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Recall Notice: Counterfeit Square-D Circuit Breakers & Defective Square D GFCI Circuit Breakers InspectAPedia®  -          Counterfeit Square D Recall notice from the US Consumer Product Safety Commission Square D GFCI Recall notice from the US Consumer Product Safety Commission Square-D & Federal Pioneer AFCI Notice from Schneider Electric and the Electrical Safety Authority

This page collects and reports on CPSC Notices Regarding two circuit breaker products: Recalled Square-D Circuit GFCI Breakers and Counterfeit Square-D Breakers. The counterfeit Square-D circuit breakers, shown at left and below, were made in China, and were sold through Scott Electric Co. The recall notice issued by Scott was reported by the US CPSC in November 2006. Scott offers a free replacement or refund where the counterfeit breakers are found to have been installed.

In a separate notice involving Square-D products, a Square D GFCI breaker recalled by the Square D company was recalled in June 2006. Square-D offers free replacements for that GFI circuit breaker product. The recalled equipment is in both cases a Fire and Electrical Shock Hazard.

This website includes photographs of these products, identification information, some basic safety advice, and the original US CPSC announcements. The CPSC announcements and photographs are public domain. I provide links to the original announcements herein.

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US CPSC Notice Counterfeit Square-D Recall by Scott Electric

This Square-D circuit breaker, sold through Scott Electric, has been recalled by that company according to the US CPSC announcement below. The circuit breaker is "counterfeit" and is a fire hazard. You may need assistance from a professional home inspector or better, a qualified, licensed electrician, to identify this product in your home but the letter below offers visual clues that a homeowner can see by examining the circuit breaker in the electric panel by simply opening the hinged electric panel door provided for homeowner use. Since there are serious hazards of electrical shock, homeowners should not attempt to disassemble their electrical panel such as by removing the cover from the panel or trying to replace the circuit breaker themselves. Use a licensed electrician for that work.

NEWS from CPSC
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Office of Information and Public Affairs Washington, DC 20207
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 16, 2006
Release #07-036
Scott Electric's Recall Hotline: (877) 222-0473
CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772
CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908

Scott Electric Co. Inc. Recalls Counterfeit Circuit Breakers Due To Fire Hazard

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: Counterfeit "Square D" Circuit Breakers

Units: About 30,000
Distributor/Retailer: Scott Electric Co. Inc., of Greensburg, Pa.

Hazard: The recalled circuit breakers labeled "Square D" are counterfeit and might not trip when they are overloaded, posing a fire hazard to consumers.

Incidents/Injuries: Scott Electric Co. is not aware of any incidents or injuries associated with these counterfeit circuit breakers.

Description: The counterfeit circuit breakers include Square D QO-series models 115, 120, 130, 160, 215, 230, 260, 1515, and 1520. Actual Square D circuit breakers have

• The amp rating written on the handle in white paint on the front of the breaker;
• On the side of the breaker, where wire terminal screw is located, the arc shoot opening should have squared corners with the bottom edge of the opening angled up;
• The mounting clip should be yellow chromate with half of the top of the clip visible; and
• The Square D insignia should be molded onto the breaker. If your Square D breaker does not match this description, it could be counterfeit.

Counterfied Square-D Circuit Breakers Were Sold through: Scott Electric Co. distributor locations throughout Pennsylvania and Texas from May 2005 through May 2006 for between $4 and $25.

Manufactured in:

China

Remedy:

Consumers should contact Scott Electric Co. to arrange for a free inspection and if necessary, replacement or refund.

Consumer Contact:

To arrange for a free inspection or for additional information, contact Scott Electric toll-free at (877) 222-0473 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or log on to www.scottelectricusa.com - consumers and contractors can also obtain additional information by e-mailing Scott Electric at tdiorio@scottelectricusa.com

Original CPSC Announcement Regarding the Counterfeit Square D Circuit Breaker

Original CPSC Announcement of Scott's Counterfeit Square D Breaker

US CPSC Notice Square-D Circuit Breaker Recall

NEWS from CPSC
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Office of Information and Public Affairs Washington, DC 20207
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Originally issued April 13, 1988
Revised June 26, 2006
Release # 88-022
Note: Phone Number Change.
Square D Company Offers Free Replacement Program

WASHINGTON, DC -- In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Square D Company of Palatine, Illinois is voluntarily offering free replacement of its 15 through 30 ampere size Series 1 two-pole ground fault interrupting (GFCI) circuit breakers.

Ground fault circuit breakers are safety devices which provide protection against electrocution in addition to the normal circuit breaker overload protection function. Two-pole GFCI circuit breakers are often used on 240 volt circuits serving hot tubs/spas, swimming pool equipment, pumps and fountain equipment, and other applications where electrical failure of the protected equipment could pose a risk of electrocution.

Square D Company is taking this action because it has discovered that early failure of an electronic component may disable the electric shock protection provided by this product.

The involved Square D GFCI circuit breakers have a yellow "Push-To-Test" button and are two-pole units which are physically twice the size of most branch circuit breakers. Persons who believe they may have such a unit or who have questions should telephone Square D Company at (877) 202-9046 between 7:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday for information concerning Square D's free replacement program.

Square D GFCI circuit breakers which display the Square D trademark near the circuit breaker handle are not subject to this problem. Also, circuit breakers without the yellow "Push-To-Test" button are not GFCI devices and are not subject to this problem.

Approximately 80,000 of the involved units have been sold and installed nationwide since 1982. Square D Company is not aware of any injuries resulting from the problem with its product. The normal circuit breaker function is not affected by this problem.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission believes GFCI's provide a significant level of electrical safety. The Commission recommends that all GFCI's, both circuit-breaker type and outlet type, be tested frequently, at least monthly, using the test button on each unit.

NOTE: Minor corrections to misspelling in the first sentence were made by DJF 11/06

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Counterfeit Square D Recall
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• "How to plan and install electric wiring for homes, farms, garages, shops," Montgomery Ward Co., 83-850.
• "Electrical System Inspection Basics," Richard C. Wolcott, ASHI 8th Annual Education Conference, Boston 1985.
• "Simplified Electrical Wiring," Sears, Roebuck and Co., 15705 (F5428) Rev. 4-77 1977 [Lots of sketches of older-type service panels.]
• "How to plan and install electric wiring for homes, farms, garages, shops," Montgomery Ward Co., 83-850.
• "Home Wiring Inspection," Roswell W. Ard, Rodale's New Shelter, July/August, 1985 p. 35-40.
• "Evaluating Wiring in Older Minnesota Homes," Agricultural Extension Service, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota 55108.
• "Electrical Systems," A Training Manual for Home Inspectors, Alfred L. Alk, American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI), 1987, available from ASHI. [DF NOTE: I do NOT recommend this obsolete publication, though it was cited in the original Journal article as it contains unsafe inaccuracies]
• "Basic Housing Inspection," US DHEW, S352.75 U48, p.144, out of print, but is available in most state libraries.
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