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dherman1 · Aug 4, 2005, 10:04 AM

Greetings all,

I am need of replacing an old Pushmatic Service Panel. The only breakers I can find for it are on e-bay. Plus I need to add a sub-panel in the garage for the new addition my wife wants. (She gets a walk-in closet and a bigger master bathroom with a tub and a separate shower, I get the new garage stall that is under the closet/bath addition)

I have always heard that Square-D is the way to go, but only if you use the QO line.

The electrician wants to use G-E stuff. (The builder passed along that when he asked the electrician if the new stuff was going to be QO as it had an all copper buss, the electrician responded: "Who is this guy? An Electricial Engineer? <grin>)

From what I can see on GE's website, the panels are all copper busses so that seems good.

Should I pay ~$400 more for QO or is GE good?

Thanks! Dan

P.S. Anyone want to buy some old Pushmatic Breakers?

switchace · Aug 4, 2005, 10:40 AM

I'm an electrican in the navy so cost doesn't matter to us but we always use square-D stuff for everything for individual breackers to the full out box. They are easy to use and are very good quality. So if you are willing to spend the extra money I would go with the square-D

labman · Aug 4, 2005, 12:21 PM

Take it easy and let the electrician use GE. They have been around a long time, and likely will be still be in the business in 20 years. You can also find their products in retails stores where you may be more comfortable picking up odds and ends you may need in 10 years.

Pushmatic used to be a major brand, but I am not sure I have seen much of them recently.

eg007 · Aug 22, 2005, 07:11 PM

I and pretty much everyone I ever worked with prefer Square D QO. I've used GE panels though and they aren't awful.. but I think some of them had copper covered aluminum not solid copper busses. The local State Electric lost a lot of customers when they switched to GE... but hey everyone has their preferences and I've yet to hear of a GE panel catching on fire hehe.

contractor · Mar 23, 2008, 07:45 AM

Square D panels are good, As an electrician you never find some other manufactures breaker in a Square D panel. GE, Murray interchange and this is not allowed by NEC National Electrical Code. Sub panels need the whites and bare wires on their on bars. And the new code requires AFCI and GFCI circuits as well as Tamper resistance outlets just about everywhere in a house.

stanfortyman · Mar 23, 2008, 08:30 AM

Originally Posted by contractor

and the new code requires AFCI and GFCI circuits as well as Tamper resistance outlets just about everywhere in a house.

First off, the AFCI requirements is ONLY if your area has adopted it. NOT all areas have adopted 2008 (or even 2005) in it's enitrety. MANY areas have amendments to the AFCI requirement.

Also, what code requires GFCIs all over?? This is news to me.

Considering this thread is three years old things have changed.