[Jon Paul]

Hi all: This job the customer wants everything by the book, using 200A AL/CU panel, Square D QO. All panels come with a lug torque label, but breaker ratings seem hard to find, a search f all CB specs showed nothing. Have 15...100A breakers. Anyone ever see a breaker torque spec? Anyone even use a torque wrench on panels or breakers? Many thanks! Jon Paul EE

 

[Chris1971]

Hi all: This job the customer wants everything by the book, using 200A AL/CU panel, Square D QO. All panels come with a lug torque label, but breaker ratings seem hard to find, a search f all CB specs showed nothing. Have 15...100A breakers. Anyone ever see a breaker torque spec? Anyone even use a torque wrench on panels or breakers? Many thanks! Jon Paul EE

Sometimes main breaker torque specs are labeled on the panel.

 

[Big John]

There's this publication from Schneider. But personally, I'd look at the breakers themselves: It's very often printed on the face or side.

 

[Jon Paul]

Big John: Exactly!

This is exactly the info I needed, wonder why its so hard to find on the Schnider website! Enjoy, Jon

 

[Paulusgnome]

Document libraries that are disorganised, disjointed, hard to find, and obscure are sadly not just limited to Schneider.
It is a universal characteristic of all electrical manufacturers.

 

[erics37]

If you hear plastic snapping, you're good.

 

[brian john]

And 36 Inch Pounds is hardly anything, having torqued 20 amp QOB's to spec I can tell you 99.9% of connections on QOB's that are not torqued with a calibrated torque screwdriver are way over tightened.

This is one of several torque screw drivers our employees carry.

 

[rrolleston]

How about a 2lb hammer an impact driver and some loctite. :laughing:

 

[TOOL_5150]

I guarantee you that it says it right on the breaker. Im not being a smart ass... I install Square D panels all the time.

 

[daveEM]

If you hear plastic snapping, you're good.

Yeah I like tight.

 

[brian john]

In performing testing I have learned 90% of all electrical connections are over tightened, 9% torqued properly and 1% loose.

That was not data from a Gallop poll but me personal non-scientific WILD ASS GUESS and could be off as much as 100%.:laughing:. Actually I think for a guess it is close to accurate.

 

[Big John]

Even though I have great confidence in properly torqued terms, without a torque-wrench I always overtighten because I just don't trust how "loose" they feel otherwise.

 

[Semi-Ret Electrician]

We had an electrical manufacture do a demo on the need to properly torque connections, at an IAEI meeting.

In the past they offered $100 to anyone who could properly torque a 200A lug by feel.

Out of about 20 of us only one got it right but it wasn't me

 

[Meadow]

Document libraries that are disorganised, disjointed, hard to find, and obscure are sadly not just limited to Schneider.
It is a universal characteristic of all electrical manufacturers.

Took the words out of my fingers:thumbup:

 

[Big John]

..In the past they offered $100 to anyone who could properly torque a 200A lug by feel.

Out of about 20 of us only one got it right but it wasn't me

Nuts, what was the tolerance, did it have to be dead-on to win?

I torque a ton of 1/2" bus-bar bolts and I can usually get within a couple foot-pounds by feel alone.

 

[Semi-Ret Electrician]

Nuts, what was the tolerance, did it have to be dead-on to win?

I torque a ton of 1/2" bus-bar bolts and I can usually get within a couple foot-pounds by feel alone.

I think they quit doing it because of guys like you!:laughing:

They never said what the tolerance was. But they said they didn't give much money away.

In the Navy we had to torque some 3/4" nuts with a 2 ft wrench to 250 lb-ft. Usually we just hung on the wrench and it was good:laughing:

 

[Maximumbob]

And 36 Inch Pounds is hardly anything, having torqued 20 amp QOB's to spec I can tell you 99.9% of connections on QOB's that are not torqued with a calibrated torque screwdriver are way over tightened.

This is one of several torque screw drivers our employees carry.

http://www.amazon.com/Wiha-28506-To...1390738483&sr=8-4&keywords=torque+screwdriver

Does that come with a lanyard? I wouldn't want to lose too many of those.

 

[brian john]

Document libraries that are disorganised, disjointed, hard to find, and obscure are sadly not just limited to Schneider.
It is a universal characteristic of all electrical manufacturers.

You will never make it testing circuit breakers, I have to have a manufactures brochure for every circuit breaker we test and we have to read them some are ridiculously long and disjointed. In this day and age it is a lot easier to obtain the data than in pre-internet days.

 

[wendon]

Most breakers with an Allen wrench bolt have the torque specs on them. Most of the SQ QO 200 amp stuff is 250 in lbs. We use a torque wrench all the time on larger breakers, CT cabinet lugs etc. POCO even looks at us a little funny but one split lug on a main breaker will buy you a number of torque wrenches.

 

[brian john]

Most breakers with an Allen wrench bolt have the torque specs on them. Most of the SQ QO 200 amp stuff is 250 in lbs. We use a torque wrench all the time on larger breakers, CT cabinet lugs etc. POCO even looks at us a little funny but one split lug on a main breaker will buy you a number of torque wrenches.

If you are splitting lugs (NOT YOU PERSONALLY) you are not an electrician your a freaking gorilla.