In my DIY journey, I had experiences with various electrical panels (Square D, Cutler Hammer, GE, Siemens, Murray). Why did I purchase Square D products for my new DIY projects? Simple.
Specifically, when comparing Square D QO series vs Homelines series, QO is better because:
- Wide availability (large home improvement box stores as well as electrical contractor speciality stores)
- Tin plated one-piece copper bus (aluminum in Homeline)
- Sturdier circuit breaker mechanism (higher blowout rating, etc)
- Tight fit and finish
- Visitrip Circuit Breaker (orange bar appears when a breaker is trippedh
- Superior design (like cable channel, easy punch outs, etc.)
Just remember that parts are *NOT* interchangeable between QO and Homeline series (cannot add QO breaker into Homeline panel, etc.) but you can certainly have QO as main and Homeline as subpanel.
QO is industrial/commercial grade and Homeline is residential, so no surprise that the QO panel is better constructed. What is the price difference?
@HighHopes
Yes, QO is targeted for the commercial side. The panel itself is not much more (maybe $20), but the breakers are about $5 higher, which equates to roughly 25% premium.