What circuit breakers/ Electric panel be this?

[forceten]

My mom lives in upstate NY around 5-6 hours from me. Called me this morning said she had no hot water. Told her to have the local propane company (propane hot water) come out to take a look. They did, told her tank is leaking from the top inside and popping off the pilot. I usually see hot water heaters pop on the bottom, but its not in front of me so not sure.

They gave her a quote of $1,500 for a new one. So now this means I gotta take a drive up to do it myself . She is in a mobile home, so direct vent propane (hud approved) cost me $500 or $600 if I remember right. Gonna just swap her over to electric. Told her to send me pictures of her breaker box to see if she had room in the panel. She sent me this.

What the hell kind of breakers are these? That just some type of plastic covers over normal Siemens or square d breakers? Or is this some special crap for trailers/mobile homes that I just don't know about? I'm gonna go see - but would rather know what to bring up while I'm in town here and by my supply houses. rather than 5 hours away in the middle of nowhere.

Anyone know?

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

I've worked on a lot of electrical panels and I've never seen those.
So yes your probably right when you say "some special crap for trailers/mobile homes"!

 

[Howling]

Those are odd ball breakers.

Have her take pictures of the panel door (in/out) and any other place there is words /numbers on the panel.

Looking for manufacture, breaker type ID or something to start Googling breaker images to find them.

 

[ironpony]

I have worked on a couple over the years and everything in them is specific to mobile homes. Get pictures of the water heater, the ones I have worked on had "special" plumbing fittings, nothing you can walk in and buy at the big box stores. Good luck.

 

[BAP]

Depending on where the trailer was made, if it came from Canada, the panel may not even be legal in this country. We bought a house 3 years ago that the previous owner had built. It was a pre-fab house from Canada. After we moved in, we had an addition put on. The electrician went to get a breaker for the panel to run a sub-panel in the addition, and it was different. The electrical supply house didn't recognize it so they sent it off to a distributor and received a call from them saying that the panel was illegal to be used in this country so we had to change out the panel in order to be able to add onto the electrical.

 

[Daren Todd]

Depending on where the trailer was made, if it came from Canada, the panel may not even be legal in this country. We bought a house 3 years ago that the previous owner had built. It was a pre-fab house from Canada. After we moved in, we had an addition put on. The electrician went to get a breaker for the panel to run a sub-panel in the addition, and it was different. The electrical supply house didn't recognize it so they sent it off to a distributor and received a call from them saying that the panel was illegal to be used in this country so we had to change out the panel in order to be able to add onto the electrical.

Other then the Pita of having to change out the panel and the extra time, a new panel and the breakers are fairly inexpensive. I was wondering when I looked at the picture, where the 16 amp breaker came from. Usually here in the states they go up by 5.

I'm wondering on the panels that are illegal in the states, if there is any recourse the home owner can take against the seller and manufacturer of the home

 

[forceten]

square d Trilliant breakers, from the 80's and early 90's. Only real place to get them is ebay it seems

 

[bcp]

Sell the breakers on Ebay for enough to pay for the new panel.

http://www.ebay.com/bhp/trilliant-circuit-breakers

Bruce

 

[clay45]

Why not just start with a replacement like this and get any additional breakers you need from Lowes or Home Depot?

http://www.lowes.com/pd/GE-20-Circuit-20-Space-100-Amp-Main-Breaker-Load-Center-Value-Pack/1038341

 

[Joisey]

I've had bad experience with GE breakers and breaker panels. The lugs that the breakers connect to in the panel overheat and eventually burn off. This is on 15 and 20 amp single pole breakers. The panel was put in in 1965 and we started having trouble in 1970. Replaced the panel with a Square D QO panel in 1972. Still running strong.

I've always used Square D QO breakers and panels. Commercial duty and the breakers are generally cheaper than other brands (except for piggyback breakers, and I don't do them anyhow.)