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  3. 178041-4169

Square D QO Panel Recall

Some people have heard there is a Square D QO panel recall.  These are good panels.   I specify and provide them for clients all the time.

I have gone to the Schneider Electric (Square D) website and found the recall is based upon "The wire binding screw within the lug body could potentially not be torqued properly to the Plug-on-Neutral bar." 

I don't believe I can drop a picture here.  Go to my website and I will post an image there. Kingrexelectric.com.  There are 2.  One on each side of the panel.

Use a T20 Torx wrench and check the screw is tight.  In the next day or so I will get the actual torque. 

I assume most people won’t have a calibrated torque wrench.  Try and turn the screw with a hand driver such as in the image.  If it feels tight and won’t move it is fine.  If it starts to screw in, continue until it lands tight, and then use firm force to set it in place.  I use 2 hands and nudge it tight.

This is a very safe panel.  It is one of the best affordable panels for audiophile to use.  Especially when the ground and neutral is changed to copper.  Feel free to contact me if you have any questions. 

Rex

Kingrex Electric

kingrex
kingrex OP
107 posts
 

It appears out of 1.5 million panels sold, there is 1 complaint of a non torqued screw.

jea48
4,486 posts
 

I said:

As you know only the unbalanced 120V L1 and L2 to neutral loads returns on the service neutral conductor to the utility power transformer neutral leg.

EDIT:

It should read:

As you know only the unbalanced 120V L1 and L2 to neutral load current returns on the service neutral conductor to the utility power transformer neutral leg.

jea48
4,486 posts
 
kingrex OP
66 posts

It appears out of 1.5 million panels sold, there is 1 complaint of a non torqued screw.

Ya, I read that too.

Just a gut feeling a loose neutral connection on the Line side of L1 and L2 120V connected loads could be a bigger concern for Schneider. Before an electrical fire in the panel happens home owners may be loosing appliances and electronic devices. A neutral is only a neutral when it is solidly connected to the source.

 

jea48
4,486 posts
 

EDIT:

I said:

Before an electrical fire in the panel happens home owners may be loosing appliances and electronic devices.

That should read:

Before an electrical fire in the panel happens home owners may be losing appliances and electronic devices.

 

erik_squires
16,303 posts
 

As a long term audiophile I want to state for the record that anyone trying to fix their electrical panel is not a true audiophile.  The correct solution to a bad panel is to build a new house. 

Anything else is a mid-fi, low-fi solution.

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