My electric dryer is connected to a dedicated 20 Amp, 240 V circuit breaker. Recently this breaker has begun triping. Thinking it was a faulty dryer, I replaced the dryer but the breaker continues to trip.

The breaker panel was installed when the home was built in the mid 1960s.
Can breakers become fatigued with time? If so, can the breaker be re-calibrated or does it need to be replaced?

The breaker panel name plate reads:
Pushmatic
Electri-Center
Bulldog Products Division

I've looked for a breaker replacement in home improvement stores and nothing looks a direct replacement.

Most dryers now are ran on 10 gage wire and 30 amp breaker

Sounds like you have a couple of problems. The new dryer probably requires a 30 amp circuit, and you only have a 20. The real issue is that if you have a 20 amp cicuit now, the wiring you have is not large enough to handle a 30 amp breaker. You will need to replace the wiring from the breaker panel to the dryer outlet... and also the breaker.

U will probably have to go to an electrical supply house to get the breaker.

Chuck

Home Depot claims to carry Pushmatic breakers.
See this site (http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&productId=100163313&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&ci_sku=100163313&ci_src=14110944&cm_mmc=shopping-_-googlebase-_-D27X-_-100163313&locStoreNum=2583&marketID=43)

Sounds like you have a couple of problems. The new dryer probably requires a 30 amp circuit, and you only have a 20. The real issue is that if you have a 20 amp cicuit now, the wiring you have is not large enough to handle a 30 amp breaker. You will need to replace the wiring from the breaker panel to the dryer outlet....and also the breaker.

Thanks Missouri Bound,
I think you nailed my problem. The new Dryer installation docs. Call for a dedicated 30Amp circuit. I wasn't aware since I've used the 20Amp circuit for about 19 years w/o a problem.

Your welcome, and best of luck