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copelandamuffy
11-19-2006, 02:23 PM
As a home owner once a year I go down into my basement and flick
on and off all the switches at the circuit breaker
Why?

A switch at circuit breaker can sit and sit for years and eventually become
fused togther if not turned on or off. Then that one day you plug in
a toaster and another appliance into a circuit and the circuit breaker
is suppose to trip because it is overloaded, and it does not,
and this may cause a fire in the wall of the house.

It takes less than 5 minutes to do this.

Bill Warnock
11-19-2006, 05:23 PM
As a home owner once a year I go down into my basement and flick
on and off all the switches at the circuit breaker
Why?

A switch at circuit breaker can sit and sit for years and eventually become
fused togther if not turned on or off. Then that one day you plug in
a toaster and another appliance into a circuit and the circuit breaker
is suppose to trip because it is overloaded, and it does not,
and this may cause a fire in the wall of the house.

It takes less than 5 minutes to do this.
copelandamuffy:
That may not be a true indicator as we found out in our surveys. You hear a snap but the tone remains on and you radio back, clicked. The answer would come back, power still on.
PM me with your email and I'll send you some stuff shared with others on the forum. The email address will not, repeat, will not be shared with anyone else.
Enjoy the day,
Bill

Rooney
11-20-2006, 01:13 PM
I agree that it may not be the case. Also circuit breakers that are repeatedly tripped or turned on and off wear out faster and become less functional and trip easier than rated.

Bill Warnock
11-20-2006, 01:55 PM
I agree that it may not be the case. Also circuit breakers that are repeatedly tripped or turned on and off wear out faster and become less functional and trip easier than rated.
Rooney:
Please append your sentence with "... or might not trip at all." NEC in Article 240-93(D) Used as Switches ... shall be listed and shall be marked SWD or HID. Lots of folks use normal circuit breakers on 120-volt or 277-volt fluorescent lighting circuits, to their peril. Really dumb!
Guys, this topic belongs in security management.
Enjoy the day,
Bill

copelandamuffy
11-20-2006, 04:48 PM
We have 200 amp service coming into our home
Well worth the $1,000 to upgrade from 100 amp service to 200 amp service
With three room a/c in the summer, an attached apartment for my daughter
and son-in-law, and the power out to the barn for our horse, I felt it
was for the best.