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enter image description hereenter image description hereWe discovered the family room circuit breaker in off position doesn’t turn off any circuits in the family room. Other 3 breakers in this quad breaker are fine. We checked and no other breaker in the main panel can kill the family room circuits. So that makes us believe one of the 4 breaker in this unit has gone bad.

Problem is we can’t find a 15A rated 2 double pole breaker anywhere online or in a local store.

So my question is what can else can I use as an alternative? enter image description here

chartreuse23
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  • Thanks I added a picture. – chartreuse23 Sep 11 '21 at 16:19
  • Oops let me gather more info to add here. Will try the main panel switch. This is the only panel other one is for AC tried that. – chartreuse23 Sep 11 '21 at 16:24
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    Close, but no cigar. We need to see a picture of the manufacturer's label, usually on the inside of the door. This will list the make/model of the panel, and the electricians here will mostly be able to recite the list of acceptable breaker lines from memory. – FreeMan Sep 11 '21 at 16:24
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    A Siemens Q21515ct2 appears to be the number for the direct replacement, but the markings on the adjacent breakers appear to not be the same brand making a UL/CSA/ETL Listing violation likely. Information from the label showing acceptable breakers and acceptable location for split-breakers is needed. – NoSparksPlease Sep 11 '21 at 16:27
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    Can you post photos of the labeling on the inside of the panel's door, as well as a photo showing all the breakers in the panel? – ThreePhaseEel Sep 11 '21 at 16:52
  • Added couple of pics, Main panel is Cutler-Hammer. – chartreuse23 Sep 11 '21 at 17:45
  • Yes you need to stay with breakers that are UL-Listed for your panel. Most people assume there was a big conference in Kenosha WI in 1958 where all panel makers made their buses standardized; actually the opposite is true. They made their buses all different to avoid each others' patents. As such, they seem to snap in but they're NOT interchangeable and will not engage the bus properly, possibly arcing and burning. You can stay in-brand (allowing for mergers and acquisitions, i.e. Eaton now) or use UL-Classified breakers. – Harper - Reinstate Monica Sep 12 '21 at 00:07

1 Answers1

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Evict the alien!

That Siemens QT quadplex breaker has absolutely no place in your Eaton/C-H BR panel. As a result, the correct replacement is a BR quadruplex breaker, namely the BQC215215, which should be available through your local hardware or big-box store.

ThreePhaseEel
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  • Cutler-Hammer BQC215215 Type BQC Quadplex Thermal Magnetic Molded Case Circuit Breaker, 120/240 VAC, 15 A, 2 Poles https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07RGMC5SG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_78080PCR859ZV7AK7S69 the outer two breakers will not trip together as with the current Siemens breaker. Is that ok? – chartreuse23 Sep 11 '21 at 20:44
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    @gxden23 -- BQCs should be common trip, although you shouldn't need it for what looks to be a fairly ordinary MWBC. Also, do not order this sort of thing off of Amazon -- their sloppy handling of product provenance is the last thing you need here – ThreePhaseEel Sep 11 '21 at 23:22
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    Yes, since common trip is not required, as such I believe a BQ215215 should suffice. I completely concur: source elsewhere than Amazon. All the big-box stores do curbside, as will any decent family-owned hardware store. Also the mail-order divisions of the big-box stores will ship reliable product. They generally ship free & fast with a $35 order. – Harper - Reinstate Monica Sep 11 '21 at 23:34