Replies

1. Expert Member
   BILL WICHERS | Jun 30, 2022 10:32am | #1

   GFCI and AFCI breakers are always expensive. That's one of the reasons that I'm not a fan of the code requirement to use AFCIs everywhere (which is hopefully going to be changed soon). Right now, the usual best prices can be found at commercial supply houses. You typically get the best pricing when you order the breakers WITH A PANEL though, and sometimes the discount for doing that is so much that it's worth just getting a main lug panel full of breakers and not using the panel. Main lug panels don't have main breakers, which makes them cheaper to buy. If you need more than maybe 10 breakers or so, I'd price them out in a panel to see if you end up saving money overall.

   For best pricing, it's always best to plan all your circuit requirements ahead of time, then order your panel with the mix of breakers you need rather than buying the breakers seperately later. All the manufacturers have this price deal with panels, so it doesn't matter if you're using Square D, Siemens, or anyone else.

   Bill

2. 
   tim_dilletante | Jun 30, 2022 11:39am | #2

   Not sure it it's still the case, but breakers were hit hard by the supply chain issues.

1. Expert Member
   BILL WICHERS | Jun 30, 2022 02:47pm | #3

   That's the case with many of the larger breakers (150+ amps), and many larger fuses, but smaller breakers are mostly available again, at least in my recent experience here.

   On a side note, I was told by some of my suppliers that the big shortage was the lugs, not the breakers themselves, but since you can't ship a breaker without a lug... My generator vendor tells me they have similar issues shipping generators due to a shortage of radiator hoses of all things. Crazy times.

   Bill

3. 
   seabornman | Jul 01, 2022 08:09am | #4

   I have had some success with eBay vendors.