Unknown MEM distribution board

[peterinreading]

Can anyway identify the board and MCBs from the pictures? This installation is in a house in Tanzania - the actual installation has a much bigger 3 phase version in another house which I am helping to fix. These old boards used to be imported from China until about 2010. They are no longer available as new installations use Havells or Tronic kit which are much better. My problem is that I can't find any even half-decent replacement MCBs for these old boards. The boards are found in both single and three phase versions but the MCBs are the same. The writing on the MCB in the picture says it is BS3871 type M3 10kA which is contradictory as M3 means 3kA not 10kA so I don't trust anything thats written on it. If someone can relate what I am looking at to old MEM kit I might be able to find some old better MCBs from somewhere. If these boards have never been used in UK then maybe they are copies of ones that used to be supplied by MEM for export elsewhere.

 

[norcal]

You can’t even buy Federal Pacific breakers, they have been out of business for years

But UBI sells UL classified replacements for FPE, Zinsco/Sylvania, & ITE Pushmatic.

 

[Megawatt]

But UBI sells UL classified replacements for FPE, Zinsco/Sylvania, & ITE Pushmatic.

NorCal you would fail inspection if you used an off brand breaker. In panels when you open it up the cover has a sticker on the inside which tells you what type and style breakers you are allowed to use

 

[norcal]

They are UL Classified to be used those panels, and while obsolete panels should be replaced, and with problematic makes like Zinsco/Sylvania, & FPE, that is more important, it is not always possible. Do your inspectors consider themselves the equivalent of UL?

 

[Megawatt]

They are UL Classified to be used those panels, and while obsolete panels should be replaced, and with problematic makes like Zinsco/Sylvania, & FPE, that is more important, it is not always possible. Do your inspectors consider themselves the equivalent of UL?

No inspector considers them selfs the equivalent of UL. like I said before look at the sticker inside the panel door and it gives you choices of breakers that can be used and there interrupting ratings has to be the same plus torque requirements. Everything has to be UL listed plus the NFPA has their own version as well. You mentioned pushmatic breakers, in that case you would have to change that panel

 

[norcal]

No inspector considers them selfs the equivalent of UL. like I said before look at the sticker inside the panel door and it gives you choices of breakers that can be used and there interrupting ratings has to be the same plus torque requirements. Everything has to be UL listed plus the NFPA has their own version as well. You mentioned pushmatic breakers, in that case you would have to change that panel

UL has Classified certain breakers to be used in competitive panels, which makes them legal to use, the UBI breakers are for Zinsco, FPE, and Pushmatic panels, also Eaton has Classified breakers also, and Siemens, & Eaton, have UL Classified breakers for SQ D QO although I would not use those since QO is available from SQ D, the UBI breakers are the the only legal option, besides replacement. What do you do with panels that the brand name has changed but in reality still exists, like ITE, Cutler-Hammer, etc. ?

 

[Megawatt]

UL has Classified certain breakers to be used in competitive panels, which makes them legal to use, the UBI breakers are for Zinsco, FPE, and Pushmatic panels, also Eaton has Classified breakers also, and Siemens, & Eaton, have UL Classified breakers for SQ D QO although I would not use those since QO is available from SQ D, the UBI breakers are the the only legal option, besides replacement. What do you do with panels that the brand name has changed but in reality still exists, like ITE, Cutler-Hammer, etc. ?

I go by the sticker in the cover, if I’m in doubt I call the inspector out to ask what my options are since he is the AHJ