"Ignoramus5533" wrote in message
...
| I came into possession of a few used 400-600A circuit breakers. Each
| is the size of a milk jug. While researching prices on them and such
| (they sell for $150-200 on ebay), I learned that some cost many
| thousands of dollars new. I saw numbers from $2,500 and higher.
|
| I am curious just what makes them so expensive. Do they have any
| precious materials inside? Or what?
|
| i

There's a new kind out there now, which is wiping out the demand for the
older style. All amperages of the same body size of breaker are all the
same breaker, with a small module plugged in to control the trip point.
Folks love the low parts count. I've never priced them, but I was impressed
when I first saw 'em.
In that range, there's so few people that need them the economy of scale
keeps the price up, but I imagine that the used prices are really good.
Industrial customers usually don't tend to buy stuff like that used.

"carl mciver" wrote in message
ink.net...
"Ignoramus5533" wrote in message
...
| I came into possession of a few used 400-600A circuit breakers. Each
| is the size of a milk jug. While researching prices on them and such
| (they sell for $150-200 on ebay), I learned that some cost many
| thousands of dollars new. I saw numbers from $2,500 and higher.
|
| I am curious just what makes them so expensive. Do they have any
| precious materials inside? Or what?
|
| i

There's a new kind out there now, which is wiping out the demand for
the
older style. All amperages of the same body size of breaker are all the
same breaker, with a small module plugged in to control the trip point.
Folks love the low parts count. I've never priced them, but I was
impressed
when I first saw 'em.
In that range, there's so few people that need them the economy of
scale
keeps the price up, but I imagine that the used prices are really good.
Industrial customers usually don't tend to buy stuff like that used.

Industrial customer do purchase used, sometimes that is the only place they
will get what they need. There is a huge difference in large frame
breakers. Most are rebuildable. There are lots of aftermarket companies that
offer springs and contact kits for a lot of the popular old breakers.
As long as you have the personnel and equipment to do the testing after the
rebuild there is nothing wrong with a 15 year old breaker that is tested
after a rebuild. Most larger cities have several companies that specialize
in just this function. I just sold a bunch of GE Magnablasts and cells to a
factory in the east. Each breaker was produced circa 1977. The are of the
15kv varity and 1200-1600 amp frame. Each breaker weights in at a svelte
2350 pounds. They wanted to do an expansion and did not want to change
breaker types. They will refurbish these and add new trip units.
Installation of the cells will be over their Christmas shutdown. Sure glad
it is outside my service area.

Higher amperage breakers especially the medium voltage types can have lead
times of 20 plus weeks.

We will also be removing ~22 GE 2000kva transformers soon. 12.47kv to 480 or
208 3 phase 4 wire. Can I put you down for a few? Got 3 utility
transformers coming up. 69kv to 12.47kv any one interested? Oil samples
were taken, I do not have the results yet.

"Ignoramus21085" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 25 Oct 2005 09:41:01 -0700, SQLit wrote:

"carl mciver" wrote in message
ink.net...
"Ignoramus5533" wrote in message
...
| I came into possession of a few used 400-600A circuit breakers. Each
| is the size of a milk jug. While researching prices on them and such
| (they sell for $150-200 on ebay), I learned that some cost many
| thousands of dollars new. I saw numbers from $2,500 and higher.
|
| I am curious just what makes them so expensive. Do they have any
| precious materials inside? Or what?
|
| i

There's a new kind out there now, which is wiping out the demand
for
the
older style. All amperages of the same body size of breaker are all
the
same breaker, with a small module plugged in to control the trip point.
Folks love the low parts count. I've never priced them, but I was
impressed
when I first saw 'em.
In that range, there's so few people that need them the economy of
scale
keeps the price up, but I imagine that the used prices are really good.
Industrial customers usually don't tend to buy stuff like that used.

Industrial customer do purchase used, sometimes that is the only place
they
will get what they need. There is a huge difference in large frame
breakers. Most are rebuildable. There are lots of aftermarket companies
that
offer springs and contact kits for a lot of the popular old breakers.
As long as you have the personnel and equipment to do the testing after
the
rebuild there is nothing wrong with a 15 year old breaker that is tested
after a rebuild. Most larger cities have several companies that
specialize
in just this function. I just sold a bunch of GE Magnablasts and cells
to a
factory in the east. Each breaker was produced circa 1977. The are of
the
15kv varity and 1200-1600 amp frame. Each breaker weights in at a svelte
2350 pounds. They wanted to do an expansion and did not want to change
breaker types. They will refurbish these and add new trip units.
Installation of the cells will be over their Christmas shutdown. Sure
glad
it is outside my service area.

Higher amperage breakers especially the medium voltage types can have
lead
times of 20 plus weeks.

We will also be removing ~22 GE 2000kva transformers soon. 12.47kv to
480 or
208 3 phase 4 wire. Can I put you down for a few? Got 3 utility
transformers coming up. 69kv to 12.47kv any one interested? Oil
samples
were taken, I do not have the results yet.

Yeppers, that stuff has a cottage industry around it. Better to pay
$1000 to a rebuilder, than to pay $6,000 for a new one with a MSRP of
$11,000.

The bigger the breaker the less of a muliplyer there is. All depends on the
volume your doing with the supplier.


If I can sell mine to a rebuilder for $200, I will be happy as a clam.

i

What part of the country are you in? Maybe I can give you some numbers or
names that will help in the money mission. You will need to be VERY
specific with these folks.
Model, manufacture, frame size, trip unit/size, mounting, voltage, poles
just to get started. Detailed pictures help as well.