# Square D QO vs Homeline Internals



## Going_Commando (Oct 1, 2011)

Well, over the years here I have read several times that the internals on Square D Homeline and QO breakers were the same, the only difference being the breaker width and the QO having invisi-trip. I was discussing this topic this morning with my old man, and decided to go into the shop and grab a used Homeline and QO breaker, crack them open and find out. Both breakers are single pole 20A. I drilled out the rivets, cracked them open, and lo and behold, they are different! The pictures aren't the greatest, but they do show significant differences in the construction of the internals. The Homeline breaker parts are aligned properly, but there is a pin missing since the breaker won't stay together without the other half of the plastic shell in place, while the QO will (and still functions without exploding :whistling2

QO:




Homeline:





As you can see (other than the terrible glare for the homeline breaker, I will try to snap some better ones later), there isn't any parts commonality between the two. This isn't to say that the Homeline doesn't have the same trip characteristics as the QO, but they are constructed differently, thus busting the myth that the internals are the same.

This also ain't gonna stop me from slamming in Homeline panels. :whistling2:


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

The breakers in Homeline panels sit at an angle so I stopped using them for the most part. Murray is my new panel of choice :thumbup:


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

Were they both new breakers? :whistling2:



HackWork said:


> The breakers in Homeline panels sit at an angle .........


Install them correctly and they won't do that.


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## 8V71 (Dec 23, 2011)

OK....laugh away. I just wasted a minute of my life scrolling back and forth between the top 2 pics thinking WTF is he talking about, they look the same to me. :whistling2: :laughing:


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

480sparky said:


> Install them correctly and they won't do that.


Put a nailgun to your forehead and pull the trigger.


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## Bbsound (Dec 16, 2011)

8V71 said:


> OK....laugh away. I just wasted a minute of my life scrolling back and forth between the top 2 pics thinking WTF is he talking about, they look the same to me. :whistling2: :laughing:


I was thinking "he could have at least turned the breakers the same direction"


Then I saw the third and fourth picture:whistling2:


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## 8V71 (Dec 23, 2011)

Bbsound said:


> I was thinking "he could have at least turned the breakers the same direction"
> 
> 
> Then I saw the third and fourth picture:whistling2:


I was grumbling about that also. I think I would have caught on in about 1 or 2 scrolls if they were the same.


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## Meadow (Jan 14, 2011)

Open a new QO:whistling2:


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## Meadow (Jan 14, 2011)

One on the Left is a 2012 new stock the one on the right is from an old panel change:


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## TOOL_5150 (Aug 27, 2007)

meadow said:


> One on the Left is a 2012 new stock the one on the right is from an old panel change:


looks different to me


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## circuitman1 (Mar 14, 2013)

the homeline looks like the older QO unit:whistling2:


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## guest (Feb 21, 2009)

Nice try OP, but if you don't compare breakers of the SAME vintage then it is an invalid comparison.:whistling2::laughing:

To Whit:











And as shown here: (the breaker on the left..hmmmmmm)











Seems that the NEW QO shown on the left above and the Homeline ARE pretty damn close to identical.....:thumbsup:

You busting of the myth is officially busted.:laughing:


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## Meadow (Jan 14, 2011)

TOOL_5150 said:


> looks different to me


Compared to? I don't have a single pole Homeline 15 or 20 on me right now to sacrifice but I can post more pics of others if interested. 

If you crack open any Home Line with a the same vintage QO, the parts are identical. Yes the older ones were better made, but that applies to *all* breakers today. One reason I like Homeline so much when cost is an issue because you still get the same QO quality for a lesser price:thumbup:


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## wendon (Sep 27, 2010)

HackWork said:


> Put a nailgun to your forehead and pull the trigger.


Hackster, you need to get some new materiel! Somebody must have told you that and you thought it was funny, News Flash.........it isn't. Maybe you could at least change to a staple gun?:whistling2::whistling2:


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

wendon said:


> Hackster, you need to get some new materiel! Somebody must have told you that and you thought it was funny, News Flash.........it isn't. Maybe you could at least change to a staple gun?:whistling2::whistling2:


The point, as usual, has gone right over your head.

