# push-matic electric center



## jewalker88 (Jun 23, 2010)

Went to do a water heater change out. the panle is a push-matic electric center. I have never seen one before. Does anyone know anything about it. I did not get any pictures if i go back there i will.


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## B4T (Feb 10, 2009)

They were pretty common at one time.

The only "bolt on" breaker panel used in residential buildings


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## Bob Badger (Apr 19, 2009)

You can still get breakers but these panels are at the far end of there lives.

The breakers are thermal only so they do not have a magnetic instant trip for short circuits.

Here is a large commercial switchgear.


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## wildleg (Apr 12, 2009)

no pics ?? that is a forum violation !


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## jewalker88 (Jun 23, 2010)

wildleg said:


> no pics ?? that is a forum violation !


I apologize that wont happen again. I must have missed that in the rules.


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## jewalker88 (Jun 23, 2010)

Bob Badger said:


> You can still get breakers but these panels are at the far end of there lives.
> 
> The breakers are thermal only so they do not have a magnetic instant trip for short circuits.
> 
> Here is a large commercial switchgear.


any risk of fire more that other panels of the time


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## Bkessler (Feb 14, 2007)

jewalker88 said:


> Went to do a water heater change out. the panle is a push-matic electric center. I have never seen one before. Does anyone know anything about it. I did not get any pictures if i go back there i will.


Next time your in CA I will give you a five gallon bucket full of them. They still sell new one's at the home depot's here. Their now make by ubi.


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## Bob Badger (Apr 19, 2009)

jewalker88 said:


> any risk of fire more that other panels of the time


Not that I am aware of.


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## frenchelectrican (Mar 15, 2007)

For fire risk on PushMatic load centres that is pretty rare item however there is one nice gotcha is with larger two pole pushmatic the price get pretty steep espcally that is true if you try to order P2100 somecase it will cost more than just a new resdential load centre panel will cost.

Few case I ran into backlog up to 6 months and I keep few on stock due the P2100 have a very minor issue with resetting it otherwise that one of few true bolt on breakers and PushMatic is the only one I know they used for resdentail useage beside the NOQD load centres { it can use both ways ( pushon et bolt on ) }

Merci.
Marc


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## jwjrw (Jan 14, 2010)

Weren't the pushmatic called bulldog


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## pjmurph2002 (Sep 18, 2009)

jwjrw said:


> Weren't the pushmatic called bulldog


Yes; mfg by ITE


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## Wiredude (May 14, 2010)

Up untill a couple years ago Siemens was still making replacement breakers for these, but I want to say it was about 3 years ago (I was working for an ITE/Siemens distributor at the time) Siemens stopped making them, anythign avaialble now is 3rd party or old stock. Around here they pretty much just get replaced with a new panel if there's a problem.


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## crazymurph (Aug 19, 2009)

Good panel 30 years ago, now it's a relic.


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## Bkessler (Feb 14, 2007)

The big three in ca during the 50's 60's and 70's were Zinsco, FPE, and pushimatic. You can still by new ones at all the HD's around here made by UBI.


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## Geoff C (May 26, 2010)

They are good panels, except when you are trying to find a circuit to shut off. Its a workout pushing 20 of those damn things on and off.


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## Shockdoc (Mar 4, 2010)

They were a pain in the arse to wire when the help did not leave double the length at the panel location during rough ins.......get the wirenuts!!!


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## pesdfw (Jun 23, 2010)

I wouldn't want one in my house. Your home owner should at least be told about it.


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## slickvic277 (Feb 5, 2009)

Lots of pushmatic panels still in use here in my neck of the woods. A while back I had to install a 2 pole 30 amp pushmatic breaker for my in-laws and the breaker cost $75 !!!.


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## TOOL_5150 (Aug 27, 2007)

slickvic277 said:


> Lots of pushmatic panels still in use here in my neck of the woods. A while back I had to install a 2 pole 30 amp pushmatic breaker for my in-laws and the breaker cost $75 !!!.


man, you should have asked one of us... Hell, Ida sent you one for the price of shipping.

