# GE Spectra Junk?



## brian john (Mar 11, 2007)

Seriously tap, rap on the front of the CB, BUT recommend replacement.


----------



## kelleyss (Mar 22, 2012)

Tried that didn't help.


----------



## brian john (Mar 11, 2007)

Throw it on the ground.

If you can shut off the main and remove the CB you may (I can't remember with this CB) remove the cover and see what is jamming it. if it is a broken component it needs replacement obviously, otherwise you may be able to reset the CB.


----------



## Bbsound (Dec 16, 2011)

i hate adding breakers to those effin panels, their $1800 hardware kits are a friggin joke.


----------



## walkerj (May 13, 2007)

Bbsound said:


> i hate adding breakers to those effin panels, their $1800 hardware kits are a friggin joke.


Try going to a non GE supplier. 
I bet you get a better price next time.


----------



## kelleyss (Mar 22, 2012)

The best deal I have found for the breakers is from Nevada Distribution. I have really tried every trick to get them too reset and nothing seems to work. My customer is a local private school that has 20+ of these larger frame breakers feeding mostly rtus. I am thinking a spring or something breaks internally and they are not that simple to dissect all plastic crap.


----------



## brian john (Mar 11, 2007)

I could be wrong I do not think they are broken just traveled over the latch that allows you to close the handle. I cannot remember if these CBs are sealed, even if they are if you are replacing them take the cover off and monkey with one.


----------



## Shockdoc (Mar 4, 2010)

I 've only encountered that with early Murray mains, but thanks, I'll keep my gaurd up now when I encounter those.


----------



## Meadow (Jan 14, 2011)

In my experience: anything GE is junk. The only time I work with GE equipment is when its broken wich is more often then it should. There replacement parts are always over priced. 

Last time I went in for a replacement part it had gone up 6 times in price. I asked the rep why and he says because the part is "obsolete". Ummm...This was new a year ago when installed. "Yes but since then they have come up with an improved product." They improve every one of there products every month. "they are an innovative company":laughing::laughing::laughing:


----------



## janagyjr (Feb 7, 2011)

Note: Avoid G.E.; treat like Zinsco.


----------



## TimChaput69 (Nov 14, 2011)

You guys are funny! I work at GE in a GE facility ( we make aircraft engines) "LOADED" with GE equipment and have never had problems with any of it.......weird I think. Is the spectra breaker in a panel or a busplug? If its a bussplug sometimes people install the handle clip the wrong way and it jumps the handle other than that we've got probably 8000 spectra breakers here and I've never seen that problem before.


----------



## TimChaput69 (Nov 14, 2011)

Did you try the trip button first ( you probably did) next make sure "this screw" the one at the end of my finger is tight.


----------



## millelec (Nov 20, 2010)

I have GE MCC's at work. 40 yo equipment, works great. (I'm not paying for the replacement parts tho!)


----------



## TimChaput69 (Nov 14, 2011)

millelec said:


> I have GE MCC's at work. 40 yo equipment, works great. (I'm not paying for the replacement parts tho!)


Don't blame you....we still have to buy our own stuff if that makes any sense!!!


----------



## brian john (Mar 11, 2007)

The Spectra Series leaves plenty of room in their design to be qualified as less than top notch product.


GE screaming to the bottom, while paying NO TAXES....Well within the law.


----------



## TimChaput69 (Nov 14, 2011)

Lets just remember that breakers isn't the only thing GE makes. Also find a company as diverse as GE.....anywhere on the planet and I'll give you first prize. Finally I work with the stuff everyday and have never had any problems with any of it.....must be operator error;-) And really the no taxes thing is getting old, we actually got almost 4 million in returns last year....file that with your 1099!!!! Helps we also strictly employ only ex-IRS in our tax dept......hell the head of our tax dept was head of the IRS for 20 years!!


----------



## brian john (Mar 11, 2007)

TimChaput69 said:


> Lets just remember that breakers isn't the only thing GE makes. Also find a company as diverse as GE.....anywhere on the planet and I'll give you first prize. Finally I work with the stuff everyday and have never had any problems with any of it.....must be operator error;-) And really the no taxes thing is getting old, we actually got almost 4 million in returns last year....file that with your 1099!!!! Helps we also strictly employ only ex-IRS in our tax dept......hell the head of our tax dept was head of the IRS for 20 years!!


 
We service many brands of electrical distribution equipment and we see as many problems with GE as we Square D, Seimens, Eaton and name anyone you can, they all make something they are less than happy with.

Just because GE is a large Diverse company does not mean they cannot make an excellent washing machine and a lousy circuit breaker. Not saying this is the case just pointing out the obvious.


