On 10/9/2012 7:27 AM, John Grabowski wrote:
Cuttler Hammer makes classified breakers for SqD QO or Homeline
panels.
SqD says they are illegal, U/L says they are OK. Inspectors are split
on it.
Best to buy the breaker from the manufacturer that goes in that panel.
They are available.
I agree that it is best to stay with the same company.
Almost any comapny is going to say to stay with their type as a
liability
issue.
...
If they're UL rated for the application, they're UL rated whoever is the
manufacturer.
Of course any manufacturer is going to want to sell their product over
the competitor's. Whether there's any advantage to the consumer is
another issue entirely... 
So we mark you down as being OK with a classified breaker (made by one
company but "classified" by U/L to go in another manufacturer's
panel.)
The guy on the other side would say the manufacturer's installation
instructions say you have to use their breakers so it is a 110.3(B)
violation (not following the Mfg instructions)
*I was in the supply house last week when a guy came in looking for
Murray circuit breakers. They don't sell Murray, but they carry Siemens
which makes Murray and the breakers are identical down to the type and
listing. The guy asked me where he could get Murray and I told him that
Home Depot carried them. I also told him that Siemens was approved for
Murray panels. He said that he put Siemens breakers in, but the
inspector insisted on Murray and would not approve the job unless they
were changed. The guy wasn't an electrician so I suspect that there were
other issues going on and the inspector was driving home a point.
I've never seen a QO breaker made by Cutler-Hammer. The Homeline panel
labels that I have read have only had approval for Homeline breakers.
The QO panels will only have approval for SquareD QO breakers. SquareD
takes great exception to using classified breakers in its panels. No
manufacturer will have classified breakers on their panel labels because
that manufacturer has not tested the classified breakers.
CH product info for CH classified breakers (625kB pdf):
http://www.eaton.com/ecm/idcplg?IdcS...me=SA00304001E