The search for old or obsolete circuit breakers isn’t always easy. Many factories and government or commercial facilities operate on electrical equipment that is no longer supported with new parts, which means you need to either find a remanufactured air or vacuum circuit breaker or aftermarket breaker parts that are a match for your equipment.

There are several companies that have manufactured breakers in the past century and beyond, but you typically can’t swap out one competitor’s breaker parts for another’s. However, there are some instances where one brand of breaker is nearly identical. Westinghouse and Eaton are two such examples.

Why Does Eaton and Westinghouse Have Compatible Circuit Breakers?

While you may wonder why two different brands would have compatible circuit breakers, the answer is simple: the same company owns the production rights for both Eaton and Westinghouse.

Back in the past, Westinghouse had a low-voltage air circuit breaker line. The company eventually sold the rights to this product line to Square D, another American electrical equipment manufacturer. That line didn’t stop there – Square D then sold the Westinghouse line to Eaton Corporation in 1993. As a result of rights ownership, there are nearly identical breakers with four different nameplates on them:

• Westinghouse
• Square D
• Eaton
• Cutler-Hammer

These breakers can be compatible with each other despite the different nameplates, as certain models are largely the same aside from some upgraded electronics. That flexibility means that you may have some options when trying to replace your current low-voltage air circuit breakers

Find Compatible Old and Obsolete Eaton and Westinghouse Breakers

While you now know that Eaton breakers, Westinghouse breakers, Square D breakers, and Cutler-Hammer breakers are largely compatible, you still need to find the exact models you need for your facility. At NPE, we have amassed and refurbished old electrical equipment, including breakers and aftermarket parts for Eaton, Westinghouse, and more.

Ready to find the right breaker parts for your facility? Submit information about what you need on our NPE on the Go mobile site or contact us today to talk to one of our experts about finding the rights solution for your needs.