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I’m not really looking for any relief here. I had to have them and have purchased them anyway but I’m just curious.
I recently needed some old-style (style changed last couple of years, I think) 3/4″ Cutler-Hammer Twin Single Pole 15A Breakers. With current regular single-poles going for about $3 and twins for about $7, I was a little surprised when the old-styles from a local electrical supply house set me back $25 a piece.
Is that a fair price or did I maybe get reamed as a DIYer because I was a “Cash Sale”? The “Cash Sales are final” notation and the “Delivered in Perfect Condition” signoff on the invoice left me with the impression they might not be too amenable to non-trade business.
Thoughts? Too expensive or simply a factor of the dwindling supply of this no longer current part?
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Andrew,
I've paid more than that for old Siemens breakers. It's just a mattter of supply and demand. And I've found that prices at nearby "breaker brokers" were similar.
As a DIY-er, you probably paid full price, whereas an electrician who does a lot of business with the broker will get a discount.
Because your panel is older, and breakers command a premium price, consider locking up the panel if it's accessible from the outside of the building.
Here in California, circuit breakers are almost always in a service entrance panel (meter + main breaker + branch circuit breakers) on the house exterior, accessible from the street/sidewalk so the meter reader can see the meter. In older neighborhoods around here, occasionally we'll have a rash of breaker theft (including the mains!) from occupied houses. I guess some breaker resellers buy off the street, and don't ask questions...
*Yep supply and demand dictates the price on this issue. I had the same problem with my old Zinsco panel last summer then I got to doing the math. I went down to the supply house and got my rate for it and changed the whole panel out for a hundred and eight bucks. Being an electrician I can do that. I figured I'm saving a bundle over replacing them one at a time at twenty or so bucks a piece,and that's not including the price for that expensive old Zinsco main had it ever went out. Another bonus to this is I now have a supply of used obsolete breakers for sale.
*Cliff, Gunner:Thanks for the responses. Thought it might be that simple but I was curious. I was hoping they might not be that high since the old-style regular single poles can be found at Home Depot, but I guess not.I already had locked up my outside panels but hadn't thought about somebody yanking them for the gray market.Couple of quick follow-ups if you guys wander back across this thread:1) How often do regular and main breakers ever "go out"?2) When you get a supply of obsolete breakers for sale, what kind of percentage of fair resale value will the brokers typically give you for them?Thanks again.
*Here's my little story on Zinsco.Went to every supply house in town trying to find one.Evidently these were only supplied by the local power company. Finally got a lead, had to travel 50 miles and bought them from a old general store (still w/ crank handle cash register), but he knew what he had, $60 for 30 amp single.
*Andrew,They rarley ever go out.But I would hate to have to track down a main if it did. The old Zinscos are pretty reliable but anything is bound to give out after thirty or more years. As far as reselling them to dealers I've never really thought about it. I want to have one of each on hand in case someone needs one. I bet they don't pay a whole lot for them. Most people that do that kind of business tend to buy low and sell high.
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I'm not really looking for any relief here. I had to have them and have purchased them anyway but I'm just curious.
I recently needed some old-style (style changed last couple of years, I think) 3/4" Cutler-Hammer Twin Single Pole 15A Breakers. With current regular single-poles going for about $3 and twins for about $7, I was a little surprised when the old-styles from a local electrical supply house set me back $25 a piece.
Is that a fair price or did I maybe get reamed as a DIYer because I was a "Cash Sale"? The "Cash Sales are final" notation and the "Delivered in Perfect Condition" signoff on the invoice left me with the impression they might not be too amenable to non-trade business.
Thoughts? Too expensive or simply a factor of the dwindling supply of this no longer current part?