Everybody says to use torque screwdrivers on breakers, but I've stopped bothering

Been doing service work for 8 years and I've never torqued a single breaker terminal. Had a supply house guy lecture me about it last Tuesday, but I see more stripped lugs from over-torque than loose connections. Anyone else find better results just going by feel?

2 comments

2 Comments

julia_fisher284d ago

I actually used to be the exact opposite. I was the guy with the Wiha torque screwdriver in my bag and I torqued every single breaker terminal I touched for the first 3 years of my career. Then I saw a friend strip a 100 amp lug on a Square D panel because he cranked it down to 50 inch pounds just like the spec said, but the threads on that particular lug were soft or something. It popped right out. Now I just go by feel too, I snug them down good but I stop the second I feel resistance change. I check more loose connections with a thermal gun on load side than I ever did when I was torquing everything.

val2234d ago

Overthinking it maybe? @julia_fisher28 what's the worst that's actually happened?