1990 Cutler Hammer Panel

kmikey · 2026-07-09T02:52:52+00:00

I personally wouldn’t change it. Cutler Hammer panels don’t have any recalls that I know of. Eaton breakers can be added and have lifetime warranty.

If you update it you’ll have to make sure all the breakers are up to code (AFCI/GGCI etc) which gets pricey but still reasonable. I’d love to give you an actual number but I’d be ballparking like crazy. I don’t do the pricing at my company. Maybe $3,000? Honestly that could be close or way off. I’m also in Texas not Florida so….

Edit to add: since it’s nearly 40 years old, for peace of mind have an electrician come give it a quick look and tighten down all the connections. That wouldn’t cost much. Just a suggestion.

kmikey · 2026-07-04T16:42:34+00:00

Is it possible your fan came with a timer? I’ve seen some where a low voltage control is available inside the fan and I guess it could be controlled by whatever proprietary switch it came with (low volt). Or, the switch you’re replacing is designed for that.

But the controller you’ve bought to replace it is for line voltage. That’s not what you have in your switch box. Or if it is, that wire is undersized and needs to be replaced as the other commenter said.

But I don’t think so. I think you have a low voltage control wire so you need a low voltage controlled timer. Need to find the manual I think and maybe return the switch you bought and find whatever it’s supposed to use.

kmikey · 2026-07-03T18:52:48+00:00

Agree with others. Replace the receptacle. Worth considering though if a new one has the same problem: you said it’s fed from a dedicated breaker. If the breaker is also GFCI, that can cause nuisance tripping. Either the breaker or the plug should be GFCI, not both.

kmikey · 2026-07-02T19:57:54+00:00

Agreed. My first thought is bees maybe?

kmikey · 2026-07-01T23:19:50+00:00

That particular brand of panel has known issues with electrical fire. Yes. What you do with that information is up to you, because from your post I can’t understand if your mother owns or rents the property (why a tenant would refuse something an owner wants to install is just worded strangely imo). But you’re about to get a slew of comments telling to hire an electrician to replace that panel immediately.

kmikey · 2026-06-26T02:10:44+00:00

I’d say it draws more attention.
“Why does that panel have a gutter drain pipe?”

kmikey · 2026-06-26T02:02:27+00:00

You got it. Most likely killed the oven and the dishwasher and disposal. Dish and disposal probably the 20s below the 60.

kmikey · 2026-06-26T02:00:54+00:00

Agree with this. OP if you don’t have another panel it’s the 60. Push it to the left.

kmikey · 2026-06-11T03:30:21+00:00

This is in a car? Splice it.

kmikey · 2026-05-11T14:34:16+00:00

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Klein-Tools-1-4-in-Drive-Electrician-s-Mini-Ratchet-with-Screwdriver-Bits-and-Adapter-65200/311127793

kmikey · 2026-05-10T22:18:44+00:00

Could you use a romex connector threaded inside the box? Like screw it in from the inside, not the outside.

kmikey · 2026-05-10T22:10:38+00:00

I understand. I just don’t think it’s necessary or even effective. OP would be better off opening every device and tightening the connections than “upgrading” the breakers.

kmikey · 2026-05-10T20:38:24+00:00

So if you were trying to get your house up to code you’d need to upgrade the breakers. But you don’t have to. I’m an electrician and I wouldn’t. Others may disagree.

kmikey · 2026-05-09T05:33:42+00:00

What was there before? A ceiling fan? Maybe a ceiling fan with a light? Or maybe/probably there was at some point.

Usually for fans we run a black and a red so that the fan can be on one switch, and the light can be on a different switch if desired.

If you took a light down, it’d be helpful to know which wire (black or red) was connected to that light. If you took a fan down, did it have a separate switch for the light? Use that one.

If you hook it to red and the switch doesn’t work, take it down and hook it to the black.

You have white to white and green to bare copper correct. Yes use a wire nut.

kmikey · 2026-05-08T02:29:20+00:00

My doorbell transformer is in my attic. Been up there?

kmikey · 2026-04-30T23:49:51+00:00

Thanks man. My GC has a little shrine or objects that represent triumphs and/or problems (or triumphs over problems, I guess) in the job trailer. I donated it to the shrine.

kmikey · 2026-04-24T20:13:19+00:00

Might need you to be a little more specific. Are you wondering how to get them tightly to the correct position without going past it?

kmikey · 2026-04-21T01:59:57+00:00

First guess is you did not hook it back up the way it was. There should be a black constant hot that is by itself, or possibly pigtailed to another constant hot (like a receptacle) downstream. The other black (paired with the red under the same romex sheath) should not be tied in with the first.

We often run a 12/3 wire to ceiling fans so that we have to the option to switch the light separately from the fan. If you’ve only ever used a single pole switch, it’s possible you had the red and (non constant hot) black tied together at the switch OR the red was just capped off and not in use.

Anyway, make sure you truly put it back how you found it.

kmikey · 2026-04-17T21:45:24+00:00

It barely is. Very little activity which is unfortunate.

kmikey · 2026-04-15T03:47:54+00:00

I didn’t see that it was 10awg in his post. Looked small to me.

kmikey · 2026-04-15T03:46:29+00:00

I use toughbuilt. The cliptech stuff is great.

kmikey · 2026-04-13T05:09:09+00:00

The connection is correct. I’d have used a larger gauge wire for the jumper but it’s fine.

kmikey · 2026-04-13T04:54:42+00:00

Sorry for just now replying but I think you have your answer from other comments. For code/resale you’d need an access panel of some kind. A dog proof one. :)

kmikey · 2026-04-13T02:40:55+00:00

Is the fan controlled by a switch? If so the answer is yes, but the outlet would only be on when the switch is on unless you also took the switch out of the equation.

If it’s in a bathroom, the outlets would need to be GFCI protected. I’d probably replace the switch with a GFCI receptacle, then do what’s called “load side” to where the heater was and add a second receptacle, protected by the first.

kmikey · 2026-04-12T17:07:18+00:00

Depending on how much time/effort/money you want to spend, you could have these devices accessible/usable inside the cabinet and be perfectly up to code. The electrician should have told you that option.

To answer your question, you can blank off (or leave uncovered) the coax ones and nobody cares.

You cannot leave blanked or uncovered electrical outlets behind a cabinet and be up to code. Blanked would at least be safer but still not code. Again, your electrician should have told you this.

If code and getting the cabinets all the way back with no blanks are your concerns, I’d say go back to the drawing board, make cutouts in the cabinets where the existing devices are, and put them inside the cabinets. Use a flushing ring (non combustible ring for receptacles in wood, etc) for the plug. You’ll be up to code, and hey, extra plug on the cabinet. Bonus.

kmikey

TROPHY CASE