Questions and Answers for Square D 25kA 2-Pole Whole Home Surge Protection Device for Square D QO Load Centers QO2175SB

A:  Hello, QO250SPD plugs on just like a 2 pole circuit breaker. It will protect all connected loads to the panel that it is connected to. It is a whole house protection device. Only one is required for a single phase panel. Regards, Customer Care Center

A:  No

A:  This connects to two lugs thereby working with both legs of the 120V service. You want to mount as close to the Main Breaker in the cabinet as possible.

A:  No, this is a tow-pole device. You will need a newer panel that has the neutral bus connection. If you have an old panel, get the one with the neutral pigtail.

A:  No, it is a 2-pole device

A:  This device is connected up stream of all of the circuit breakers to protect the entire home. It connects to the main bus bar feeding all the circuit breakers. If it trips on a surge there will not be power to any of the circuit breakers down stream of the surge protector. I am not a electrician. But installed it myself Be sure to disconnect the main power to circuit breaker panel and use a voltage detector to verify. Never assume the power is off without checking for line voltage

A:  "Surgebreaker" is a name for a surge protector in a circuit breaker package. it does not perform any "breaker" function. It only reduces any electrical surges on the incoming power lines. By clamping the signal down in the breaker box, it lessens the possibility that any over-voltage spikes will be present in an appliance. If the green light is on, the protection is still there, otherwise, replace the surgebreaker. Regardless of the status of the light, all other circuits will be powered - unless the power surge has damaged them. From the manufacturer. In today’s modern electrical household, many appliances are connected to multiple power sources and communication lines. Box mounted surge proctectors provide surge protection for expensive appliances like dryers, stoves, HVAC. In addition, most electrical products contain computer chips that can be damaged by even a minor electrical surge. Uncontrolled surges not only run the risk of overloading and destroying sensitive electronics, but they can also damage hard-wired devices, such as pumps and air conditioning compressors, as well as destroy the wiring insulation within the home. What does a Surge Protector do? A Surge Protector is a device designed to control, very fast, high voltage transients or surges that are common in our electrical systems. Voltage transients, large and small, can damage electrical equipment instantly or will degrade the components on the circuit boards over time, resulting in shorter life expectancies of electrical equipment.

A:  No, if the device gets fried by a strike and no longer functions the LED light on it will be extinguished and it will no longer be providing protection but it does not interrupt any other circuits in the panel, they just will no longer be protected.

A:  Hello Kit, Once a module has diverted a surge to ground, it will revert back to normal operation. No external resetting is necessary. It will not affect the breakers in the panel. If the green LED is on your surgebreaker is working, and you will have protection. Regards, Customer Care Center

A:  That's bit of loaded question. Lightning strikes can vary in "intensity"/"strength" based on numerous factors. The amount of energy a nearby strike has will have complete influence on what happens in your home's load center and downstream electrical devices. That said, this item is an excellent, fast install device that offers very good surge suppression. By the very nature (pun, i suppose) of lightning, there's no guarantee that various breakers in the panel won't also trip resulting from a strike, nor can any manufacturer promise that nothing can ever be damaged. The effect of a lightning strike can be mild or catastrophic, but this will offer essential protection to greatly increase your odds of equipment survival. As others have suggested, the green LED on the face is supposed to indicate that the surge device is still healthy and ready to offer continued protection. Reminder, "surges" and "spikes" don't just happen from lightning, there are many power disturbances that can happen from utility company routine operations or mishaps. I'm a 28 year veteran in electrical contracting, and have seen a lot.

A:  If the green light is on the surge was successfully suppressed and the unit is ok. If no light is on, then the unit needs to be replaced to have continued protection.

A:  Other circuit? The other circuits in the panel never get interrupted by this surge device. You do not need to replace this device unless the LED light goes out.

A:  I am so sorry but I do not know the answer to these questions. The electrician installed this while I was away.

A:  When accessing any enclosure where live electrical parts are exposed and when you will be performing a procedure that requires you to install a part onto the live surface, you should first de-energize the exposed live parts. Yes, turn off the house main breaker or disconnect before opening the panel. If the panel that the part is going into is the main service panel for the building then it is OK to run the white wire to the ground buss since the ground and neutral busses are common. If the panel is a sub panel then the white wire goes to the neutral buss.

