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To be precise I have all eaton breakers in my subpanel, and I'd like to replace this exact breaker: https://www.amazon.com/GFTCB250-Ground-Circuit-Breaker-2-Pole/dp/B01AGLRT9M/ with a gfci breaker built by another manufacturer.

The panel itself seems to give no guidance.

Why am I doing this? My new electric oven trips this breaker, but a standard breaker works fine. Massachusetts, however, requires a gfci breaker thanks to NFPA 70, 2020. The manufacturer suggests a different breaker might work fine due to subtle variations in the circuit logic, but has not provided any guidance as to which breakers might be ok, only just try a few.

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    What make and model is your oven, and can you post photos of the labeling on the inside front door of your electrical panel please?
    – ThreePhaseEel
    Nov 14, 2020 at 15:37
  • When was your home built? The requirement would not be valid for a home built prior to the code adoption. Just to point out that knob and tube wiring with screw in Edison fuses are still legal in the 2020 code if that’s how the structure was wired originally.
    – Ed Beal
    Nov 14, 2020 at 17:10
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    When the oven was installed, was the neutral-ground bonding strap removed, as the instructions require?
    – Harper - Reinstate Monica
    Nov 14, 2020 at 23:33
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    Does it trip: (a) any time the oven is connected; (b) only when certain features are turned on/used?
    – manassehkatz-Moving 2 Codidact
    Nov 15, 2020 at 0:22
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    Has this happened ever since you got it? It's possible the GFCI is working as intended and detecting a real ground fault in your oven. Unlike fridges, ACs, and other things with big motors, ovens are actually generally not prone to nuisance tripping GFCIs, so I think it's more likely you have an actual ground fault or miswiring.
    – Nate S.
    Dec 14, 2020 at 23:15

1 Answer 1

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I doubt you will find one. When looking for acceptable breakers you need breakers to be NRTL (UL, ETL, CSA) recognized, meaning Listed or Classified. Listed are breakers documented in documentation with the panel, Classified are substitute breakers by other manufacturers that have been tested for use in the panels indicated in their documentation. Most manufacturers of breakers don't participate in the Classified process, the exception is Eaton. This chart of Eaton breakers https://www.eaton.com/us/en-us/catalog/electrical-circuit-protection/classified-circuit-breakers.models.html doesn't show any 2-pole gfci breakers, but even if it did I would suspect there is likely little difference between the listed and classified version made by the same manufacturer.

So your only real option for a different breaker would seem to be mounting a small (spa style) disconnect as a subfeed from your main panel.

I would thoroughly check your existing wiring, receptacle, cord, and even the connection in the stove to verify no fault exists between neutral and ground before even considering a different breaker. If you find continuity anywhere between the neutral and ground wires then changing the breaker would be pointless.

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  • the gfci breaker seems to trip when the oven reaches a certain temperature -- i was wondering if i should suspect a fan or some other component?
    – curious
    Nov 15, 2020 at 14:05
  • it turns out the cooling fan was not connected internally --- i told them the oven seemed to be getting hot, and they kind of blew me off, saying it was within spec. When I figured out how to check the diagnostics, it was obvious the cooling fan wasn't operational. Ever since it got connected, no tripping of the breaker.
    – curious
    Dec 16, 2020 at 10:43

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