Electrical – add a ‘service entrance barrier’ to a QOC electrical panel

electricalelectrical-panel

I have a Square D QOC series main panel (QOC 40MW225). I'd like to add service entrance barriers to this panel – the plastic covers which protect from accidental contact with the connection lugs of the main service entrance cable. I take it that newer panels these days typically come with a barrier, but mine is old enough not to have one.

It seems like the Square D PKSB1HA might be the correct product for this panel, but I'd like to confirm that. e.g., some marketing text for this product says:

Compatible in 100 through 225 amp Homeline & QO S0 series panels

Retrofittable to most existing Square D load centers

Is that the correct barrier or is there an alternative?

Photo of the relevant portion of my panel:

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(I didn't do any of that wiring myself – its a full 40 space panel including a number of tandem breakers)

Best Answer

PKSB1HA will definitely not fit a QOC 40MW225 panel, and probably not any QOC series panel.

They have an FAQ which says:

Does Schneider Electric offer repair parts for the Old(25+years) QO Load centers? (For example old QO--MG200_ _ , QO--MW200_ _ or QOBW3150-1)

No, the older 25+ years or so QO load centers are all obsolete, with no repair parts available. Consider replacing the complete load center with a current design

That was discouraging but still a bit vague, since I wasn't looking for "repair parts". I emailed SD to ask about the barrier specifically and they replied basically just citing the same FAQ. I decided to just try the PKSB1HA and see.

It absolutely does not fit. With the panel open (*) a visual inspection made this clear - the main issue is that the two lugs are much too close together so that the two legs of the barrier overlap considerably. There may be some other dimensions that also would prevent a fit even if that were not the case.

This still leaves open the very slight possibility that some other product could exist, but that seems to be very unlikely.


(*) I had taken precautions with the cover off including wearing 1000V rubber gloves with protective leather outers, and of course having the main breaker off to limit potential 'hot' contact points.