need help finding a 50A GFCI breaker for my service panel

[sam]

I haven't been brewing much in the past couple years and I'm ready for a change. These electric rigs are sweet and I've decided to give it a go.

I'm in the planning stages... would like to do a 50A setup so I can run two elements at the same time. The first thing I wanted to check is if I have a spot in my main panel for a breaker. Looks like I do!

The panel is an old Crouse-Hinds with Bryant Type BR breakers; service is 150A.

From some searches and the attached PDF it looks like Eaton/Cutler-Hammer breakers are UL Classified for my panel but I'm not 100% certain I'm interpreting the info correctly.

If I'm not mistaken, the breaker listed here should work: http://goo.gl/iJLpPn

Can someone take a look and let me know?

Thanks for the help!

View attachment Breakers-ClassifiedType.compressed.pdf

 

[itsnotrequired]

hard to say, the chart you provided indicates 'mp' breakers, your photos indicate 'br' breakers. checkout getting a refurbished breaker:

http://www.baybreakers.com/catalog/Bryant-BR250/product_info.html

the breaker above is not gfci but a 50 amp stand-alone gfci breaker will cost you an arm and a leg. consider a 'regular' breaker like in the link above and then installing 50 amp spa panel downstream. a 50 amp spa panel will run you $50-60. couple that with the breaker above and you are out $70 or so. a two pole 50 amp gfci breaker will cost well over $125.

 

[Munkee915]

Pull the breaker out of this? http://www.homedepot.com/p/Eaton-50-Amp-BR-Type-Spa-Panel-BR50SPA/100206043

 

[sam]

hard to say, the chart you provided indicates 'mp' breakers, your photos indicate 'br' breakers. checkout getting a refurbished breaker:

http://www.baybreakers.com/catalog/Bryant-BR250/product_info.html

the breaker above is not gfci but a 50 amp stand-alone gfci breaker will cost you an arm and a leg. consider a 'regular' breaker like in the link above and then installing 50 amp spa panel downstream. a 50 amp spa panel will run you $50-60. couple that with the breaker above and you are out $70 or so. a two pole 50 amp gfci breaker will cost well over $125.

Ah! OK, that makes sense. I'm a dummy; I was thinking that if I used a spa panel, the breaker that fed it also needed to be GFCI.



Thanks!

 

[sam]

Pull the breaker out of this? http://www.homedepot.com/p/Eaton-50-Amp-BR-Type-Spa-Panel-BR50SPA/100206043

I just checked the spec sheet on this and found it contains the exact same Eaton GFCB250 breaker that I linked to in my original post... but this is cheaper and includes the spa panel! Bought it.

I'll probably still install the spa panel as itsnotrequired suggested instead of pulling the breaker out and putting it into my main panel. It's only a few more dollars for the Bryant 50A breaker.

Thanks for pointing me to it.

 

[itsnotrequired]

the only downside to the spa panel is is is one more piece of equipment to mount, wire up, etc. typically not a huge deal but everyone's situation is unique. i am working on a 30 amp setup and was able to get a gfci circuit breaker on sale for only about $25 more than if i purchased a standard breaker and a spa panel. for me, it was worth $25 to not fart around with the spa panel and it makes for a cleaner installation.

if you're system will operate only at 240 volt (no 120 volt loads), i would recommend you still run a neutral from your main panel to the spa panel, to ensure proper gfci breaker operation. you wouldn't need the neutral from the spa panel to your equipment (unless you have 120 volt equipment). some gfcis don't work well without a neutral.

 

[sam]

the only downside to the spa panel is is is one more piece of equipment to mount, wire up, etc. typically not a huge deal but everyone's situation is unique. i am working on a 30 amp setup and was able to get a gfci circuit breaker on sale for only about $25 more than if i purchased a standard breaker and a spa panel. for me, it was worth $25 to not fart around with the spa panel and it makes for a cleaner installation.

if you're system will operate only at 240 volt (no 120 volt loads), i would recommend you still run a neutral from your main panel to the spa panel, to ensure proper gfci breaker operation. you wouldn't need the neutral from the spa panel to your equipment (unless you have 120 volt equipment). some gfcis don't work well without a neutral.

Understood (I think). I was planning on running neutral to both spa panel and outlet. My pumps are 120V and will be attached to the control panel.

It's not much of a "run" really. The spa panel will be mounted right next to the main panel and the outlet will be about 8 to 10 feet from the spa panel; all in the same corner of my basement.