Now put a nailgun to your forehead and pull the trigger.


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## ponyboy (Nov 18, 2012)

HackWork said:


> The point, as usual, has gone right over your head.
> 
> Now put a nailgun to your forehead and pull the trigger.


you forgot to tell him his reading comprehension is terrible at best


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

ponyboy said:


> you forgot to tell him his reading comprehension is terrible at best


I don't use the word "terrible".

You really need to learn to read better.


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## wendon (Sep 27, 2010)

meadow said:


> One reason I like Homeline so much when cost is an issue because you still get the same QO quality for a lesser price:thumbup:


Homeline from box store $3.19
Murray from box store $4.59
QO from supplier $4.66

$1.47 savings per breaker. Wow! I guess I'll still use QO!

If they had the same buss, maybe but I don't care for the flat style aluminum buss!:no::no:


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## Big John (May 23, 2010)

Pony, your reading comprehension is terrible at best.


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## ponyboy (Nov 18, 2012)

HackWork said:


> I don't use the word "terrible".
> 
> You really need to learn to read better.


there it is, the class hackwork comeback. thanks for not making us wait for it


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## wendon (Sep 27, 2010)

HackWork said:


> The point, as usual, has gone right over your head.
> 
> Now put a staple gun to your forehead and pull the trigger.


There's help for OCD hackey!:thumbsup:


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

ponyboy said:


> there it is, the class hackwork comeback. thanks for not making us wait for it


I try.


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

wendon said:


> There's help for OCD hackey!:thumbsup:


There's no help for me.


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## wendon (Sep 27, 2010)

HackWork said:


> There's no help for me.


Don't give up so easy!!:laughing::laughing:


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## Meadow (Jan 14, 2011)

wendon said:


> Homeline from box store $3.19
> Murray from box store $4.59
> QO from supplier $4.66
> 
> ...


 
When price is an issue Homeline is the way to go (breaker savings may be small, but the load center is 3 fold less), the breakers are way better than GE or CH BR. And if the load is small and the panel is in a conditioned space the aluminum buss performs equal to a copper one, so its a win-win.


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## captkirk (Nov 21, 2007)

I get my qo stuff from cooper. If you buy enough they put you in their program and you get great prices.


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

captkirk said:


> I get my qo stuff from cooper. If you buy enough they put you in their program and you get great prices.


The guy from Cooper who handles that program just called me the other day about that. He noticed that I didn't buy anything yet. He wants to fax me a price sheet but I don't have a fax machine :laughing:

Cooper is a bit of a hike, I have a really good supply house 8 minutes from home.


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## sparkyforlife (Sep 4, 2012)

HackWork said:


> The breakers in Homeline panels sit at an angle so I stopped using them for the most part. Murray is my new panel of choice :thumbup:


I just installed a 30/40 200 amp MLO Homeline panel yesterday and didn't notice any breakers on an angle?:blink:

Yeah try installing them correctly.


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

sparkyforlife said:


> I just installed a 30/40 200 amp MLO Homeline panel yesterday and didn't notice any breakers on an angle?:blink:
> 
> Yeah try installing them correctly.


That's only cause I am better than you. 

Like, 3 or 4 times better.


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## sparkyforlife (Sep 4, 2012)

HackWork said:


> That's cause you're better then me.
> 
> Like, 3 or 4 times better.


fixed


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

sparkyforlife said:


> fixed


Why yes, yes I am. Thank you


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## Service Call (Jul 9, 2011)

meadow said:


> One on the Left is a 2012 new stock the one on the right is from an old panel change:


Why does the new one have a piece of wire in it yet, the used one doesn't?


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## drsparky (Nov 13, 2008)

HackWork said:


> The breakers in Homeline panels sit at an angle so I stopped using them for the most part. Murray is my new panel of choice :thumbup:


Homeline will only fit a Homeline panel, if you are putting them in a Murry panel they will sit cooked. Hold both breakers up together and you will see a home line does not attach to the panel at the center of the breaker, they are offset about 3/16". That's why they don't fit any other panel.


