|
DOE/EH-0329 --- Issue No. 93-07 --- 07/93
Recall of Three-Pole F and KC/KI Low-Voltage
Molded Case Circuit Breakers
DISCUSSION
Square D Company issued the attached Product Safety Notice on Three-Pole F
and KC/KI circuit breakers manufactured from March 1992 through March
1993. These circuit breakers may contain a mechanical part that could
fail. The Product Safety Notice is specific to these models only and is
not a general alert for Square D Company circuit breakers.
ACTION NEEDED
The Square D Company Product Safety Notice should be read carefully, and
its instructions followed by any facility with the affected circuit
breakers in use or storage. If you have any questions concerning this
matter, contact Fred Fiege, EH-32.2, at (301)903-6909, or Pat Tran, EH-
31.3, at (301)903-5638.
This Safety Note is one in a series of publications issued by EH to share
occupational safety information throughout the DOE complex. To be added
to the Distribution List or to obtain copies of the publication, call
(615)576-7548. For additional information regarding the publications,
call Barbara Bowers, Safety Performance Indicator Division, Office of
Environment, Safety and Health, U.S. Department of Energy, Washington, DC
20585, (301)903-3016
.
As a result of Square D's on-going product quality review, we have
discovered that a very small percentage of Square D Three-Pole Type F, KC,
and KI circuit breakers manufactured from March 1992 through March 1993
have a mechanical component that might fail. The failure can result in a
dangerous phase-to-phase fault when the circuit breaker is used as a
"back-fed" (reverse-connected) main breaker in which supply voltage is
connected to the "OFF" end of the circuit breaker. Such a fault could
cause serous bodily injury, including death, or damage to property.
What you should do:
- If any of the circuit breakers identified on page 2 have not yet
been installed and are in your stock, they should be returned to
your supplier for replacement. Affected circuit breakers will be
replaced at no charge.
- If any of these circuit breakers have been installed in "back-
fed"/reverse-connected applications (see Figure 1) and are not yet
energized, they should be removed and replaced by a qualified
electrician before energization.
- Tests have shown that circuit breakers that include the unreliable
mechanical component may fail in a hazardous mode when first
energized if they are "back-fed"/reverse-connected. If any of these
circuit breakers have been installed and energized without incident,
the circuit breakers probably do not include the unreliable
mechanical component, and do not need to be replaced. However, if
you prefer to replace any affected "back-fed"/reverse-connected
circuit breaker that has been installed and energized, it may also
be returned to your supplier for replacement. Affected circuit
breakers will be replaced at no charge.
How to identify affected circuit breakers:
Affected circuit breakers have these three characteristics:
- They are three-pole devices only. (Single-pole and two-pole circuit
breakers are not subject to this notice; also, MAG-GARD(R) breakers
are not part of this notice.)
- They have one of the following letter designations as the initial
letters of the device catalog number:
FA FC FH KC KI
FAB FCL FHL KCL KIL
FAF
FAL
FAP
- (See Figure 1 for location of catalog number on circuit breaker.
- They have one of the following two-letter date codes:
CA FA JA AB
DA GA KA BB
EA HA LA CB
MA
- On installed circuit breakers, the date code can be found
without removing the trim panel. The date code is located in
the lower right hand corner of the gray label on the face of
the circuit breaker. (see Figure 1)
- For circuit breakers still in their original cartons, the date
code can be found on the carton label. (see Figure 2) NOTE:
On carton labels, disregard the numbers between the two
letters of the date code.
Thank you for your help in this matter. Replacement circuit breakers
(which will be identified by a green dot on the carton label and circuit
breaker face) can be obtained through your Square D supplier at no charge.
If you have any questions, contact your Square D field sales office or the
Square D Company, Cedar Rapids Applications Group at 319-369-6650.
|