ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade Non-US Electrical Systems & Trades How long have you been using breakers

I have days like that Alan! Duplicate post deleted......

I'd say that in residential wiring here it's rare to see breakers in anything prior to the late 1970s/early 1980s. In fact the rewireable (semi-enclosed) fuses were still being installed in some places at that time.

Some older places using the Wylex "Standard Range" have the plug-in MCBs, but these are generally more recent replacements. The Wylex panels in question will accept rewireable, cartridge fuses, or plug-in MCBs with just a change of the carrier base -- No need to even remove the front panel.

The Crabtree catalog lists the C50 series as being the "standard in commercial circuit protection for over 30 years."

I remember my father rewiring the house we moved to in 1970 and using a Crabtree panel with C50 breakers. I wouldn't be surprised if we were the only house in the street with breakers instead of fuses at that time.

The C50s certainly have a traditional, solid feel to them, unlike many of the newer types:



[This message has been edited by pauluk (edited 06-03-2004).]