Are there standard breaker dimensions? (to fit panel)

[John.DS99]

I would say Breaker Size, but that would mean amps to most.

More simply, what breakers won't fit in a given panel? Is there a standard for size? I see "Use only compatible..." or "only Sieman breakers" on some panels.

I look in my main panel at home, and there are certainly different brands, and they aren't identical in size either.

 

[Mattb4]

There are kinds of oddball breaker standards depending on manufacturer and year of use. Best to check your panel before buying a replacement. Also be aware that even if a different brand breaker fits your panel some inspectors have a kitten fit if you do not stick to the same brand for the whole panel.

 

[45North]

The slots for breakers seem to be a standard size in north America.
But if you choose the narrow circuit breakers you can squeeze 2 into one slot. This would let you have more circuits but your total amps would still be limited to your supply service (eg. 100A, 200A)

 

[John.DS99]

Thanks. For electrical wiring that has a huge number of codes and standards to follow, it seems breaker fit/size should be one of them. Blame the lawyers.

 

[Q-Dog]

Thanks. For electrical wiring that has a huge number of codes and standards to follow, it seems breaker fit/size should be one of them. Blame the lawyers.

Our electrical codes and standards are the result of catastrophic failures and thousands of dead & injured people. If you want to blame anyone for our electrical codes, blame the engineers that investigate the failures, and the corporations that cut corners to make a buck.

 

[zanydroid]

This issue is very specifically standardized. The info just needs to be looked up in the right place

Don’t look at existing conditions for panels to figure out what is code compliant. Electricians often put whatever they have.

You have to put the breaker types that are listed for that panel. Same brand breakers will be printed on the wiring sticker (or can be inferred by brand by electricians that properly cared). With the caveat that there are letters publishing updates to this list as things get renamed.

Beyond this new breakers in Plug-On Neutral style can only be used in newer plug on neutral panels. And I suspect PON breakers are not likely to fit across brands.

The only cross brand breaker you can install are “Classified” breakers. Eaton makes these (CL line), they are specifically tested for compatibility with specific brands. I am not really sure why CL exists, as the brand I use I’ve been able to find more native breakers anyway.

Post a picture of your panel and wiring sticker.

As for what fits. There are 1” and 3/4” breaker space pitches. Within 1” some brands have literal half sized breakers too (these will not work for other 1”). 1” full size breakers will often fit across brands but not be code compliant. The brands that do not have half breakers have basically tandem full breakers or quad breakers with the half size components permanently molded in

 

[John.DS99]

Thanks again, I have been thinking about putting together my own (solar) electrical panel, and in my garage is an ungrounded system (like most of my house) that only has a couple of circuits in use, because one is a 240V system (actually grounded) that I have used for a welder. It's there for a washer / dryer I'm sure. There are 8 circuits and none are in use. Garage is cluttered. I dug into the panel and the breakers completely ancient. I am going to rip this out in the next year, and I can do it safety, and will in the next year and replace it in part by a solar.

I'm going to have to study and achieve some skills, like how to identify a wire on one side of the house and determine where it comes out on the other. I don't normally do this, and it is more electrical skills than DIY solar skills. It's not something I take lightly.

I will even say something complimentary to Will Prowse, as well as a warning that is probably silly. -Showing people how to do things and putting them on Youtube is fantastic, and informs the public and makes him successful. That's fine, but even though he gives equal time to safety (not equal but some time to electrical safety), I think the average person will say they don't care about safety they just want to see that cool equipment so they can buy it. Then someone ends up with a 500VDC wire in their hands who doesn't have a clue. I know this is a silly notion, but it will happen, or maybe has happened, and I don't know about it. It isn't my business, just a thought I had.

 

[Bop]

Most countries use the standard dinrail mount breakers for AC houses, which are pretty much a standard size, and 1,2 or 3 'slots' wide and can be used with any brand breaker (the UK has a 'thing' about having to be the same brand, but thats unusual...)- the panels use the same dinrail breaker size, but are DC rather than AC and are rated to 1000vdc (like mine here in the first picture...)

 

[John.DS99]

Interesting, I remember an episode from "Keeping up Appearances" where Richard does the electrics at the Church and he is in the dark making a mess of things. That is about what I would do if I were in the UK messing with the electrics.