# Murray breakers reliable?



## Hanford43 (Mar 5, 2017)

What is the reputation of the older Murray breakers and panels? The breakers seem to get the handles snapped off easily, but otherwise do they trip reliably? I was looking at a friends house the other day because they had some concerns about the electrical and they have a 320 service with Murray panels, installed in 1977. I assume they are much better than Zinsco and Federal pacific?


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

There are a lot of old Murray panels around here, older than your friend's. They are all fine AFAIK. I never heard anything about them being dangerous. 

FWIW, a panel installed in 1977 can be considered a candidate for an upgrade just based on it's 40 year old age. I'm not saying to push it and scare them or anything like that. But talk to them about the age of the panel and breakers, and how you don't know if the breakers are going to work when you need them after 40 years of service. Mention the benefits of a new panel with plenty of open spaces, etc.


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## Jlarson (Jun 28, 2009)

The red main breakers are no good.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

Never came across any with problems. As others have said at 40 years old have them start thinking of replacement.


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## telsa (May 22, 2015)

End of design life.

They need to be replaced _before_ they fail in service... which is not a pretty thing to see.


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## bartstop (Sep 30, 2012)

This was on a Murray panel. Need I say more? (sorry for the sideways pics)


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## Switched (Dec 23, 2012)

bartstop said:


> This was on a Murray panel. Need I say more? (sorry for the sideways pics)


I have seen that with just about every brand out there....


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## wendon (Sep 27, 2010)

bartstop said:


> This was on a Murray panel. Need I say more? (sorry for the sideways pics)


Backstabbed?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G870A using Tapatalk


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## drspec (Sep 29, 2012)

bartstop said:


> This was on a Murray panel. Need I say more? (sorry for the sideways pics)


Ive seen that with QO, Homeline, Siemens, BR, CH, GE, ZInsco, etc etc etc

That is not a Murray problem, that's an installation issue. Glowing connections like that rarely trip a breaker. Cant blame poor installation practices on a single brand.


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## Bird dog (Oct 27, 2015)

Was it a cheap GFI or the screws not tightened/over tightened? That isn't a panel problem. Sometimes stuff happens. That's why we have smoke detectors.


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

bartstop said:


> This was on a Murray panel. Need I say more? (sorry for the sideways pics)


Yes, you need to say why that is any worse than what we find on every other brand of panel out there.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

bartstop said:


> This was on a Murray panel. Need I say more? (sorry for the sideways pics)


Seen many like this over the years from every panel brand made.

One incident shouldn't condemn any brand.


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