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## captkirk (Nov 21, 2007)

HackWork said:


> The guy from Cooper who handles that program just called me the other day about that. He noticed that I didn't buy anything yet. He wants to fax me a price sheet but I don't have a fax machine :laughing:
> 
> Cooper is a bit of a hike, I have a really good supply house 8 minutes from home.


I try to give them all my business now....their Fairfield store is 8 minutes from me. I email my orders in or have stuff delivered . Their online ordering is really great too. I sit down at my desk top and hit a Cooper button they gave me that is hook up to usb and order away..


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

captkirk said:


> I try to give them all my business now....their Fairfield store is 8 minutes from me. I email my orders in or have stuff delivered . Their online ordering is really great too. I sit down at my desk top and hit a Cooper button they gave me that is hook up to usb and order away..


The prices online are pretty high, do they lower them when you get the invoice?

I've been going down to the Linden Cooper, I didn't realize there was one in Fairfield.

I'll have to give it a try


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## sbrn33 (Mar 15, 2007)

drsparky said:


> Homeline will only fit a Homeline panel, if you are putting them in a Murry panel they will sit cooked. Hold both breakers up together and you will see a home line does not attach to the panel at the center of the breaker, they are offset about 3/16". That's why they don't fit any other panel.


Homeline is UL listed in Milbank meter/mains. Along with Siemens and GE. So much for that line of thinking.
One of the earlier posters posted pics of both a Homeline and a QO that were clearly different but somehow somewhere somebody still doesn't believe they are different. Funny.


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## captkirk (Nov 21, 2007)

HackWork said:


> The prices online are pretty high, do they lower them when you get the invoice?
> 
> I've been going down to the Linden Cooper, I didn't realize there was one in Fairfield.
> 
> I'll have to give it a try


You get special pricing once your in....


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## drsparky (Nov 13, 2008)

sbrn33 said:


> Homeline is UL listed in Milbank meter/mains. Along with Siemens and GE. So much for that line of thinking.
> One of the earlier posters posted pics of both a Homeline and a QO that were clearly different but somehow somewhere somebody still doesn't believe they are different. Funny.


Hold them up together back to back and tell me they are the same.


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## sbrn33 (Mar 15, 2007)

drsparky said:


> Hold them up together back to back and tell me they are the same.


The Milbank UL listing tells me they are.


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

captkirk said:


> You get special pricing once your in....


What do you mean by "in"?

I have a credit account with them, I also have the Square D QO special pricing program. But as far as I know the prices on the website are what I would have to pay, but I'm not sure. I don't know much, do i? :laughing:


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## captkirk (Nov 21, 2007)

HackWork said:


> What do you mean by "in"?
> 
> I have a credit account with them, I also have the Square D QO special pricing program. But as far as I know the prices on the website are what I would have to pay, but I'm not sure. I don't know much, do i? :laughing:


If I go to the cooper site without logging on I only see retail pricing once I log in or use the "button" ( looks like an Easy button with usb cord) the prices change. Do you buy a lot of stuff from them...?


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## captkirk (Nov 21, 2007)

I know its not always the best thing to only go to one supply house, but I think it benifits a small guy like me . If you only give them 5 grand in sales a year they might not give you great deals but if you spend more they want your business and to have you come back. 
I also have monarch practically walking distance from me but I only go there if Im really short on time and I need to do a morning counter visit...


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

You know of Newark Light in Belleville? It was bought out by Grant Electric and it's a pretty nice place. It's close and the prices are very good. 

For anything larger I have always gone to Feldman's. I'm on the best pricing tier their.


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## wendon (Sep 27, 2010)

HackWork said:


> What do you mean by "in"?
> 
> I have a credit account with them, I also have the Square D QO special pricing program. But as far as I know the prices on the website are what I would have to pay, but I'm not sure. I don't know much, do i? :laughing:


Have you ever compared your "special" pricing with other contractors? It can vary a lot. Our salesman negotiates the prices about once a year. It doesn't make a lot of sense how they do it.


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