Finding a compatible breaker for the Crouse Hinds panel is difficult as they are no longer available in the market. However, you may find 1-2 compatible breakers for your Crouse Hinds panel.
Siemens and Eaton’s breakers are the best compatible with the Crouse Hinds panel. Not all, but some Murray breakers are also compatible with the Crouse Hinds panel.
Since Crouse Hinds is an old company, finding compatible breakers can take time and effort. This guide will explain the factors to determine while selecting compatible breakers, the importance of compatibility, and compatible breakers for the Crouse Hinds panel.
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This post includes some affiliate links.Why should the breakers and panels be compatible?
The breakers and panels should be compatible with each other for better performance.
Otherwise, electrical appliances fail to work without proper compatibility.
The electrical panels and switchboards must be equipped with the correct breaker type.
By ensuring the compatibility between the electrical components, you will be able to avoid several issues and initiate good features, for example:
- Proper compatibility will avoid heat accumulation, which is common in incompatible devices.
- All the electrical components will work with proper stability for years.
- The fitting appearance will look perfect.
- You can save money if you buy compatible products. Incompatible products will need frequent repairs and replacements.
So, make sure the devices are compatible with each other.
How to determine the compatible breakers for the Crouse Hinds panel?
There are a few ways to check if the breakers are compatible with the Crouse Hinds panels or not:
Use a tester
Using a tester to check compatibility is straightforward.
You do not require any technician’s help here.
Still, it would be better to understand the electrical systems’ basics, especially the breaker’s working system.
Use the tester to check the important metrics, like the voltage, resistor, and amp rating.
Also, check the data plates on the devices.
When checking the measurements, notice the operating circuit too. There will be circuits in the switchboard or the panel.
Check the marks
Check the markings on the breaker. You will see A, B, C, and D and some numbers on the breaker’s surface.
The numbers are the current amp value, and the letters are the current state of the breaker, like single or 3-phase.
After that, check for the instruction to find the breaker compatibility:
- For single-phase breakers with single-phase panels, use A-marked breakers.
- For 3-phase breakers with single-phase panels, use a B-marked one.
- For 3-phase breakers with 3-phase panels, use the C-marked one.
- For single-phase breakers with 3-phase panels, use the D-marked one.
Designs
The design of the breaker must fit the physical need of the Crouse Hind panels.
Check the mounting style of the chosen breaker and see if you can insert the breaker in the panel properly.
If the mounting style is different, you won’t be able to use the breaker, even if the breaker and panel match in specifications.
That is why you should carry the old breaker while buying one for your panel.
The staff can ensure that you receive the breaker matching the make and model of your panel.
Features
If you replace the GFCI and AFCI breakers, check that the breaker provides the same features as the old one.
Otherwise, an incompatible breaker will not work in the panel.
These circuits are ideal for wet locations like the kitchen, laundry, and bathroom.
You cannot replace the breaker with one that does not have GFCI safety.
Functions
While buying a breaker for your Crouse Hind panel, check the setting of the circuit.
The circuit’s need will affect the breaker’s specification for the Crouse Hinds panel.
Underwriters Laboratories (UL)
The Underwriter Laboratories will have the list of brands compatible with Crouse Hinds.
So, you can trust the breakers suggested by the UL for Crouse Hinds panels.
They always test these products before recommending them to the customers.
Some contractors do not recommend breakers unless the brands are UL-classified.
What breakers are compatible with the Crouse Hinds panel?
Three breakers are found to be compatible with the Crouse Hind panel:
- Siemens
- Eaton
- Murray
Siemens
The first breaker in the compatibility list for Crouse Hind panels is Siemens.
It is due to their history which has made Siemens breaker compatible with the Crouse Hinds.
Carousel Hinds bought the Murray, and later, Siemens bought the Carousel Hinds.
Since Murray was gradually phased out by the fall of 2020, it was replaced with Siemens products.
That is why the Siemens breakers are perfectly compatible with the Crouse Hinds or Carousal Hind panels.
The Siemens and Murray breakers may look exactly the same. Still, Murray will only be partially compatible with the Crouse Hinds.
Are Siemens and Crouse Hinds interchangeable?
As mentioned, Siemens has removed all the Murray circuit breaker designs that Carousel Hinds bought.
Due to this change, the Carousel breakers are not interchangeable with the Siemens due to design incompatibility.
However, some of the Siemens breakers are interchangeable with the Crouse Hinds, and that’s why the breakers are compatible with the Crouse Hinds panels.
The QP-classified Siemens and MP-classified Crouse Hinds are interchangeable and compatible with the Crouse Hind panels.
