Thread: Imperial Electrical Panels

Are Imperial panels safe or have there been recalls.

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They are not considered unsafe where I live. Not that that's any endorsement.
That looks like a replacement panel, hence all the wirenuts, attaching pigtail extensions. Probably, the work was done by a knowledgeable electrician. One of the breakers has a white wire going to it, a technical fault.

Imperial panel? The panel in the picture is a I-T-E panel, I-T-E Imperial Corp was bought by Gould Inc in April 1976, & was later sold & is now Siemens.

Rollie,

Not quite. An ITE Division merged with Imperial in late 60s ('68-ish) and became ITE-Imperial. IIRC Gould bought High Voltage and Switch Gear mid 70s ('76 ish), but not the Medium Voltage ITE-Imperial "division" which continued stand-alone for a time. IIRC Gould sold HI voltage and switching to siemens but retained fuses eventually merged with then to Shawmut.

This "sub division" of former ITE-Imperial "Imperial branded" panels & breakers IIRC was never in the hands of Gould.

ITE-Imperial MV went a slightly different path and time frame. I believe MV "ITE-Imperial" split off even before the Gould Transaction (72-ish) and the Med. Volt. The "Imperial" ITE MV breakers ended up in the hands of ABB via Brown/Boveri. If I'm recalling the chain correctly Siemens also acquired from other former ITE "divisions"/"brands" via another chain of ownership/transactions in the mid-late 80s and 90s also (or perhaps I'm recalling the 80s events backwards - a peeling off before acquisition, or a sale...hmmm, age and no coffee has its drawbacks on memory!).

IIRC Imperial branded MV power panels and breakers/motor controls stopped production around mid 70s after some questions, incidents, some contact/stab lawsuits mostly settled some dismissed (including some gov. contracts) with unsecure stab connections. Seems to me there were some incidents related to an issue with the stabs not secure and having to be checked/retaining whenever panels moved or work in panel such as replacing or moving breakers or those nearby, based on a design which was used by both the HV and MV and pattens/licenses used by both the Gould and ITE-Imperial Divisions (late 60s applications issuances finalized through early 70s) and that proper procedures weren't followed to ensure same after work in or movement of a panel, such was not "found" to be a defect, but a servicing issue, and failure of the servicer to ensure they remained "locked" or "engaged" or rather "positioned" correctly. If I further recall correctly CPSC didn't exist until early-mid 70s and wasn't really funded well (they were also busy with FPE), and there was no "defect" or voluntary recall. But there were some technical/advisory bulletins that showed up via the gould side and briefly from the ITE-Imperial side sucessors on the patent design warning how to check that the breakers were correctly possitioned and fully engaged/retained not merely appearing to be whenever work in the panel.

Beyond the usual bending radius/wiring clearances to lugs, The subsequent changes that have taken place for the Standards and Listing qualifications that have taken place (significant) since panels of this vintage were produced, and ensuring correct positioning of breakers whenever work in panel, abiding the buss ratings, and stab ratings aren't exceeded, having to use classified replacements, and the usual concerns about equipment which is nearly 30 years old or older which is no longer produced, no specific concerns that I recall.

MS,

Is this a residential use installation?

Service Disc. ahead? Can't make out all on the label, seeing a reference to 170 A or 70A? restriction.

Branch circuits grounded/bonded? Can't see lower half of the panel. Can't make out much detail in panel.

H.G.
It is a res use, with and exterior 200amp service disconnect.

Originally Posted by mathew stouffer

H.G.
It is a res use, with and exterior 200amp service disconnect.

What does that label say about other than service equipment us some of the pictured label language is obstructed by shadows...

CATALOG NO. FEQ4....

"MAXIMUM MAINS RATING FOR ALUMINUM _________200 AMPS WHEN USED AS SERVICE EQUIPMENT. _________???____ AMPS WHEN USED OTHERWISE.

BRANCH CIRCUITS SHOULD NOT EXCEED ____??_____ 150 AMP RATING."

Can you fill in the blanks M.S. and make sure the bus and stab ratings weren't exceeded (can't make out distictions/markings, etc. on breakers).

