circuit breaker issue/potter&brumfield

turbo · #1 11-06-2008, 03:07 PM

i have a circuit breaker/master switch panel that has breakers by potter & brumfield. has anyone had any intermitent voltage problems with this type of breaker. mine are about 9 years old. next time i have a problem i will check the voltage on both sides of the breaker to see if that is the culprit. thanks for any input.

asav8tor · #2 11-06-2008, 03:15 PM

Did it get wet?

I had a master (split cessna type) got wet and caused voltage fluctuations.

turbo · #3 11-06-2008, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by asav8tor

Did it get wet?

I had a master (split cessna type) got wet and caused voltage fluctuations.

water is not an issue. i think these breakers are of low quality though.

MJarreau · #4 11-06-2008, 07:16 PM

When contacts are closed, there is always an arc (spark) whether or not you can see it. This arcing causes minute pitting on both surfaces because of the nature of the spark (while tiny, very hot). Over time, the contact surfaces may become quite rough, causing some of the characteristics you mention.

If you replace the unit and tear down the original, I'd love to know if this is what you find.

Good luck!
Michael

turbo · #5 11-07-2008, 04:36 AM

the problem is with the breakers only. i am 90% sure it is the breakers. i am going to start replacing the suspect breakers and see if it gets better.

vlittle · #6 11-07-2008, 08:52 AM

Ed, are these the W28 series P&B breakers like this one?

I've used these and have had to replace a couple. The upside is that they are very low cost, compact and easy to mount.

Vern

turbo · #7 11-07-2008, 02:55 PM

yep, looks about right. my plane is 8 yrs old with over 3,000 hrs on it. these electrical gremlins have been bugging me. nice to know i am zeroing in on the problem.
about how much are they and where did you purchase them?

vlittle · #8 11-07-2008, 06:36 PM

About $3.00 each at Digikey.

V

turbo · #9 11-08-2008, 04:32 AM

vernon, i was curious how your breaker problem occurred ? the price is very cheap. thanks for the source. i have about 5 breakers acting up. how old were the breakers you replaced?

vlittle · #10 11-08-2008, 08:39 AM

I had trouble with a strobe breaker and a flap breaker after downstream failures.

In the case of the strobe circuit, a switch overheated and the symptom was a popping breaker. I replaced the switch and breaker.

The flap breaker would randomly pop and had to be replaced. Eventually the flap motor failed so it may have been trying to tell me something.

Neither of these were the fault of the breaker, but I don't feel comfortable using a breaker that's popped several times. They are so cheap that I just replaced them.

Age was not an issue.

Vern