second one up appears to be blown through the buss material, making it warp.

 

I thought I would need to get a permit and inspection.

I don’t know who originally installed the panel and it has been very difficult getting answers through the real estate agent. I think I’m on my own and not sure I would want them to do the work since they should have known the panel was not right to begin with. Poor workmanship and lack of work pride in my opinion.

 

You don't need to be on your own. Why not just get a electrician to close it up. I’m sure they see this a lot. I had this same problem and worked with it until I got the cover on. The thing is, the cover fits like a glove, with no room for a breaker being out of place. If you get a new box, you will need a electrician to install it anyway.
The real estate people only know how big their commission is and who pays it.

 

Not sure if mentioned earlier, but a lot will depend on the legitimacy of the inspector. Was he hired by you directly without influence of the Real Estate agent, or did he/she recommend the inspector. If the latter, he/she was there purely to facilitate the sale of the house, not protect your interests. That is probably why it was not mentioned.

 

That comment is rather generalized. For you to make a blanket statement like that without using a word like "possibly". I work with agents all the time who do hire me. I don't work to please the agent but to protect not only my client (the buyer or seller) but to also help ensure the agent is protected as well by calling out everything I see. If the inspector didn't call it out, it may be because the inspector isn't observant or trained enough to notice it. For you to assume all home inspectors hired by agents do this is rather ignorant. Home inspectors have a lot of liabilities because of this. It is in our best interest to call out EVERYTHING. The funny part is the whole reason I looked this up is to see what others have been mentioning about this. I have observed several Square D panels like this and have been calling it out every time. If the cover does not sit properly on the panel and the breakers have a gap like this, there is clearly something wrong. My main point to look it up is to find out if there is a remedy or if a correction has been made.

 

If what seharper said is correct, this is a warranty repair which would not need an inspection, only a disconnect and reconnect by the utility company. It’s not a new panel replacement. Only the load center would be replaced, not the whole breaker panel.

 

Utility company may be prohibited by their own rules from reconnecting without an inspection.

 

Possibly.

 

I recently purchased a house that was remodeled and had an electrical upgrade done at that time. The main circuit breaker panel was replaced with a 200 amp Square D Homeline panel. I needed to a few circuits and when I removed the panel cover noticed the breakers on the right side were not fitting in the cut out, the left side was fitting properly. After I added the new breakers I tried to reinstall the panel cover and cannot get the breakers to fit within the breaker cut out. I have pushed the breakers in as hard as I can to seat them however they will not move. I also took a claw hammer and held the handle against the breaker and smacked the head with my hand trying to move the breaker without luck. I cannot see any reason the breakers will not seat properly and don’t know what to try next. I have removed a few of the original breakers and do not see anything wrong. I’d greatly appreciate any ideas or suggestions on what to try next. I did call Square D technical support and they have offered to send me a replacement load center, however I would like to make sure I am not doing something wrong before going that route or overlooking something. Pictures below will probably explain what is happening better than I can. The panel was installed upside down with the main at the bottom. It appears to me that it is the left row that needs to move deeper to be properly installed. My concern is if there is not a good connection the potential for creating heat and a fire hazard. View attachment 660666 View attachment 660667 panel cover fits left row of breakers or the right,however not both at the same time. View attachment 660668 View attachment 660669 View attachment 660670

I had the same problem with the Homeline panel. I took the cover to a metal machine shop and had them trim a 1/4" off one side of the slots. Also my panel cover latch doesn't work. First and last time I buy Square D products

 

Wait, isn't there a recall out on HOM products?

Square D recall

https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2022/Schneider-ElectricTM-Recalls-1-4-Million-Electrical-Panels-Due-to-Thermal-Burn-and-Fire-Hazards Square D is recalling certain panels. Check the models listed in the article

www.diychatroom.com

Or now 2 years later I wonder if the panels are being left in a hot car and the plastic is warping.

HOM is Square D's cheapie line, everything in the line is cost-shaved. I wouldn't judge QO by it, but I might have an opinion about the ones who makes a beeline to HOM because it's 3% cheaper. Very little of the manufacturing cost savings are passed onto the consumer.

 

I recently purchased a house that was remodeled and had an electrical upgrade done at that time. The main circuit breaker panel was replaced with a 200 amp Square D Homeline panel. I needed to a few circuits and when I removed the panel cover noticed the breakers on the right side were not fitting in the cut out, the left side was fitting properly. After I added the new breakers I tried to reinstall the panel cover and cannot get the breakers to fit within the breaker cut out.

I have pushed the breakers in as hard as I can to seat them however they will not move. I also took a claw hammer and held the handle against the breaker and smacked the head with my hand trying to move the breaker without luck.

I cannot see any reason the breakers will not seat properly and don’t know what to try next. I have removed a few of the original breakers and do not see anything wrong. I’d greatly appreciate any ideas or suggestions on what to try next.

I did call Square D technical support and they have offered to send me a replacement load center, however I would like to make sure I am not doing something wrong before going that route or overlooking something.

Pictures below will probably explain what is happening better than I can. The panel was installed upside down with the main at the bottom.

It appears to me that it is the left row that needs to move deeper to be properly installed. My concern is if there is not a good connection the potential for creating heat and a fire hazard.

View attachment 660666 View attachment 660667
panel cover fits left row of breakers or the right,however not both at the same time.
View attachment 660668
View attachment 660669
View attachment 660670

I had the same problem. I took the cover to a metal machine shop and they cut a 1/4" from one side of the slots. Now fits like a glove. First and last time I buy Square D products

 

There is nothing wrong with the box. The cover is not properly manufactured. Don't go to all the work to replace the box. Have a machine shop trim the cover slots on one side

 

Do you have a pic of your cover? Looks to me like if you trim some out of the slots, the breakers wouldn't fit snug in there and could move around.

 

The slots were cut to the edge of the breakers. The cover is very tight up against the breakers.

 

I am having the same problem with the breakers not fitting in the cover on the right side on a Square D Homeline 200 amp panel. I'm doing an upgrade from a 100 amp Zinsco panel to a Square D Homeline 200 amp. The Square D is not live yet. The Square D is along side the Zinsco and has a new mast. All I have to do is get it inspected and have the electric company move the service from the Zinsco to the Square D.
The breaker slots on the right side seem to be about 1/8 inch too far to the left leaving a gap on the left side and not enough room on the right side. I could have the cover machined but it would still have that gap on the left side of the breaker. Has anybody had any luck with Square D just replacing the breaker cover?

 

Loosen the cover screws, shift the cover over to the right. It should snap right in there. Tighten the screws. Find a blank plate to go over the hole in the upper right.

Square D Homeline 1 in. Load Center Filler Plates (3-Pack) (HOMFPCP) HOMFPCP - The Home Depot

Complete your electrical work easily and effortlessly with the addition of this excellent Square D HomeLine Filler Plates. Made easy to install and maintain.

www.homedepot.com

 

There is no room to move the cover to the right. I would have to shave of 1/8 inch of the right side of the cover in order to move it to the right and then the breakers on the left would not line up with the openings.

 

There is supposed to be clearance on all sides of the panel. Can you post the reason the cover can't be moved?

 

I've seen this twice before with HOM panels. Pop the cover off and put some breakers in the left side. Is there a conspicuous wedge of space between the breakers, widening out toward the front?

I think the panel interior (big black plastic thing the buses attach to) warps from heat (e.g. being left in a hot car or semitrailer) and is bulging outward from the center. Your second best bet is to call Square D about a warranty claim, they'll send you another interior and you can swap it. If I recall, some Square D panels are recalled, check the sticky on this forum.