----------



## TimChaput69 (Nov 14, 2011)

brian john said:


> We service many brands of electrical distribution equipment and we see as many problems with GE as we Square D, Seimens, Eaton and name anyone you can, they all make something they are less than happy with.
> 
> Just because GE is a large Diverse company does not mean they cannot make an excellent washing machine and a loust circuit breaker. Not sayig this is the case just point out the obvious.


I totally agree with you....some things we make are not so.....well made as they could be. I was a little sarcastic in my response, anyway if the op looks in the picture I posted a little while ago that screw if too loose will not allow the handle to operate. The reason tapping on the side of the breaker works sometimes is because under that screw is a bellow type plunger that works with the trip button. If you put the CB handle in the on or off position and back out that screw the breaker handle will cycle and not move into either position.


----------



## retiredsparktech (Mar 8, 2011)

millelec said:


> I have GE MCC's at work. 40 yo equipment, works great. (I'm not paying for the replacement parts tho!)


Allen-Bradley is no slouch either, when it comes to the price of replacement parts. I think they're all that way.


----------



## janagyjr (Feb 7, 2011)

TimChaput69 said:


> The reason tapping on the side of the breaker works sometimes is because under that screw is a bellow type plunger that works with the trip button. If you put the CB handle in the on or off position and back out that screw the breaker handle will cycle and not move into either position.


Seems like a design flaw?


----------



## TimChaput69 (Nov 14, 2011)

Maybe but I think its more along the lines of the american who put it together on Friday afternoon/ Monday morning didn't tighten the screw all the way down.


----------



## janagyjr (Feb 7, 2011)

Well that too, but for the whole operation of an OCPD to be reliant on a fastener seems like an inherent design flaw.


----------



## brian john (Mar 11, 2007)

TimChaput69 said:


> Maybe but I think its more along the lines of the american who put it together on Friday afternoon/ Monday morning didn't tighten the screw all the way down.


Cept they are made in Mexico aren't they? Or is it just the switchboards?

There is a latch that catches the handle to close the contacts and sometimes this latch slips over mechanism. I THOUGHT(??)


----------



## TimChaput69 (Nov 14, 2011)

I'm pretty sure what GE produces outside the country stays out of the country because then they don't have to pay tax on it, don't quote me on that but thats my understanding. As far as the breaker goes today I just pulled one off the shelf and pulled it apart to see if it could be something silly and I came up with the screw maybe being loose. If the breaker is in a bussplug I've seen many instances where the handle clip gets installed wrong and the handle will not cycle cause it slips off the bracket.


----------



## brian john (Mar 11, 2007)

Tim;

I know switchboards come in from MExico as I have had to deal with Mexican engineers calling from a GE Mexico plant.

And that guy was indignant when he fund out I was a lowly electrician. He was rude arrogant and a pompous ass. I took great pride in proving him wrong.


----------



## TimChaput69 (Nov 14, 2011)

I didn't say nothing is produced outside the country and sent to the US, I just know GE tries to keep it at a minimum level. I'll check tomorrow and see if breakers are imported or not, I'm curious myself now. Would like to know cause we have about 3000 breakers to replace next year due to AIC rating change that went on here. Last year we replaced 4000 breakers in both plants and next year we do the rest. Anyway wasn't saying you were wrong at all my friend.


----------



## janagyjr (Feb 7, 2011)

That's a lot of breakers!


----------



## TimChaput69 (Nov 14, 2011)

janagyjr said:


> That's a lot of breakers!


Tell me about it!! It took about a year and a half to do the first batch. Had to do the replacements between fixing broken equipment, got really good at replacing breakers in Bussplugs without taking the plugs off the buss. ( obviously we would schedule to shut the buss down). Anyway that little project reeked havoc and not looking forward to doing all over again. :-(


----------



## nrp3 (Jan 24, 2009)

If you don't mind me asking, where in NH does GE have a facility?


----------



## TimChaput69 (Nov 14, 2011)

nrp3 said:


> If you don't mind me asking, where in NH does GE have a facility?


Hooksett NH, GE aviation division. 2 facilities right across the street from each other. Both are quite large plants.


----------



## kelleyss (Mar 22, 2012)

I will definately check screw timc is talking about. I may just have bad run but come on the spectra series and the plates held in plastic tabs am I the only one that thinks that is junk lets aleast screw the filler plates. My expierence locally with ge and diversity is lets buy em change the name and shut em down so we don't to compete. Ge polymers anyway.


----------



## nrp3 (Jan 24, 2009)

I'm all over the manchvegas area. Didn't realize there was anything that big in Hooksett.


----------



## TimChaput69 (Nov 14, 2011)

nrp3 said:


> I'm all over the manchvegas area. Didn't realize there was anything that big in Hooksett.


Right off rt 3, industrial drive kinda near the fire station and DPW.


