ahaidet
Well-known member
I want to remove a circuit from my breaker box and the breaker with it. Does anyone know where to get the cover plates (if thats what they are called), to cover the hole in the face plate left by the removed breaker?
Cover Plates for Breaker Box
- Thread starter ahaidet
- Start date
Junkman
Well-known member
Find an electrical supply house for the brand of electrical panel that you have, and drop in. They usually sell them in a pack of 4 or 6. I have a Square D panel, and I can get them at Home Depot. Some of the less known brand panels might be a challenge to find the "block off plates"..
BrianAltenhofel
Well-known member
Cutler Hammer is usually carried by ACE Hardware if you want to check there.
sberry
Banned
Menards carry CH also.
Charles (in GA)
Well-known member
HD carrys CH also, there are two types of CH panels, one is BR which I think is the old Bryant units, still marketed as BR and physically interchangeable with Siemens, 1" GE, and some others...................
The other type of CH panels/breakers are known as CH breakers, and are a propriety CH design. HD handles both down here in Atlanta. I would suspect the blanking plates for Siemens or GE panels would probably snap into a panel made by CH if it were of the BR type as the breakers are physically the same size. Probably not 100% legal, since code says accessories for a panel must be approved for that panel, but better than getting electrocuted.
Charles
The other type of CH panels/breakers are known as CH breakers, and are a propriety CH design. HD handles both down here in Atlanta. I would suspect the blanking plates for Siemens or GE panels would probably snap into a panel made by CH if it were of the BR type as the breakers are physically the same size. Probably not 100% legal, since code says accessories for a panel must be approved for that panel, but better than getting electrocuted.
Charles
hidollartoys
Well-known member
They are expensive in relation to their simplicity. You could make your own. Seen it before and will pass code.
ThumbsUp
Member
Why not just remove the wire from the circuit and leave the breaker in place; label it "Blank". Someday, sooner rather than later, you're gonna add another circuit for something anyway.
Charles (in GA)
Well-known member
I would think that homemade blanking plates would not be "legal" and probably would not pass inspection. I seem to recall that code says that "accessories" for something like a panelboard have to be approved by the mfg of the panel, this would not.
I have seen the twist outs tack welded back into place on oddball panels that the blanking plates were unobtainable for.
Fact is, GE, Siemens, Square D and other common panels have readily available blanking plates. I see them at HD and Lowes all the time, I have some GE ones I bought where I removed 1" breakers and installed a 1/2" breaker and needed to fill the other 1/2" gap. They were not expensive, probably in the $2 to $5 range for a pack of ten. Certainly more trouble to make something.
As others have mentioned, the alternative is to leave the breaker in place and label it unused (I have a couple of those in the house done just that way).
Charles
I have seen the twist outs tack welded back into place on oddball panels that the blanking plates were unobtainable for.
Fact is, GE, Siemens, Square D and other common panels have readily available blanking plates. I see them at HD and Lowes all the time, I have some GE ones I bought where I removed 1" breakers and installed a 1/2" breaker and needed to fill the other 1/2" gap. They were not expensive, probably in the $2 to $5 range for a pack of ten. Certainly more trouble to make something.
As others have mentioned, the alternative is to leave the breaker in place and label it unused (I have a couple of those in the house done just that way).
Charles
Nealcrenshaw
Well-known member
I agree with thumbsup.If you don't need it just leave it in.
nadogail
Well-known member
Another vote for leaving a breaker in place to fill the hole.
larry4406
Well-known member
cory58
Well-known member
Same situation as the OP. My panel is Federal Pacific from the early '80s. Any ideas on a source for a blanking plate? Interchangeable with any other brands. Another related question - can I just cut off the incoming wires for the circuit, or do they need to be removed so they don't enter the panel anymore? If they can be cut in the panel, do they need to be capped? I would like to cut them as close as possible to where they enter the panel, but will do whatever is correct.
Thanks, Cory
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Thanks, Cory
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acer66
Well-known member
I used the term filler plate and this came up.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HHD53VO/?tag=atomicindus08-20
dontlifttoshift
Well-known member
3 pack - 4 bucks at the home depot.
One more for just leave the breaker in place.
One more for just leave the breaker in place.
cory58
Well-known member
Thank you!
Take a look at the panel label. You should see a part number for the correct filler plate. If you put the wrong one in probably no one would ever notice unless it didn't fit right. As mentioned, usually easier to leave breaker in place, remove from screw terminal, and mark as spare.
I've heard that some inspectors want abandoned cables in panels to be capped and labeled. In the NEC I've only seen it required for communications cables and the like. There is a requirement for neat workmanship. If a single cable is in a single opening I see if it it can be pushed out of the panel and a filler installed in the hole.
I've heard that some inspectors want abandoned cables in panels to be capped and labeled. In the NEC I've only seen it required for communications cables and the like. There is a requirement for neat workmanship. If a single cable is in a single opening I see if it it can be pushed out of the panel and a filler installed in the hole.
wyliesdiesels
Well-known member
U should replace that panel instead of spending any more money on it.
Those panels are garbage!
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teamextreme
Well-known member
Make your own filler plates? Really? I'm the master of fabbing my own parts and pieces, but even I draw the line here. Filler plates are readily available, especially for OP's panel, at virtually every hardware store there is, for less than a dollar each. No way I'd waste time making my own (particularly since it's unlikely they'd pass an inspection in most jurisdictions).
teamextreme
Well-known member
Ha, beat me to it Wylies, I was just about to post that!
CJ7VFR
Well-known member
Just incase the OP did not know, these are called garbage because they are known to have faults in their construction that causes fires!
Jim
cory58
Well-known member
Thanks for the responses. I'm not planning to spend any money on the panel, just getting rid of an abandoned circuit from an old well. The panel is on a rental house I bought for the purpose of building a shop on the same land. The shop has a separate electrical feed.
Marctrees
Well-known member
Definitely leave breaker in and label as "Spare".
If the ckt is abandoned due to a fault in the ckt itself, ya, I would AT LEAST clip it where it enters the panel.
And, if it is in exposed install, I would remove it as far as is practical.
BUT, if it is not faulty, if it is usable in future....
If the ckt is NOT defective, absolutely leave a tail in the panel, but LABEL it clearly.
Even maybe tape on a baggie with an explanatory note if appropriate, for the next guy. logically. Marc
If the ckt is abandoned due to a fault in the ckt itself, ya, I would AT LEAST clip it where it enters the panel.
And, if it is in exposed install, I would remove it as far as is practical.
BUT, if it is not faulty, if it is usable in future....
If the ckt is NOT defective, absolutely leave a tail in the panel, but LABEL it clearly.
Even maybe tape on a baggie with an explanatory note if appropriate, for the next guy. logically. Marc
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Marctrees
Well-known member
I'm pretty sure when folks talk about making filler plugs, it is that they do not know they are available, not that they are trying to save the price of a cup of coffee.
But the quickest easiest "plug" is just to leave old one in, or even just put in a new breaker that's on the truck, and label as "Spare"
Unless ya got plugs on hand. Marc
But the quickest easiest "plug" is just to leave old one in, or even just put in a new breaker that's on the truck, and label as "Spare"
Unless ya got plugs on hand. Marc
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Unless one is dealing with proprietary out of production panels like FPE, ITE Pushmatic, Zinsco, & the twin breakers used in Challenger & Crouse-Hinds,panels, filler plates are readily available, the 1" wide fillers will interchange between brands, but GE THQL, 1", THQP 1/2", are a slight twist to that. SQ D QO, & Eaton type CH, are in classes by themselves. There is also nothing wrong with leaving a unused circuit breaker in place & marking it as "SPARE".