You can even interchange these two with MP-T Murray breakers.
Murray
As I said, the Crouse Hind company bought Murray, and Siemens bought Crouse Hinds.
In recent times, the Murray and Siemens breakers have been identical.
So, Murray breakers are considered compatible with the Crouse Hind panel.
But since Siemens got rid of all the Murray breakers, most Murray products won’t be compatible with the Crouse Hinds.
However, some Murray models may fix well with the Crouse-Hinds panel; for example, the MP-T Murray breakers can go with the Crouse-Hinds panel.
You must consult an expert before installation.
Eaton
Experts recommend that Eaton Corp bought Crouse Hinds in 2012.
Eaton breakers are considered the Crouse Hind breaker cross reference.
The renowned Underwriters Laboratories have declared these breakers as direct replacements.
Besides, the current Eaton breakers are interchangeable with several other panel companies.
Crouse Hinds is one of them.
Crouse Hinds are quite ancient models. Customers sometimes struggle to get the right breaker for these panels.
You can use the Eaton breakers if you have a Crouse Hind panel.
The Eaton CL breakers are UL-classified for the Crouse Hind panels. You do not hesitate to use them.
Are Crouse Hind panels safe to use?
Crouse Hinds is a very ancient model.
Finding a breaker compatible with such a panel is quite difficult.
The company is almost unavailable in the local stores.
That is why people have changed to newer models like Siemens, Eaton, GE, and others.
Since it is an old model, people question the breaker and panel’s safety.
There is nothing to worry about if you own Crouse Hind panels.
They are completely safe to use as they are trustworthy brands.
Despite being an old model, the quality of the product has remained the same over the years.
However, due to the merger and acquisition, the brand is hard to get in the local market.
You will still find numerous houses, factories, and laboratories with the Crouse Hind breaker or panel.
If you face difficulty in finding a compatible breaker, go for Siemens and Eaton in the first place.
Which panels are unsafe and need replacement in recent times?
Some panels are now unsafe and incompatible with the newer breaker models.
These breakers are as old as the Crouse Hinds, but they do not perform like the CH panels because they do not provide enough protection compared to the recent models.
Here is a list of 3 main panels which you must replace if you have them:
Federal Pacific Electric or FPE Panels
These breakers were popular from the 1950s to the 1980s.
But, they were reported to be constantly failing to protect several houses, leading to fire hazards.
The most common problem is that circuit breakers fail to trip during overloading and short circuits, a common safety feature in all breakers nowadays.
So, if you have this panel, replace it with the newer models.
Zinsco panels
These panels were famous in the 1970s.
But Zinscos are dangerous because they were reported for frequent melting after getting connected to the main bus bars.
Due to this issue, the breakers fail to detect the overloading and short circuits and do not trip. Eventually, it allows the overloading, short circuits, and fire hazards.
Fuse box
A fuse box is not a company but an old type of electrical panel. The box uses the fuse instead of the circuit breaker.
It functions like a circuit breaker and automatically trips when it detects any overloading or short circuit.
However, the fuse boxes are not as safe as the circuit brakes. They lack several safety features which a circuit breaker possesses already.
One such feature is the reset feature. The breakers can be reset and reused after tripping, but you cannot reset or reuse the fuse boxes.
If your fuse trips, you have to repair the fuse, which will be expensive because you may have to buy a new fuse.
Final thoughts
Since Crouse Hinds are old models, they are almost unavailable in the market. But if you have such a panel and need a compatible breaker, go for Eaton and Siemens in the first place.
Since Crouse Hinds bought Murray and Siemens bought Murray, Crouse Hinds and Siemens are compatible. As for the Eaton, the Eaton CL breakers are UL-classified for the Crouse Hind panels.
You can also go for a few Murray models, but not all. For example, the MP-T Murray breakers will work with the Crouse Hind panel. While choosing a compatible breaker, consider a few things, like testing the breaker, checking the markings, and using models that match the panel’s design, features, and functions.
Also, ensure that the breaker you have chosen is UL-classified for the Crouse Hinds. Otherwise, it won’t work. If you own panels like FPE, Zinsco, or fuse boxes, replace them with the newer models. They are no longer safe on today’s date.
What happened to the Crouse Hind breakers?
Murray bought Crouse Hinds, and Siemens bought Murray. In the fall of 2020, Siemens phased out the Murray breakers. However, people still use Crouse Hinds due to its good quality and guarantee.
Should I replace Crouse Hind with Eaton CL breakers?
You can replace Crouse Hind with Eaton CL breakers. Eaton is UL-classified for Crouse Hinds.
Reference: Circuit Breakers Wikipedia.
