# frank adams



## electricalperson

are those circuit breakers?


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## RePhase277

In my limited experience with Frank Adam equipment, they seem to be among the better built equipment. What ever happened to them?


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## knowshorts

I have only seen one of those before. I remember thinking to myself, I sure as hell hope they don't want another circuit.


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## drm

InPhase277 said:


> In my limited experience with Frank Adam equipment, they seem to be among the better built equipment. What ever happened to them?


I think they turned into Zinsco


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## BBQ

A little info here. 

http://www.electrical-contractor.net/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/152306/Frank_Adam_Panels.html


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## mamills1

My first post in quite some time...I'm not an electrician (please bear with me), but I do have some basic knowledge of these Frank Adam products. These are indeed circuit breakers. The bussing of these panels is rather curious. In the panels I have in my collection, the breakers are arranged in a single row. There are two busses (for 120/240 volt service). The panel is electrically divided in half, with one buss feeding the top breakers, and another bus feeding the bottom breakers, i.e. AAAAA BBBBB, instead of the conventional ABABABAB used today. The only place in the panel where a 2 pole 240 volt breaker (with handles tied) can be used is in the center of the panel (where the two breakers can be fed from adjacent separate busses). Other 240 volt circuits can be drawn from the panel, but the breakers would have to be separated, with no handle tie possible.

The manner in which the breaker connects to the buss is even more unusual. Near the bottom of the breaker casing is a cut out with a "jaw" which fits the single power busbar. The principle of design is somewhat like Zinsco, but there is one busbar available to a breaker (unlike Zinsco's two parallel busses and a breaker "jaw" that can be repositioned to draw power from whichever buss is needed).

If I remember correctly, once the breakers are in the proper positions, they can each be held in position by a screw which secures it to the pan...no FPE "bouncing breakers".

Just my $.02 worth.

Also, I Thoroughly enjoy reading this forum, as well as the DIY counterpart.

Mike


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## retiredsparktech

drm said:


> I think they turned into Zinsco


I don't think anyone could turn that bad. I remember seeing a F-A single pole breaker that looked like a Homeline clone.


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