MetaChat - PushmaticFilter

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26 July 2007

PushmaticFilter Staying at my sister's, so the Pushmatic electrical box is unfamiliar. Lightning storm in progress. Several lights not working. How to reset a pushmatic breaker? →[More:]I'm pretty sure it's a breaker. Seems like it's all on a circuit. I looked at the breakers, but none look different. Anybody know how pushmatics work? I hate to reset them all, because there are a jillion things with digital clocks.

post by: theora55 at: 07:55 | 3 comments

Older Pushmatic breakers have a display window which reads "ON" or "OFF" and when the breaker has tripped will stick between the "ON" and "OFF" position. Tripped breakers don't go to the full "OFF" position, even though you might think that they should. You have to look pretty carefully at the breakers, sometimes with a bright light, to see a tripped one. Some circuits, particular 220VAC circuits for electric ranges, central air conditioning & HVAC, or electric dryers may have 2 breakers "ganged" together mechanically. You have to make sure that neither is tripped, to be sure of getting proper power to the appliance.

The box should have had a breaker identification sticker, as well, which is worth referring to. If it doesn't, labeling breakers with tape and permanent marker as you discover what they control is a really good thing to do, to save time and trouble in the future.

posted by paulsc 26 July | 08:21

Success! It didn't say 'off' and it doesn't change position, but it went from saying what I think is 20 (volts?) to black. And it resets with a push, which makes sense. I've learned to cope with the circuit breakers in my house, but these are different, so I got squicked out. Thank you, Paul.

posted by theora55 26 July | 08:38

Glad you figured it out!

posted by paulsc 26 July | 08:39

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