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SQLit
- Jan 1, 1970
- 0
carl mciver said:| I came into possession of a few used 400-600A circuit breakers. Each
| is the size of a milk jug. While researching prices on them and such
| (they sell for $150-200 on ebay), I learned that some cost many
| thousands of dollars new. I saw numbers from $2,500 and higher.
|
| I am curious just what makes them so expensive. Do they have any
| precious materials inside? Or what?
|
| i
There's a new kind out there now, which is wiping out the demand for the
older style. All amperages of the same body size of breaker are all the
same breaker, with a small module plugged in to control the trip point.
Folks love the low parts count. I've never priced them, but I was impressed
when I first saw 'em.
In that range, there's so few people that need them the economy of scale
keeps the price up, but I imagine that the used prices are really good.
Industrial customers usually don't tend to buy stuff like that used.
Industrial customer do purchase used, sometimes that is the only place they
will get what they need. There is a huge difference in large frame
breakers. Most are rebuildable. There are lots of aftermarket companies that
offer springs and contact kits for a lot of the popular old breakers.
As long as you have the personnel and equipment to do the testing after the
rebuild there is nothing wrong with a 15 year old breaker that is tested
after a rebuild. Most larger cities have several companies that specialize
in just this function. I just sold a bunch of GE Magnablasts and cells to a
factory in the east. Each breaker was produced circa 1977. The are of the
15kv varity and 1200-1600 amp frame. Each breaker weights in at a svelte
2350 pounds. They wanted to do an expansion and did not want to change
breaker types. They will refurbish these and add new trip units.
Installation of the cells will be over their Christmas shutdown. Sure glad
it is outside my service area.
Higher amperage breakers especially the medium voltage types can have lead
times of 20 plus weeks.
We will also be removing ~22 GE 2000kva transformers soon. 12.47kv to 480 or
208 3 phase 4 wire. Can I put you down for a few? Got 3 utility
transformers coming up. 69kv to 12.47kv any one interested? Oil samples
were taken, I do not have the results yet.