trilliant breakers - Electrician Talk - Professional Electrical Contractors Forum

njapprentice · 05-27-2009, 04:44 PM

does anyone have any suggestions for tracking down a 30 amp two pole breaker? trilliant breakers seem to be very hard to come by.

**MDShunk** · 05-27-2009, 04:46 PM

There seems to still be plenty of new old stock. I get them from my supply house new in a Square D box. Plenty expensive, though.

njapprentice · 05-27-2009, 04:49 PM

I cant seem to find any in my area, except for on ebay used for $180. its for a hot tub install and im considering suggesting a whole new box.

is your supply house in the south jersey area?

**MDShunk** · 05-27-2009, 04:51 PM

Breaker Brokers Inc has a SDT230 for 45 bucks. Call Dan at 1-800-553-2431

william1978 · 05-27-2009, 04:52 PM

Google???? Google seems to be a popular word on here lately.

william1978 · 05-27-2009, 04:53 PM

Welcome to the forum also.

njapprentice · 05-27-2009, 04:54 PM

google led me to ebay and like i said they r way to expensive there. but thanks for the phone number i will give a call today.

njapprentice · 05-27-2009, 04:55 PM

thanks for the welcome. while we are on the subject does anyone have any thoughts on leaving this old trilliant box in place versus an upgrade? there is nothing wrong with it mechanicly, but after this hot tub it will be at its capacity.

**MDShunk** · 05-27-2009, 04:56 PM

Last Trilliant breaker I used was for a pool panel/timer rig thing that had a GE logo on the box, but took Trilliant breakers. Should have taken a picture of that. It was all brown plastic, if that rings a bell for anyone. It was about an 8 circuit panel with a Grasslin-style time clock built into it. Only one like it I've ever seen, but then again, not so many pools up north here. Maybe one of the FL boys have seen them.

**MDShunk** · 05-27-2009, 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by njapprentice

thanks for the welcome. while we are on the subject does anyone have any thoughts on leaving this old trilliant box in place versus an upgrade? there is nothing wrong with it mechanicly, but after this hot tub it will be at its capacity.

You'd have to gauge their future plans. If you needed more than just the one SDT breaker, you'd certainly have to think long and hard about an upgrade (or at least a panel changeout). I'd likely shoot for the sale, but really wouldn't feel bad about using up the last space for the spa. That's what spaces are for. Too bad the breaker is 50 bucks.

njapprentice · 05-27-2009, 05:02 PM

i dont mind 50 bucks for the breaker thats a lot better than I have been able to find. As for shooting for the sale... I get the feeling it might be more aggrevation than it is worth. its very messy and not balanced well and its old. God only knows what i might find when i start to change things. But it is definatly worth considering. Work is work right!?!

cdnelectrician · 05-27-2009, 05:03 PM

Wow, plastic panels...I dunno if I like that Idea.

https://www.nachi.org/forum/attachme...l-eci-020a.jpg

Is this the monster you are all talking about?

njapprentice · 05-27-2009, 05:03 PM

and by the way future plans are unknown at this point in time

Podagrower · 05-27-2009, 06:29 PM

I remember those pieces of garbage....

The cover screws strip out about the fourth time you take the cover off. More bad breakers right out of the box than anything I've ever seen (meaning they are in the trip position from the factory, but will not reset-unless you hit them with your kliens on the side). Almost impossible to add a new wire after you use the round KO for your service cable and the alligater style clamp for romex.

They had some nice, inventive features, but not my favorite.

electricalperson · 05-27-2009, 11:01 PM

i never seen a trilliant panel. where were they most popular?

user4818 · 05-27-2009, 11:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by electricalperson

i never seen a trilliant panel. where were they most popular?

Back in the 1870's.

MF Dagger · 05-28-2009, 10:21 PM

I had never even heard of them before this thread. It does give me the urge to go scrounge up relics in my garage and post some pictures for the heck of it.

**MDShunk** · 05-29-2009, 07:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by electricalperson

i never seen a trilliant panel. where were they most popular?

They never really caught on. Plastic panels are most of what gets used in Europe, but they were met with skepticism in North America. I guess it was a decent product ahead of its time in the marketplace. I might run across one a year if I'm lucky.

electricalperson · 05-29-2009, 05:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MDShunk

They never really caught on. Plastic panels are most of what gets used in Europe, but they were met with skepticism in North America. I guess it was a decent product ahead of its time in the marketplace. I might run across one a year if I'm lucky.

it must be a regional thing too. i hear guys talk about zinsco, pushmatic and now trilliant. i worked in tons of houses and commercial buildings and ive seen pushmatic once and never seen zinsco. the main crap company i see is FPE stab lok. i see tons and tons of westinghouse, bryant, T&B, old GE and things like that. a lot of the crap was probably replaced

InPhase277 · 05-29-2009, 10:45 PM

Word on the street is, Trilliant panels are the inspiration for the word "trill", which the rappers use. In rap-speak it means "absolutely f*cking ******ed"...