Retro-fit Breaker Overloads

[pawdge]

I have been tasked by the upppers to come up with retro-fit solid state breaker overloads. These will become the brand that we will always use in the future for replacement of overloads. We have approx. 200 breakers with pre-1980's overloads from many different manufacturers. We have had some bad experiences in the past with Satin America and they are not willing to go that route. I have found a company (AC PRO) as a suggestion from ZOG-ZOG on this forum. They seem to be a great company and they will provide a test set which can easily be understood and used by the technicians testing these overloads. Does anyone have any opinions on different companies?

 

[DanDel]

We have been using AC-Pro for awhile. We don't do too many retrofits anymore, though. They are probably the best available (and I think I've seen them all) outside of the original manufacturer retrofits, which are much better than any after-market kits, but usually more expensive.

The manufacturer, Utility Relay, was formed from the core of the Joslyn Opti-Trip company. Good quality, good people.

 

[dpc]

I have some clients that have installed a lot of these trip units on old breakers and seem to really like them. I have never heard of any performance issues or failures.

Other clients insist on installing a trip unit from the original breaker manufacturer to try to reduce the potential for finger-pointing.

The liability downside is pretty high for a trip unit failing to trip when needed.

 

[Zogzog]

You already know my thoughts, we install AC PRO's and also OEM's retrofit kits everyday in our breaker shops, lot less problems with the AC PRO's and they are more flexible for settings, you never need to buy a new rating plug or swap out trip units for different functions on different applications in the future.

 

[wbd]

Last year I recently retro-fitted some Westinghouse DB-50, DB-100 and DA-75 breakers, all 1950's vintage, original trip units with the AC PRO's. So far we have had no problems and the retrofits, fitted like a dream to the breaker.

 

[oldfieldguy]

I'll get a pleated skirt and pom-poms and join the cheerleading for AC-Pro.

The hardware is flexible and the company has been very responsive to calls.


old field guy

 

[pawdge]

Thank you for all the replies. I have come to love this forum. I'm glad I found it.