Pushmatic Breakers

[galgon]

This one is a little off topic but I hope we have an electrician in the house that can answer. 

I am in the process of putting in a 60 amp subpanel as part of a remodel and in the process maybe put a few more exterior outlets to feed my blinkly addiction. 

My main panel is an old pushmatic one.  I was able to find a used 60 amp breaker cheap but it does not have any lugs/screws attached to it.  I can re-use the screws of the breaker I am removing but I do not know where to find lugs that I can use with the breaker.  The electrical supply store said they sell new breakers and the lugs come with it but dont sell just the lugs.  However a new breaker is $55.   

This is the closest to the lugs I have seen on other pushmatic breakers that I can find? You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login  Would it be legal to use this lug?  If so what type of screws should I use to attach it?  The Pushmatic breaker's terminals look to be copper and I know copper does not play well with other metals over a long period of time. 

I have seen something like this You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login at home depot which is different than the normal lug on a pushmatic breaker but should still work (assuming it is legal to use of course).  I plan on using copper wire but all of the lugs I have seen say dual rated anyway.

Thanks in advance for the help.

[tbone321]

You can get one of those breaker on line at Home Dept for $60 pkus shipping.  Why risk your home or your life on a used breaker that is missing parts?

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[scharbon]

You can get one of those breaker on line at Home Dept for $60 pkus shipping.  Why risk your home or your life on a used breaker that is missing parts?

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+1

New breakers and peace of mind are a lot cheaper than replacing a house (even with insurance).  What are talking about?  6 breakers max at a cost of $300 as part of a larger remodel?  I don't know your situation but I know what I would do.

Steve

[caretaker]

Yes can use an aluminum lug (many new panels use aluminum instead of copper) BUT you must use an anti oxidizing paste like No-Ox
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login  to make sure there isn't oxidation.  Also make sure the screws fit the breaker lugs correctly and tighten down correctly.

[galgon]

Caretaker - I assume that I need aluminum screws and nuts rather than stainless?  With these type of lugs do I need to put no-ox on the copper wire running to them as well?


Tbone/scharbon - The subpanel will be new with new breakers - its the breaker in the feeder panel that I need.  Sure the breaker is used but so are all the ones currently in the panel (most pushing 40 years at this point).  Not really worried about the safety of this new (used) breaker any more than the others assuming I can find a safe and legal way to attach the wires to it.  If there is no safe/legal way then a new breaker is my next option.  No reason to throw out a perfectly good breaker just because it is old.  New breakers can fail just as easily.   Also Pushmatic breakers are screwed into the panel and therefore have a much lower instance of failure from coming loose.  If it was just a push in breaker I would go get a new one. 

[wwwgator]

Will they work? yes.

And Caretaker is correct in regard to the anti-ox ( NoAlox) when mating dissimilar metals.

 The key thing is to have clearance between the top of the lug and the back side of the panel cover.
It usually looks well and good till you ground out when the cover is put in place.

For what it's worth, we have been changing out the pushmatics (ITE) panelboards with newer ones as the NFPA (publishers of the NEC) has issued an advisory note on potential fire hazards with the pushmatic style of breakers not opening under a fault situation. In 30years, I have never came across such a catastrophic failure, but at the request of insurance companies, and condition of sale, we have been changing them out.