# Cutler Hammer CH series



## user4818 (Jan 15, 2009)

Does anybody here install CH series panels on a regular basis? The reason I ask is that I picked up a few 200 amp CH-CH 42 circuit MB value packs at Lowes for a steep discount last week. The thing is, CH-CH is pretty rare in my area. Hardly anyone installs it and only a few suppliers keep it in stock. That's likely why the value packs were on clearance. :laughing:

All in all they look like nice panels. Copper bus and very sturdy.


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## william1978 (Sep 21, 2008)

You mean you will buy anything that is on clearance?


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## rivermanchris (Dec 27, 2009)

I have installed them for years, I think they are the best resi panel on the market. I buy so many of them I get them a good price, a much better box that square D.


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## DipsyDoodleDandy (Dec 21, 2009)

*price*

have a new built home as of July 2007 which has 2-200 amp Cutler Hammer electrical panels. On Monday, March 2,2009 the main breaker on one of the panels tripped. The reason the breaker tripped was because it was overheating/melting. We called the fire department and our electrician.

The fire department said we were lucky that the breaker tripped or we would've had a house fire. My electrician determined that the reason the breaker tripped/overheated/melted was the two bolts that are below the main breaker are supposed to be tightened down from the factory and they weren't properly tightened down. They were loose and this generates heat.

Our electrician checked our other 200 amp panel and determined that two bolts were not properly tightened down from the factory, which also could have caused the same problem if not worse. I have written Eaton Corp to complain about their panel and see if they are will to take monetary responsibility for their product.

I now have a bill of *791.50* from my electrician that I have to pay due to faulty craftsmanship on Cutler Hammer's part. I feel other consumers who have this product should be informed about this problem so that they can have their electrician check it and make sure that it is tightened down properly possibly preventing a fire.

791.00 to tighten 2 bolts??? Is this Gold Metal? More to the story?



Read more: http://www.consumeraffairs.com/homeowners/cutler_hammer.html#ixzz0cMbCSFFS


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## user4818 (Jan 15, 2009)

DipsyDoodleDandy said:


> have a new built home as of July 2007 which has 2-200 amp Cutler Hammer electrical panels. ....


:blink:

Have another one. :drink:


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## Zog (Apr 15, 2009)

Sounds like a installation issue, not a manufactures issue.


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## crazymurph (Aug 19, 2009)

DipsyDoodleDandy said:


> have a new built home as of July 2007 which has 2-200 amp Cutler Hammer electrical panels. On Monday, March 2,2009 the main breaker on one of the panels tripped. The reason the breaker tripped was because it was overheating/melting. We called the fire department and our electrician.
> 
> The fire department said we were lucky that the breaker tripped or we would've had a house fire. My electrician determined that the reason the breaker tripped/overheated/melted was the two bolts that are below the main breaker are supposed to be tightened down from the factory and they weren't properly tightened down. They were loose and this generates heat.
> 
> ...


 
This can happen with any product you buy today. I would say that was an isolated case. CH is the Cadillac of residential panels.


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## DipsyDoodleDandy (Dec 21, 2009)

*...*

I'm more interested in charging 791.50 to tighen 2 bolts. Is that in the price book? How can you come up with that weird ass number?


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## Mountain Electrician (Jan 22, 2007)

Haven't installed a CH panel in over 20 years, but "back in the day" they were neck and neck with QO. 

Don't see 'em around here at all.


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## waco (Dec 10, 2007)

I've used them and like them just fine. I'm now using Seimans based on perceived quality to cost.

As I recall, the installer is instructed to check the connectors in question. I know I always did. Must have been a reason for that.


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## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

The CH-CH panels are my main brand. Since there are no resi bolt-on panels, I see CH-CH as the Cadillac panel right now. They plug on tighter than any other panel on the market, that's for sure. I somewhat like the fact that the breakers are harder to find. That keeps DIY-ers from messing around as much, I believe. It really comes down to a Fords vs Chevy type of argument, in the end, but I happen to like CH-CH very much.


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## drsparky (Nov 13, 2008)

I like them because of the breakers match my eyes. Well not really my eyes are blue. They are solid, dependable and I like the 3/4 inch format, they take up less space, especially a 40 space panel.


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## te12co2w (Jun 3, 2007)

CH is hard to find here too. None of my main suppliers stock them. One thing I really like is the GFI, and I'm assuming AFI also, breakers are quite a bit smaller than SD. Makes the panel less cluttered. I can't remember if those breakers were CH or BR now that I think about it. I called SD once and asked if they had any plans to make more compact breakers like CH and got a very frosty reply.


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## chenley (Feb 20, 2007)

DipsyDoodleDandy said:


> I'm more interested in charging 791.50 to tighen 2 bolts. Is that in the price book? How can you come up with that weird ass number?


Could be that the electrician replaced either the main, the main and guts, or the whole panel and charged that on top of what he charged. I doubt s/he charged 791.50 to tighten two screws.


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## Grimlock (Aug 4, 2009)

We use all CH for resi and have very few problems.


