What are Counterfeilt Electrical Supplies?

Counterfeit electrical supplies are items such as power circuit breakers which are made to appear as legitimate products by a recognized manufacturer. These counterfeits usually have inferior workmanship and are made with shoddy materials. The average consumer wouldn't be able to spot these counterfeit electrical supplies unless they know specifically what telltale signs to watch for; the first indication many people have that their power circuit breaker or other equipment is fake is when it fails. Counterfeits have infiltrated the market in a number of ways. One case involved a set of made-in-China power circuit breakers designed to look like those manufactured by Square D. These breakers often fail to trip when they are supposed to, creating a serious fire hazard. A statement by the Square D company indicates these counterfeits are only capable of handling 30 to 50% of the load they are rated for; such devices often allow overloads to pass through the electrical system instead of breaking the circuit as intended.