# GE panel question...



## OHMslice (Dec 9, 2009)

From what I can understand, the panel specs on this GE 150 amp main service panel show that spots 1 and 3 on the buss bar (where the breakers attach) will NOT receive a GE SlimLine breaker - only a 1".

Is this true for some older GE panels? The panel is roughly 20-25 years old.

I'm a young journeyman and have never encountered this.


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## Dennis Alwon (May 9, 2009)

OHMslice said:


> From what I can understand, the panel specs on this GE 150 amp main service panel show that spots 1 and 3 on the buss bar (where the breakers attach) will NOT receive a GE SlimLine breaker - only a 1".
> 
> Is this true for some older GE panels? The panel is roughly 20-25 years old.
> 
> I'm a young journeyman and have never encountered this.


It just depends on the panel specs. Most panel that accept twin breakers usually accept them on the lower half. Some panels have the entire panel that will accept the wafer breakers. You can usually look at the buss and see where the wafers will work and won't work or look at the layout on the panel door which shows where they can be installed.


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## user4818 (Jan 15, 2009)

OHMslice said:


> From what I can understand, the panel specs on this GE 150 amp main service panel show that spots 1 and 3 on the buss bar (where the breakers attach) will NOT receive a GE SlimLine breaker - only a 1".
> 
> Is this true for some older GE panels? The panel is roughly 20-25 years old.
> 
> I'm a young journeyman and have never encountered this.


Yes, I learned this the hard way once. My parents house has a GE panel (built 1984) that will not accept the 1/2" breakers, nor will any other kind of duplex breaker fit.


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

Peter D said:


> Yes, I learned this the hard way once. My parents house has a GE panel (built 1984) that will not accept the 1/2" breakers, nor will any other kind of duplex breaker fit.


 
Are you kidding? A TRUE hack/rat can make any brand of breaker fit any brand panel! :thumbup:


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## user4818 (Jan 15, 2009)

480sparky said:


> Are you kidding? A TRUE hack/rat can make any brand of breaker fit any brand panel! :thumbup:



Well, I'll make an exception for my parents house.


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## Grimlock (Aug 4, 2009)

Yea, haven’t you ever cad welded a breaker to a live bus before! sheesh, what are we going to do with you Peter!


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## CTshockhazard (Aug 28, 2009)

*Freakin' GE*

I once ran an addition's worth of circuits to a GE panel that already had a few mini breakers in it, thinking there'd be no problem getting the number of spaces I needed.

When I finally opened the panel, low and behold, each breaker position would only accept 1 mini, the other side of the bus finger didn't have the turn out for those style breakers. Oooops, I always open panels first now.

What an idiotic setup, either (1) 1" breaker or (1) ½" breaker per position . Why bother allowing the minis?


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## OHMslice (Dec 9, 2009)

thanks everyone!


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## Old Spark (Nov 18, 2008)

Some of the GE panels have two types of bussing. the upper half will have solid bussing that only takes full size breakers, then the lower half has a few buss's that are split or open in the center to take the twins. They have been making a lot of different panels for years, so you will have to check it out.


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## OHMslice (Dec 9, 2009)

David Channell said:


> Some of the GE panels have two types of bussing. the upper half will have solid bussing that only takes full size breakers, then the lower half has a few buss's that are split or open in the center to take the twins. They have been making a lot of different panels for years, so you will have to check it out.


yes, i know what you're saying. today i went to a local electrical supply house and someone showed me diagrams of the various buss layouts of frequent GE panels. if a GE panel accepts 1/2" breakers then the buss layout can be 1 of 3 possible scenarios:

1. the top half of the buss accepts 1/2" breakers, or

2. the bottom half of the buss accepts 1/2", or

3. the whole buss will accept 1" or 1/2" breakers

in the GE panel i'm working on at the moment, there are a handful of 1/2" breakers, but they all fall sort of in the middle of the buss (ckts. 3-16 all 1/2").

is this safe to say the entire buss accepts 1/2" breakers?


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## CTshockhazard (Aug 28, 2009)

*OHMslice*



OHMslice said:


> is this safe to say the entire buss accepts 1/2" breakers?


I would open the panel and verify what will go where. I've seen weird stuff, especially with older GE panels, such as breaker knockouts in the cover with no bussing behind them, plus what I mentioned in my last post.

Don't guess, look, assume nothing.


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## Old Spark (Nov 18, 2008)

Not just older GE Panels. Their Load centers still use the same cover for several size panels, as long as the can is the same size. You could have several blanks in the cover with no bussing inside.


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## amessner (Dec 17, 2009)

*TRP twin Breakers with Green Handle*

A lot of the newer panels take the TQP - half-sized style. But, if you have a panel where you can't use TQP style you can usually use an older style breaker called a TRP. The TRP is a resi-style twin breaker most people don't know about. If it looks like the same connection style as a THQL the TRP twins usually work. They are tough to find, but you should be able to track one down for around $50 - $75. We sell them at LiveWire -- 800-390-3299 - www.LiveWireSupply.com


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