Do you know what a main breaker hold-down kit is? Do you understand what it’s for? Do you know how to install a main breaker hold down kit in your panel?
The main breaker hold down kit is an accessory that secures the breaker to your main load center. An example of this is the ECMBR1 hold down breaker kit. The ECMBR1 installation process is straightforward and doesn’t require any special tools.
Reading this entire article will teach you how to install a Siemens breaker hold down kit quickly and easily.
Table of Contents
Tools You Need
You will only need three main tools and a safety glove pair for this step-by-step guide. Here are the items you’ll need:
- A double-pole circuit breaker with an amp suitable for your circuit
- ECMBR1 Siemens main breaker hold-down kit for securing the double-pole circuit breaker
- A screwdriver set for opening and closing your panel’s cover
- Safety Gloves for extra protection
Step-by-step Instructions on How to Install Ecmbr1 Hold Down Breaker
Step 1. Turn Off the Power Source
The first step is to turn off all of your electrical panel’s power sources.
Ensure no appliances or devices are turned on in any of your system’s circuits to prevent possible damage to any of your devices. After securing all of your devices, turn off the main breaker panel, as well as the main breaker of your load center.
Step 2. Install the ECMBR1 Retainer to the Breaker
Insert the ECMBR1 retainer into the gap between the poles of your circuit breaker to install it. Push the retainer up slowly and twist it slightly until the embossed part snaps into place. It’s okay if you feel that the retainer clip slightly moves even when secured. When you insert the breaker into the load center, this slight movement will be gone.
Step 3. Install the Breaker to the Load Center
Install the breaker with the retainer the same way you install a typical double-pole breaker. However, this time, you also need to insert the tip of the retainer before you push the circuit breaker into the snap of your load center.
Before putting back the cover of your breaker box, double-check your work first. Ensure that everything is secured in place and that you haven’t left anything loose. Once you’re sure, you can now return the cover.
Note: The orientation of installing a breaker with a retainer is determined by the gap where your retainer can be placed. You can see how to install hold down breaker kit in this video by Mitch Alvarado.
What Is the Main Breaker Hold Down Kit
Breaker hold down kits are breaker accessories that secure the breaker to the main load center. They are typically used for double-pole circuit breakers, but a breaker hold-down kit can also accommodate breakers with three or more poles.
There are numerous types of hold-down kits available on the market today, such as the Square D breaker hold down kit and the Eaton hold down kit, the latter of which uses a bolt screw to secure your circuit breaker to the load center.
The installation of various retainers may differ depending on the type of load center. It is why the ECMBR1 retainer is incompatible with Murray Rock Solid and Siemens Ultimate panels. Some load centers have a gap into which you can insert your ECMBR1 retainer, while other panel types require a bolt-on solution instead.
You can look for Eaton breaker hold down kit instructions online if you have the retainer mentioned above. There are also numerous video tutorials available on the internet that will help you install other hold-down breaker kits. As for ECMBR1 hold down kit installation, refer to the step-by-step guide above.
Conclusion
Now you know how to install a main breaker hold down kit. Furthermore, knowing what a breaker hold down kit is will tell you if you require one in your circuit.
You should note, though, that this step-by-step guide only applies to installing the ECMBR1 hold down kit. Other hold-down kit brands and models may require different steps.
Do you want to learn how to install different kinds of breaker hold down kits? Let me know what type of retainer you have in the comments below, and if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out.
I am Edwin Jones, in charge of designing content for Galvinpower. I aspire to use my experiences in marketing to create reliable and necessary information to help our readers. It has been fun to work with Andrew and apply his incredible knowledge to our content.