CMBE3242B200BF - $850 - Uses CH breakers. Copper bus.

MBE2040B200BTF - $135 - Uses BR breakers.

Assuming this was your house, and you were going to live in it for 60 years, and pass it on to your kids... Is the higher cost of the CH breakers, and the higher cost of the panel itself, worth it?

Eric

Didn't check out the panels listed but you can certainly get a C-H CH panel with a 200 amp MB and cover for less than $200.

Wish I knew where. That seems to be the going rate for that particular all-in-one.

That is an all in one, special order price, if a stocking supplier has it it should be around $360

Eric, to answer your question directly: Not to me, it ain't!

If you can get the Type CH panel for the price Les quoted, I would definitely do it.

Either that or buy an extra interior for the Bryant and store it away somewhere.

BR must be short for "Bus Replacement", because I've had to replace quite a few. That's not the case with the Cutler Hammer "Classic", or CH.

The BR line is the 2nd worst choice in panels one could make, Murray being the worst a CH "classic" panel is the best choice as its a high quality item VS the rest of the competitive makes have chosen to lower the bar on quality.(GE,SQ D, Siemens)

If you talk to your vendor, he may be able to set you up with a contract pricing from Cutler Hammer. You would actually purchase the product cheaper than your vendor can. Cutler Hammer sets up a rebate program w/ the vendor in order to adjust his pricing. We actually purchase the "CH " panel very competitively w/ all the other brands.

I didnt know people still bought cutler hammer anything...

Whelp, nobody locally wants to sell it for less than $850.

Anybody want to sell me one for a reasonable price?
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The other question is... What other choices are there in a decent 200A, flush/semi-flush, all-in-one, w/ring?

I've poured over all the catalogs, and can't seem to find anything that fits the bill. Everybody seems to be making mostly garbage for residential.
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The other issue, too. Is the availability of breakers long-term. If I go with a 1" breaker (from any manufacturer), I know in 50 years I'll be able to find breakers at a reasonable cost. But, will the same hold true with the 3/4" CH breakers? Don't know.
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I could separate the main panel from the meter... Do a garbage all-in-one with a small (8/16) distribution section (local wants the main breaker outside)... Then, put a Sq D QO or C-H CH panel inside the garage. But, then I have to maintain clearance around the panel on that wall.

Eric

Checked my supplier, $960 fr.Calif. to Pa. (CH has a similar unit that starts #CMMB...)

[This message has been edited by derater (edited 08-25-2006).]

It might be a totally different ball game then. We may not even have circuit breakers as we know them today.

30 years ago I thought FPE Stabloks, and Zinscos were going to be around forever.


[This message has been edited by electure (edited 08-25-2006).]

"30 years ago I thought FPE Stabloks, and Zinscos were going to be around forever"

From the number still out there they probably will be!

OK,

I've been delving more and more into the operations side of a friends contracting business. We have decided to work together, me utilizing my estimating and sales skills and knowledge of installation, and his skills in troubleshooting and commercial industrial installations.

I am trying to set myself further apart from the competitors... So, could you explain to me again, why the Cutler Hammer panels are better...

I understand the copper bus bar, is there a differnece in the breakers, anything else that I should know? And overall, on average how do the costs compare for say a BR to CH... I admit, I've always worked with the BR series... I know, bad me... Just the contractors that I have worked with have never really looked into it... they use what they always used.

Can you guys give me more information, so that I can better upsell the customer? And, Les, Sorry, I know that you did explain some of this to me a while back, but I have forgotten.

Thanks,
Glen

When a CH breaker trips the handle goes all the way to the off position, not in the middle like the BR and siemens. It just makes it easer for the homeowner to tell if it is tripped

You get more full-size breakers in a comparable amount of space.

CH breakers are also listed for two wires.

Eric

For what it's worth, I've changed out my fair share of CH style resi panels, usually ater the main decided to self destruct. (see here for one of em). I think I also remember there was a metal bar that people would remove to get twin breakers inside the thing.

The supply house I typically use is a big Cutler Hammer supplier, but not for resi stuff... I'll ask how much just for the heck of it

I've always heard that QO has the best reputation.

Thanks for the info guys.

I've also heard that CH makes a retrofit panel with splitter type connections in the corners, for wires that are too short from the old panel.

Has anyone ever tried them? Or know how they work?

Regarding the splice blocks in the CH remodel panels, I've wondered, is there any reason you couldn't mount a terminal strip in someone else's panel and accomplish the same thing?

Unfortuantly, there isn't a 200A QO combo. Although, while I was at Lowe's the other day, they had a combo mounted above the "QO" display. It was a HOM, though.

Lostazhell - Thanks.

Eric

My catalog lists ringless QO combos number QC2442M200C and QC2442M200CH. They don't show any ring-type QO combos, though.

They also have both ring and ringless QO meter-mains, if that will work for you.

Need one with a ring.

I really don't want to seperate the meter from the panel, for quite a few reasons.

I've poured over all the catalogs. The CH is about the best choice, but not at $850.

Thanks, though.

Eric

Well, I called Eaton again, and asked for more names/numbers...

Called Winlectric in Utah. Real common product for them... Local EC's use it. $309. Talked about shipping options. He was willing to crate it, if I wanted.

Just a plug for them... Dan Abbott. Nice guy. (435) 628-1680

Thanks for everybody's suggestions.

Eric

You should also consider the warranty that comes with a CH panel. For residential use, the main is warranted for 15 or 20 years and the branch breakers are lifetime (barring flood damage & lightning strikes).

lowes.com qo loadcenter (best in my opinion) $208

Just to keep the thread on-track (more or less)... lol...

I was looking for an all-in-one (aka, combo)... There is no 200A QO all-in-one with a ring.

Eric