~Matt


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## slickvic277 (Feb 5, 2009)

TOOL_5150 said:


> man, you should have asked one of us... Hell, Ida sent you one for the price of shipping.
> 
> ~Matt


That was before I knew this site existed. Believe it or not that was the best price I could fine, the supply house wanted $95.99.....I'll never forget that price. I think they pulled it out of thin air.


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

TOOL_5150 said:


> man, you should have asked one of us... Hell, Ida sent you one for the price of shipping.
> 
> ~Matt



I sold one of those for $50 last week.


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## TOOL_5150 (Aug 27, 2007)

480sparky said:


> I sold one of those for $50 last week.


used?

~Matt


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

TOOL_5150 said:


> used?
> 
> ~Matt



Absotively posilutely. :thumbsup:


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## TOOL_5150 (Aug 27, 2007)

480sparky said:


> Absotively posilutely. :thumbsup:


holy smokes... I have a whole panelboard pulled out of a house full of pushmatics.. anyone got some money they want to burn? :thumbup:

Its almost useless to me, because I would upsell a panel changeout before adding to a pushmatic.

~Matt


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## MUK sparkey (Jul 13, 2010)

*It could be worse*

At least it was not Federal Pacific. The Bulldog/Siemans Pushmatics are hard to find, and I keep a few used ones but I cring when I come across an old FP panel.


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## Shockdoc (Mar 4, 2010)

MUK sparkey said:


> At least it was not Federal Pacific. The Bulldog/Siemans Pushmatics are hard to find, and I keep a few used ones but I cring when I come across an old FP panel.


Or even a Zinsco or Wadsworth panel........They seem to all be getting phased out these days for the big three.


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## electagb (Jan 7, 2010)

slickvic277 said:


> Lots of pushmatic panels still in use here in my neck of the woods. A while back I had to install a 2 pole 30 amp pushmatic breaker for my in-laws and the breaker cost $75 !!!.


 
If you ever need pushmatic breakers again send me a PM, I'm right across the river from you. Regards


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## RIVETER (Sep 26, 2009)

We have thousands of them here in the plant. They are very rugged and don't ever cause any particular problem.


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## I_get_shocked (Apr 6, 2009)

Heres a pushmatic I replaced last week. The owner did not like the cost of the pushmatic breakers and trouble locating them.


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## Shockdoc (Mar 4, 2010)

I_get_shocked said:


> Heres a pushmatic I replaced last week. The owner did not like the cost of the pushmatic breakers and trouble locating them.


Nice thing about a bulldog panel replacement, you'll almost never be short on the hots.


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## slickvic277 (Feb 5, 2009)

Some one correct me if I'm wrong but don't the old push-matic breakers lack an ASCI rating?


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## BuzzKill (Oct 27, 2008)

Bob Badger said:


> The breakers are thermal only so they do not have a magnetic instant trip for short circuits.


No inherent danger in this?


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## Bob Badger (Apr 19, 2009)

BuzzKill said:


> No inherent danger in this?



I have to imagine there are slightly less safe .


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## frenchelectrican (Mar 15, 2007)

BuzzKill said:


> No inherent danger in this?


 
Not very much just watch out they will not latch at all espcally that is true with P2100 Pushmatic breakers which I have ran into and also they do not make AFCI verison but very few RCD {GFCI} pushmatic { rare item }

And the cost of P2100 useally change the customer mind pretty fast for couple reasons

• Main breaker cost

• lack of extra space normally they will limited to 20 poles max{ but 16 space is common } per 100 amp bussbar but for 200 amp or larger just look at Bob's { Bob Badger } photo with pretty big array of pushmatics you can see why each set only limted to 100 amp just like one photo above this fourm.

Merci.
Marc


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