----------



## frenchelectrican (Mar 15, 2007)

TimChaput69 said:


> Did you try the trip button first ( you probably did) next make sure "this screw" the one at the end of my finger is tight.
> 
> View attachment 15868


Tim.,

I have ran into twice in France with European specs and some reason why I feel they did not really properly toqured from factory and I did have to rap the housing to kick it off. ( I try to deengerized this sob ) and took the cover off and the screw was almost complety backed out :blink:.

Merci,
Marc


----------



## brian john (Mar 11, 2007)

The Spectra Series MDPs are a royal pain in the butt. The dead fronts stink on ice, 10,000 screws into cheap plastic that is stripped from the factory.

Not that Siemens is that much better.


----------



## TimChaput69 (Nov 14, 2011)

brian john said:


> The Spectra Series MDPs are a royal pain in the butt. The dead fronts stink on ice, 10,000 screws into cheap plastic that is stripped from the factory.
> 
> Not that Siemens is that much better.


I'll give ya that one.....almost every one of the small 1/4" long that go into plastic are always junk but at least all the longer screws go into a metal threaded hole. Don't tell anyone but sometimes I replace those screws!! ;-p


----------



## LBC Jesse (Apr 26, 2012)

walkerj said:


> Try going to a non GE supplier.
> I bet you get a better price next time.



That's where I come in.... 

And as far as Spectras are concerned.. they are very nice breakers in a clean environment. The problem we run into is; GE pushed the Spectra Series in just about EVERY application for years. These breakers have electronic circuit boards in them, and are no different than the circuitboards found in your cell phone or laptop... you wouldnt leave those in a harsh enviroment for long periods of time would you? same applies here.. GE simply oversold those things with impunity... FYI.. "SOME" of GE's standard thermal mags mount in place of the Spectras if the AIC ratings will match. Feel free to contact me anytime you have a replacement breaker/ hardware situation.. its what i do all day, everyday .


----------



## Zog (Apr 15, 2009)

They have also had issues with a white powder and "blooms" forming but say it is a non-issue. I am pretty sure they are all made in CT.


----------



## janagyjr (Feb 7, 2011)

Zog said:


> They have also had issues with a white powder and "blooms" forming but say it is a non-issue. I am pretty sure they are all made in CT.


white powder and "blooms"???:blink:


----------



## Greg (Aug 1, 2007)

Here is my take on the whole situation. When I was working out in the field I could care less about what company's gear I was having to fix, I was making money. Now that I work for the Gov't, I have come to despise GE, it is constantly breaking but that is attributed to lack of maintenance and maintenance being done by morons. Truth be said I am a Square D guy my self. Our low voltage stuff is GE with a little SQ D sprinkled in. But our MV gear is all Square D.

ZOG - You would be interested in knowing the main generator switchboard here in Orlando VA hospital (Old Navy Hospital) is a surplus Navy ship swbd complete with synchroscopes and everything. :laughing: Needless to say I know it like the back of my hand already.:thumbsup:


----------



## [email protected] (Jun 5, 2014)

The GE SELA36AT0150 breakers will not reset or turn on: I have seen this problem with several MCC buckets having small molded case GE Spectra Circuit Breakers. If you turn them off they will not turn back on. If you use the push to trip button they still will not reset or allow you to turn to the on position. Our client keeps many spares on hand and avoids turning these breaker off. If he does he just changes the breakers out. One of our test technician claims it is a manufacturing defect and he has also seen it at other places. GE denies knowledge of the problem. If anyone has similar problems and would like to help me go after GE to try to resolve this then please get in touch. This is for a major company who is very frustrated. - Walt [email protected]


----------



## Big John (May 23, 2010)

Brother, if you get angry at every breaker manufacturer that produces garbage, then I have some really bad news for you... :whistling2:


----------



## Sparky208 (Feb 25, 2011)

This is mostly what we install because my boss gets it at such a better price then square D. He tells me it's big savings so to stay competitive and to keep getting work he keeps buying it unfortunately because I like square d the best. And the GE sales rep calls us back and is there when we need help unlike the square D sales rep.


----------



## [email protected] (Jun 5, 2014)

Hello Big John, I've been around too long to get angry. Just would like see if anyone has seen this or if we just got a bad run of GE breakers. I think GE should change them all out or at least provide new ones. Every one in two MCC's seems to act this way. Not sure of the vintage but I will pursue helping my customer if I can. It is sad that customer service and pride in what we produce seems to be a distant memory in the USA. Probably we exported those values along with patriotism and breaker manufacturing to save a buck. God bless our lawmakers that we keep electing that drove all this stuff off shore with their steep business taxes. God bless the power hungry greedy evil buggers at the top business and top of government....I'm am angry with them. Used to be people cared. I still care. I think you do too. Have a good day Big John.


----------

