Westinghouse to Eaton Circuit Breaker Cross Reference
Westinghouse stopped making circuit breakers under its own name when Eaton’s Cutler-Hammer acquired the distribution and control business in 1994 — but Westinghouse-frame breakers are still sitting in panelboards, switchboards, and MCCs across every plant built before then. Eaton maintains the official replacement path, and this cross-reference maps the common obsolete Westinghouse frames (along with Challenger and Bryant, which Eaton also absorbed) to their current Eaton equivalents.
Three things the tables account for that a simple part-number swap misses. Mounting: many older frames need a retrofit kit or handle-mechanism change when the replacement goes into an existing panelboard or MCC bucket — the vintage panelboard guide (PRL1/2/3, CDP, FDP) covers those kits. Interrupting rating: replacements frequently carry higher AIC ratings than the originals; verify the rating against your available fault current rather than assuming the old number. Reconditioning: for some frames, factory reconditioning of the original breaker is a supported alternative to replacement — sometimes the right answer for matched-set switchboards.
Find your frame designation (stamped on the breaker face) in the tables below. If the nameplate is gone, the identification procedure from Eaton’s vintage-panelboard guide is summarized underneath.
We stock and source both sides: current Eaton replacements and hard-to-find original Westinghouse frames for like-for-like swaps where a retrofit isn’t practical. Send us the frame designation, amperage, and a nameplate photo and we’ll confirm the cross same-day.
Table of Contents
1. Westinghouse to Eaton Frame Cross Reference
This table summarizes the official Eaton mappings from obsolete Westinghouse, Challenger, and Bryant frames to the current Series C or Series G equivalents. Verify interrupting capacities (AIC) before committing to a replacement, as modern frames often exceed legacy ratings.
| Legacy Westinghouse Frame | Ampere Range | Current Eaton Replacement Frame | Retrofit & Mounting Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA / CAH / HCA | 15A – 225A | FD / HFD / FDC (F-Frame) | Fits standard F-frame footprints. May require new handle mechanisms in older MCC buckets. |
| EHB | 15A – 100A | EHD / FDB (F-Frame) | Common in legacy lighting panels. Verify bolt-on vs. plug-on configuration. |
| FB / HFB | 15A – 150A | FD / HFD (F-Frame) | Direct frame upgrade. F-Frame dimensions closely match legacy FB. |
| JA / KA / HKA | 70A – 225A | JD / HJD (J-Frame) | Replacement requires J-Frame retrofit kits in CDP/FDP panelboards (see Table 2). |
| LA / HLA | 400A – 600A | LD / HLD (L-Frame) | Verify continuous current and fault rating. L-Frame retrofit kit required in vintage panels. |
| MA / HMA | 700A – 800A | MD / HMD (M-Frame) | M-Frame footprint. Check busbar connections, spacing, and lug requirements. |
| NB / HNB | 700A – 1200A | ND / HND (N-Frame) | High-capacity frame. Factory reconditioning of the original is a supported alternative to full replacement. |
| PB / HPB | 1600A – 2500A | PD (P-Frame) | Major switchboard main. Verify dimensions and bus connections carefully. |
2. CDP Panelboard Retrofit Kit Chart (Ref: RP01400002E)
Mounting a modern Eaton Series C breaker into a vintage Westinghouse CDP panelboard requires a specific hardware kit containing the necessary bus connectors, mounting brackets, and hardware. A bare replacement breaker will not fit without it.
| Legacy CDP Breaker Frame | Current Eaton Replacement | CDP Retrofit Kit Type | Mounting Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| FB / EHB | F-Frame (EHD, FDB, FD, HFD) | F-Frame Branch Kit | Available in Twin (dual breaker) or Single mounting configurations. |
| JA / KA | J-Frame (JD, HJD, JDC) | J-Frame Branch Kit | Required for mounting modern J-Frame in legacy JA/KA CDP chassis footprint. |
| LA | L-Frame (LD, HLD, LDC) | L-Frame Branch Kit | L-Frame is dimensionally different from JA; requires specific L-Frame mounting brackets and connectors. |
| MA / NB | M-Frame / N-Frame | M/N-Frame Kit | Typically main breakers or large branch lines. Often requires chassis drilling or bus modification per Eaton instructions. |
3. Identifying Breakers with Missing Nameplates
If the original Westinghouse nameplate is faded or missing, you can often identify the frame by measuring its physical dimensions and noting the number of poles. Eaton’s renewal parts guide (RP01400002E) outlines identification based on these physical footprints. Send our engineering team the breaker’s height, width, depth, and mounting hole centers, along with a photograph of the handle and lugs, and we will decode the legacy frame designation for you.
4. Source Reference Documents & Resources
Source Reference Documents (PDF):
Related Resources & Categories:
5. Source Your Breakers From TCI Supply
We ship these products worldwide! Delivery is normally stock. Request a Quote now or call us at 1-800-755-2883 for expert assistance.
Cross-references are provided as a selection aid. Panelboard retrofits involve high-voltage bus work and precise fault-current requirements. Always verify interrupting capacities and physical mounting requirements before ordering, or call us and we’ll verify it with you.