A circuit breaker is a critical line of Défense against the home wires and protection against the electrical surge.
All the electrical appliances in your home are well protected due to a circuit breaker only, and that’s why it is very much important.
Bryant, a subsidiary of Westinghouse in 1901, is a well-known brand and was later bought by Cutler-Hammer, which is now Eaton.
What replaces Bryant breakers?
The Eaton Cutler-Hammer 20 Amp 2 inches Double-Pole which is BR type, is an optimal replacement circuit breaker.
This is UL–listed and compatible with most Westinghouse Challenger load breakers.
This circuit breaker protects your home from any overload/ short circuit of one’s home electricals.
Replacing the Bryant Circuit Breaker:
It is just a three-step easy process as follow –
- Begin by shutting off the power at the main breaker, which is inside the main power panel, and unscrew all bolts which hold the breaker cover
- Then, use a medium screwdriver to pry out the earlier defective Bryant circuit breaker.
- Push the already bought replacement or new breaker into the old position of the power panel
When should one replace the circuit breaker?
There are some common signs that the replacement is inevitable for a circuit breaker –
- A burning smell in your electrical panel is an obvious sign and especially a burning odor type smell.
This also means that the wires or the insulation have overheated themselves.
In such a condition, it is best to shut off the main power of your house and call an electrician.
- The breaker is not resetting, and this is a great warning sign and shows that the circuit breaker has become weak. In such a case, hire an electrician and let him check It out.
- Physical damage like observing some scorch marks near the circuit breaker or some electrical outlets.
This also shows the wire is melting and failing at the same time, and this is a security threat.
- I am frequently tripping in the breakers and means an outdated breaker.
Because they should only trip if too much power gets drawn.
This is a serious situation as your breaker will trip on every occasion, even when using a vacuum or a microwave.
- The old age of the breaker can cause it to fail and trip too often.
While the circuit breakers last for decades but sometimes it can happen if you are not inspecting them regularly.
Invest in a good and new panel after consulting an electrician.
Upgrading the circuit breaker:
A circuit breaker goes through a lot of rough situations each day, such as power surges and overheating issues.
If the breaker overheats beyond a particular point, then it can lead to a lot of fire situations in the house.
This risk is not worth it as not only is it a safety hazard, but also your property value will decrease.
It does not matter if the fire is small or big; in both cases, the property value will decrease for sure.
So, one should upgrade these units as soon as possible and should not ignore any of the warning signs.
After all, everyone wants a safe house and not an unsafe one.
Some recommended items:
01. Eaton Cutler-Hammer BR120 – $105.99 to $107.89
- An interchangeable Circuit breaker, 20 A and 10 Pack.
- Single Pole BR and UL-approved replacement breakers. A make of Westinghouse, Challenger, and Bryant with a 120/ 240V Voltage rating.
02. Bryant BD1515 – $15.99 to $19.35
–Twin Pull Circuit breaker.
- A Cutler-Hammer 15 Amp Twin and 1 inch wide, 5.9 ounces and 8.5 x 6.73-inch design.
- Highly rated.
03. Siemen’s QP 120 20-Amp Single-pole Circuit breaker – $5.99 to $16.35
– Ranges from 15 Amp to 60 Amp.
- 120 Volts and Single pole QP type circuit breaker with 10000 AIC interrupting ranking.
- Easy to plug in and comes with an industry-leading instant wire feature.
- Also compatible with most Siemens PL & ES load centers.
04. Circuit Breaker Lockout Device – $65.99 to $69.55
– 20 Pcs. Universal single and multi-pole breakers lockout.
- Universal lockers to lock any kind of ISO/ DIN circuit breakers across the world.
- Easy to install with a small screwdriver and can accommodate half-inch padlock shackles.
- Make it of glass-filled nylon and a twisted screw.
- A lifetime warranty and high ratings.
Some other questions:
Related Questions and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q1.) Do the Eaton breakers fit the Challenger panels?
Answer: Yes
This circuit breaker is a 20 Amp Single-pole type replacement circuit breaker to protect your house wires from any kind of overheating.
Also, it lists on UL and is compatible with Challenger and even the Westinghouse breakers and can take load up to 240 Volt.