A:  You do not need to turn of main circuit breaker to install the surge protector. The only thing I would recommend is to connect the white neutral wire first. In a main breaker, the grounds and neutral connections are made at the same bussbar location. If it is a sub panel and it is properly wired, the white wire should go to the neutral bar of which is isolated from the grounds.

A:  Power to the panel does not need to be shut off, but only very experienced electricians should install this device into a hot panel. For the majority of those intending to install this device, turn off the power to the panel.

A:  No, unless you don't fee comfortable with installing a breaker live.

A:  Yes,All power supplying this equipment should be turned off before working on or inside the equipment. The white wire shouldb connect to the nuetral bar. Per Instruction bulletin 8226-0003B. Regards, Customer Care

A:  Go ahead and drill a small hole in the door only.

A:  Purchase the external mounted model.

A:  You should be able to see the green light without drilling any holes. Try knocking the tab out of the panel cover where the breaker is located.

A:  Hello, You will need to check with your local inspector for codes and violations in your county or state. Regards, Customer Care Center

A:  Drill a hole in the panel cover so you can see the led

A:  Its fine. Consult/hire an electrician so you don't die!

A:  The range breaker can be located anywhere in the panel and so can this surge breaker.

A:  You should be able to move your range breaker with no problem, being a 240 volt double pole breaker it would have no effect on load balancing if that is your concern. It is my understanding that the surge protector needs to be as close to the main lugs/breaker, where the power comes in, as possible, logical if you think about it, so move the range and get the surge protector where it needs to be.

A:  There is no reason the keep the range breaker at the top of the panel. The panel buss is fully rated thru it's entire length.

A:  Hello, You should not be restricted on placement of your range breaker. Regards, Customer Care Center

A:  There is no problem with moving the range breaker to the bottom of the panel.

A:  This drops in the place where one would put two single pole breakers next to eachother or one double pole breaker. Should install as close to Main Breaker as possible.

A:  Snaps in place like a two-pole breaker.

A:  Hello, The QO250PSPD is connected to the bus as close to the main as possible. It will only work with the plug on neutral load centers. You may see a specification sheet by going to google and keying in document number 1300HO1603. Regards, Customer Care Center

A:  Plugs in like a 2-pole breaker

A:  It plugs on to 2 hot and one neutral bar. Here is the manual. https://goo.gl/PN6tri It can be plugged on only to the newer models of service panels, less than 3 years old, which have plug on neutral features.

A:  Hello, You will need to hire an electrician to see if your service is solidly grounded because if not the surge protector will not perform right, nor be able to properly divert that surge energy to ground. Regards, Customer Care Center

A:  On a main panel, the ground and neutral are always bonded so as long as this is a main panel and not a subpanel, you should be fine.

A:  Unless you have an outside disconnect the neutral bar and ground bar are also bonded together in the main breaker panel on newer installations. (Usually a green screw connecting the bar to the box). So yes it will work.

A:  Age of your older home is not a factor, grounds get terminated on the neutral bus in all main panels regardless of age.

A:  You can install it if your panel is a Square D. The bigger question is: Is your service properly grounded? See if there is a ground wire going from the meter to a metal cold water pipe that continues as metal under ground to the water service to the bldg. The size of this wire depends on the service size. A #6 wire for most cases under 200 amps. If you have that you still need to install 8' ground rods (at <25 ohms resistance) to the service with a #6 CU wire. Best to call a licensed electrician to help you out.

A:  Hello, You will need to contact an electrician to see if your system is solidly grounded. If not the surge protector will not perform right, nor be able to properly divert the surge energy to ground. Regards, Customer Care Center

A:  Your system should be solidly grounded, a qualified person can check to be for sure. Equipment grounding conductors on all the old circuits is not necessary for this device to work.

A:  No this unit bridges both the A and B circuit in the panel.

A:  No. Both legs are protected by the double pole device.

A:  Hello, More than one surge protector can be used to increase protection. This is for a single phase application in a load center. The QO2175SB has 22.5kA protection. For a single phase load center one may also be used. Regards, Customer Care Center

A:  No

A:  This is a two pole unit, you only need the one.

A:  No, this unit uses two spaces in a panel, meaning it is connecting to both legs of your service panel (just like a double-pole breaker does)

A:  In my experience most electrical panel parts are brand specific. FPE does not interface with Square D which won't fit in GE and so on.

A:  Hello Donald, No a QO2175SB can't be used in competitors panels. It is not UL, listed, tested, or designed for other panels than what it is specified for. Regards, Customer Care Center

A:  No