Did you see R.F.'s posts explaining those limitations/meanings esp. on those older panels/standards?

You are covered as long as the panel in question is UL listed. Check for UL listing.

Originally Posted by H.G. Watson, Sr.

Rollie,

Not quite. An ITE Division merged with Imperial in late 60s ('68-ish) and became ITE-Imperial. IIRC Gould bought High Voltage and Switch Gear mid 70s ('76 ish), but not the Medium Voltage ITE-Imperial "division" which continued stand-alone for a time. IIRC Gould sold HI voltage and switching to siemens but retained fuses eventually merged with then to Shawmut.

This "sub division" of former ITE-Imperial "Imperial branded" panels & breakers IIRC was never in the hands of Gould.

ITE-Imperial MV went a slightly different path and time frame. I believe MV "ITE-Imperial" split off even before the Gould Transaction (72-ish) and the Med. Volt. The "Imperial" ITE MV breakers ended up in the hands of ABB via Brown/Boveri. If I'm recalling the chain correctly Siemens also acquired from other former ITE "divisions"/"brands" via another chain of ownership/transactions in the mid-late 80s and 90s also (or perhaps I'm recalling the 80s events backwards - a peeling off before acquisition, or a sale...hmmm, age and no coffee has its drawbacks on memory!).

IIRC Imperial branded MV power panels and breakers/motor controls stopped production around mid 70s after some questions, incidents, some contact/stab lawsuits mostly settled some dismissed (including some gov. contracts) with unsecure stab connections. Seems to me there were some incidents related to an issue with the stabs not secure and having to be checked/retaining whenever panels moved or work in panel such as replacing or moving breakers or those nearby, based on a design which was used by both the HV and MV and pattens/licenses used by both the Gould and ITE-Imperial Divisions (late 60s applications issuances finalized through early 70s) and that proper procedures weren't followed to ensure same after work in or movement of a panel, such was not "found" to be a defect, but a servicing issue, and failure of the servicer to ensure they remained "locked" or "engaged" or rather "positioned" correctly. If I further recall correctly CPSC didn't exist until early-mid 70s and wasn't really funded well (they were also busy with FPE), and there was no "defect" or voluntary recall. But there were some technical/advisory bulletins that showed up via the gould side and briefly from the ITE-Imperial side sucessors on the patent design warning how to check that the breakers were correctly possitioned and fully engaged/retained not merely appearing to be whenever work in the panel.

Beyond the usual bending radius/wiring clearances to lugs, The subsequent changes that have taken place for the Standards and Listing qualifications that have taken place (significant) since panels of this vintage were produced, and ensuring correct positioning of breakers whenever work in panel, abiding the buss ratings, and stab ratings aren't exceeded, having to use classified replacements, and the usual concerns about equipment which is nearly 30 years old or older which is no longer produced, no specific concerns that I recall.

MS,

Is this a residential use installation?

Service Disc. ahead? Can't make out all on the label, seeing a reference to 170 A or 70A? restriction.

Branch circuits grounded/bonded? Can't see lower half of the panel. Can't make out much detail in panel.

I have a Gould catalog that disagrees w/ some of your post, Gould Inc bought ITE Imperial in '76, they sold their HV gear to Brown Boveri Electric of Switzerland (Now ABB) The electrical fittings div (EFCOR) was sold to some group that cannot remember, Industrial controls went to Telemeciniqe (sp) which is now part of French owned Group Schiender (SQ D's parent), and the low voltage distibution div was sold to Siemens-Allis (Now Siemens) which included the ITE brand & which was retained for many years until Siemens decided to brand it w/ their name only.Gould did retain the Chase-Shawmut fuse div, renaming it "Gould-Shawmut", that name is owned by another company now & too lazy to look it up.

Update: they became Ferraz Shawmut which is now "Merson".

Ferraz Shawmut: Your Fuse and Circuit Protection Resource

Originally Posted by John Kogel

One of the breakers has a white wire going to it, a technical fault.

It looks like it's being used in a 240V circuit - should be tagged as a hot leg.