Q2.) Can one change the CH and BR?
Answer: Firstly, there are two things to know, and that are physical and legal aspects of compatibility.
While many of the breakers are physically interchangeable, this does not mean one should do it.
The legal aspect states that the UL-listed ones must be checked first and if it is legitimate to do so, only then do so.
Q3.) Are the Eaton and Cutler hammer the same thing?
Answer: Yes
Both are the same and even compatible as well.
As we know that just the names have been changed and not anything else.
Q4.) What is a Type BR breaker?
Answer: A single-pole type BR circuit breaker helps to protect any overload or even from a short circuit whose cause is overheating.
Q5.) Can one use Square D and GE breakers interchangeably?
Answer: No.
Square D does not make any of the classified breakers, and that means you can’t use them on any other panels.
The same rules apply to its compatibility with General Electric breakers.
Q6.) What do you mean by BR in Eaton breakers?
Answer: BR breakers get approval from UL and make genuine and best replacement breakers across all their load centers in Challenger and Bryant.
They have around a 10-year warranty as well.
Q7.) What is the one-line difference between the Eaton Br and CH breakers?
Answer: BR breakers are typically those breakers that are 1 inch in width and are black with black handles.
Some even have a 10-year warranty.
CH breakers, on the other hand, provide premium and all-rounder protection from any overload, and they do all this with a trip flag.
Q8.) Can we shop for circuit breakers at Home Depot?
Answer: Yes
There are many varieties for different areas and many kinds of latest electrical solutions.
Q9.) Can one use Square D and Cutler-Hammer interchangeably?
Answer: While both breakers fit easily, but it can be a good habit to see the model number and match as per the list given there.
Q10.) Who is the maker of the Square D circuit breakers?
Answer: Schneider Electric makes Square D
Q11.) What kind of breakers is compatible with the Cutler-Hammer?
Answer: Many kinds of brands such as Eaton and Westinghouse breakers are compatible with most.
However, one might need to find the exact model for this facility.
Q12.) What interchanges best with the Cutler-Hammer breakers?
Answer: This is a UL-Listed breaker and is very well compatible with most famous brands such as Bryant, Challenger, and the Bryant.
240 – Volt is the maximum load size.
Q13.) How much cost does one need to spend on the replacement of a circuit breaker?
Answer: Around $150 to $200, including labor charges.
Fuses are the cheapest among all, costing just $5 to $45 as per the type and need.
Labour is on the costlier side, which is around $40 – $89 / hour and needs two-to-three-hour time.
Q14.) Can one replace the 20-amp breaker with the 15-amp breaker?
Answer: While it is physically possible, but experts do not advise it.
Always consult an electrician and then go ahead, or one can put himself at a safety hazard.
Q15.) Can the circuit breakers get weak?
Answer: Normally, the breakers built are such to last decades and get weak only when the tripping is frequent in them.
One can easily check it with an amperage meter and verify the same.
Q16.) Can one replace a 30 amp with a 40-amp breaker?
Answer: Installing a higher 40 A breaker means allowing the electrical system to run at around 33% more than its rated capacity is using against a 30 Amp breaker.
Not very great.
Q17.) Can one use a higher amp circuit breaker?
Answer: No!
Use or replace only the proper one and not with any or risk your wire to catch fire!
Q18.) What is the usage of a 30 Amp wire?
Answer: 10 ga copper or an eight ga Alu wire is fine.
Final Verdict
A circuit breaker is a very useful item and is great to keep your home safe from fires and during power surges.
They also protect from short circuits and other electrical issues safeguarding electrical appliances and wire systems.
A BR-type circuit breaker is 1 inch wide and has a blackish color, and most have 10 years + of warranty.
Replacement of the circuit breaker becomes inevitable sometimes, and it is a much more economical investment due to safety reasons.
Some of the common warning signs of a poor circuit breaker are flickering lights or microwave/ stove underperformance.
A smoking scent erupting from the panels is another sign as well.
So, be safe and replace as soon as you notice any of these problems or risk having a readymade fire hazard waiting for you.
While most of the brands are interchangeable, however, it is not recommended to do so.
One should only interchange the UL-listed ones for added safety.
See for yourself.
Thanks For Reading!