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## robnj772 (Jan 15, 2008)

chenley said:


> Could be that the electrician replaced either the main, the main and guts, or the whole panel and charged that on top of what he charged. I doubt s/he charged 791.50 to tighten two screws.


Don't be too sure about that.

$791.50 to tighten 2 screws is a little cheap for them... :laughing::laughing::laughing:


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## eds (Mar 21, 2009)

I use CH panels and have not had any problems. I like the fact that I can get a 42 space Main Breaker panel. I also will be interested in the panel they have out that lets you plug a arc fault breaker onto the neutral bus.


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## micromind (Aug 11, 2007)

Very few CH CH around here. 

They seem to be of good quality. The breakers snap in firmly, and there's only one type of breaker that'll fit.

One drawback though, when a breaker trips, the handle moves to the off position. You can't tell if it tripped or was turned off.

Rob


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## mikeg_05 (Jan 1, 2009)

crazymurph said:


> CH is the Cadillac of residential panels.


Yes, they are. Thats all we use unless we are adding a sub panel then we match the previous brand. Seems to be either CH or Square d around here.


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## rivermanchris (Dec 27, 2009)

Around here CH are scarce, but I think they are by far the best. I am in a Cutler Hammer Program that saves me $$$. I have to commit to buying 30 panels a year, in return I buy them For less money than I can buy home line, Murray, etc. I even buy them cheaper than most folks can buy BR.


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## Jim Port (Oct 1, 2007)

Peter,

If you start installing good stuff like CH you just might lose the hack status. Does this bother you? :whistling2:

I like the breaker number sticker that comes with the CH classic panels. Much easier to read than stamped numbers. I just wish you could get the Visi-trip on CH.

Has anyone used the snap on AFCI breakers? What were your thoughts and how was the cost vs an AFCI with the pigtail?


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## user4818 (Jan 15, 2009)

Jim Port said:


> Peter,
> 
> If you start installing good stuff like CH you just might lose the hack status. Does this bother you? :whistling2:


True. I guess it's back to installing FPE and Wadsworth stuff I scavenge from dumpsters. :laughing:


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## electro916 (Jan 16, 2009)

Peter D said:


> True. I guess it's back to installing FPE and Wadsworth stuff I scavenge from dumpsters. :laughing:



You forgot about Zinsco.:jester:


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## defeedme (Apr 5, 2018)

*Ch42n225k*



MDShunk said:


> The CH-CH panels are my main brand. Since there are no resi bolt-on panels, I see CH-CH as the Cadillac panel right now. They plug on tighter than any other panel on the market, that's for sure. I somewhat like the fact that the breakers are harder to find. That keeps DIY-ers from messing around as much, I believe. It really comes down to a Fords vs Chevy type of argument, in the end, but I happen to like CH-CH very much.


Hi, my panel just got fried by my electric company, lucky house didn't burn up.. deciding on the CH42N225K or the Square D QO
in 2018 do you still prefer the CH ? 
also curious if it's any better that the CH is rated at 225 instead of the sd 200 ? 
thanks, Best, Mike


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## eddy current (Feb 28, 2009)

defeedme said:


> Hi, my panel just got fried by my electric company, lucky house didn't burn up.. deciding on the CH42N225K or the Square D QO
> in 2018 do you still prefer the CH ?
> also curious if it's any better that the CH is rated at 225 instead of the sd 200 ?
> thanks, Best, Mike


An electrician will be able to help you :wink:


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## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

defeedme said:


> Hi, my panel just got fried by my electric company, lucky house didn't burn up.. deciding on the CH42N225K or the Square D QO
> in 2018 do you still prefer the CH ?
> also curious if it's any better that the CH is rated at 225 instead of the sd 200 ?
> thanks, Best, Mike


I'd use whatever brand your electrical contractor recommends.


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## defeedme (Apr 5, 2018)

thanks.. well I may be the electrical contractor.. right now it seems the square D is the better option , easy to read red/green for my wife and kids. I don't think any other brand does that? also it has the CAFI to stop arcs and they are sold on amazon.. here's a pic of what happened: photos.app.goo.gl/9rQUMYQBcv57fgty1


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## active1 (Dec 29, 2009)

Been almost 10 years since the last resi panels I've done.
But the CH was a quality product.
If my memory is right, copper buss, 3/4" breaker, and galvanized can.
I like the galvanized over paint as it's easier to get clean connection.
Never liked the color tan. Gray is just my preference.
Biggest complaint was the knockouts, ecentrics, and concentrics were too easy to bust out. Such as a building where many of the 2.5" ecentric is comming out on a 2" conduit. Then you need to go back and put in reducers before pulling. 
Don't know if I liked their knockout layout vs others, but we did all conduit, most NM jobs it wouldn't matter so much. I would prefer punching my own on a can than factory ones, but that's me.


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## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

Across the board, every manufacturer has delivered panels with loose knockouts and impossible to remove knockouts from time to time. From having worked in a stamping plant in the past, I know it's just the condition of the dies and the press shut height setting on any given day, coupled with the pickiness of the QC that day.


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