ECN Electrical Forum - Discussion Forums for Electricians, Inspectors and Related Professionals
ECN Shout Chat
ShoutChat
Recent Posts
Increasing demand factors in residential
by gfretwell - 03/28/24 12:43 AM
Portable generator question
by Steve Miller - 03/19/24 08:50 PM
Do we need grounding?
by NORCAL - 03/19/24 05:11 PM
240V only in a home and NEC?
by dsk - 03/19/24 06:33 AM
Cordless Tools: The Obvious Question
by renosteinke - 03/14/24 08:05 PM
New in the Gallery:
This is a new one
This is a new one
by timmp, September 24
Few pics I found
Few pics I found
by timmp, August 15
Who's Online Now
1 members (Scott35), 271 guests, and 19 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Rate Thread
Page 1 of 2 1 2
#176878 04/15/08 08:30 AM
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 806
N
Member
Just came across this one--a circuit breaker with nothing but a jumper wire inside!

http://www.schneider-electric.co.uk/internet/pws/pws.nsf/luAllByID/F2DAEE42760F06F3802573F3004D040C


Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 943
Likes: 2
N
Member
Some folks keep trying to get stuff cheaper & cheaper, this is a result.

Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 7,520
P
Member
I guess we don't have to ask where it was made.

Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 794
Likes: 3
W
Member
Looks like a fuse inside. What current rating, I might guess, is likely much higher than the claimed rating...

Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 265
W
Member
I guess it wont be a pain with nussiance tripping!! Seriously if they find the persons responsible they should hang them from a flag pole.


Jimmy

Life is tough, Life is tougher when you are stupid
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 869
Likes: 4
R
Member
The actual ON / OFF switch doesn't control anything.
For sure if you want to turn it on it would just drop down to off again.

Also the weight difference should be a giveaway to any sparky fitting these MCB's.

I wonder how many of these fake MCB's are floating around or is it just a one off April fools joke.


The product of rotation, excitation and flux produces electricty.
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 5,445
Likes: 2
Cat Servant
Member
Just another reason for someone to invent a means to actually TEST breakers in the field.

Let's face it; we have no idea what's inside any breaker, or whether it will operate when needed. We have no way to determine that an older breaker has been damaged over time. We must simply take it all on faith.

Today it's breakers; not so long ago, it was fake GFCI's ... pushing the 'test' button simply shut the thing off. Some 'test!'

Add bogus AFCI breakers to the equation, and the field is ripe for a rash of fake products.

If Square D's reaction to AFCI "testers" is any indication, they will strongly oppose the development of ANY test equipment that isn't made by them.

Last edited by renosteinke; 04/16/08 09:29 AM.
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 9,923
Likes: 32
G
Member
A breaker tester is a couple hair dryers (typically about 1400-1500w no matter what the writing says on the barrel)

http://esteroriverheights.com/electrical/1875w_hair_dryer.jpg



Greg Fretwell
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,213
S
Member
Greg, the problem there is... what if your test fails? There's really no good safe way for a field test short of an actual breaker tester. Which is required when calibrating some of the more sophisticated breakers, but I can't see it happening for anything short of a 1200A ACB.

Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,213
S
Member
Ya know, honestly, the LEAST they could have done was used #18 wire for the jumper so it would act as a fuse! Would have saved them even more money, too, and maybe keep them tied up in litigation vice a homicide trial if/when they get caught.

Page 1 of 2 1 2

Link Copied to Clipboard
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5