Why is this breaker failing so quickly?
 

3.5 years ago: http://forums.pelicanparts.com/off-topic-discussions/792472-replacing-outside-breaker.html

Replaced it with one from Home Depot I think. Now the center leg has been slowly dying and as of today pretty much dead.

Any ideas on what could cause this breaker so die to quickly?

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corrosion on the bussbars

Thanks, I sprayed some e- cleaner on it all and is working again. My sense is someday I'll have to have a real electrician come out and clean everything properly and figure out why it goes bad so easily.

Look at the corrosion on the screw at the top of that assembly, is it in a high moisture area? Maybe toss a few desiccant bags in there

If I remember correctly you have a 3 phase t shirt machine that was causing problems? Was it the center phase than too? If so you may want to put a amp probe on that when the shirt machine is running and see what each phase is drawing.

OK, so it worked for a while and then failed again. I pulled the breaker off and the center rail and breaker are very corroded. In fact the rail was enlarged at the front base so I couldn't get the breaker back on. I sanded it down with a small barrel sander on my Dremel tool and it went back on.

Why is the center rail corroding like that? Does not seem like a good thing.

Good memory but that was then, haven't had silk screen running for 2 years now. Actually I used the dryer elements for my Cerakote oven.

Each of the 3 rails is running 120V.

It's the center rail corrosion that is the issue, probably the whole time.

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Is that the correct breaker for that box? Bi-metallic corrosion perhaps
Use moisture / corrosion block gel that is applied to aluminum wire connections

Tobra is right about that screw. Resistance is heat. kill that box and take those screws out and clean everything up shiny before screwing it together and turning it back on. If you can't do that, you need a new box.

I got the same type of breaker that came out and it's only the center that is heavily corroded but you may be right. I've got some aluminum wire gel, will go put it on.

That thing looks to be toast. You have so much corrosion that you lost your contact force. Which leads to heat, arcing, and then more corrosion.

Measure the breaker voltage drop for each phase at full load....(input side of the breaker to the output side).

Short term I would clean it and add a copper shim with Noalox. Long term I would plan to replace it the breaker AND the box. Or make new lugs.

Shaun what I was saying is check the amperage. See how many amps each leg is drawing. Looks like the center main is corroding or may be burning from an arc. Also the left is corroding too. Is there signs of rust on the housing box? When the breaker is in place is there any play on it or is it tightly secured?

You can call an electrician now, or you can call 9-1-1 later.

Up to you.......

Award for the best advise of the day! If you aren't licensed call someone who is.
That box looks toast. Ante up and be done with it.

edit: the correct saying should be:
You can call an electrician now, or your heirs can call 9-1-1 later.

That doesn't look like corrosion to me, it looks like arcing from poor contact and it's happening on both the center and left breaker. This can cause heat and a fire. I would change out the box and all the breakers. This isn't something to dink around with. Fix it and fix it right before you burn your place down.

I'll do some measurements tomorrow on voltage, will have to get a clamp on meter for amps.

It's been cleaned and the Noalox has been working well. I have some pure copper foil I can use to shim it but will be looking to replace the rails, calling the e- company tomorrow about turn off. It looks like an extremely simple connection from the meter to the breaker.

Breaker is secure once in place, housing box is weathered but pretty clean.

Respectfully, I hope you wouldn't fix a Porsche with the same piece it back together approach to save a few hundred dollars on a major component. Why not just do it right?

This seems so out of character for you. You are so meticulous about Porsche stuff, but seem to be vacillating on doing this very important job properly.