Switchboards — Emergency Build & Same-Day Stock

When a switchboard build holds up commissioning, downs a plant, or stalls a tenant fit-out, the calendar matters more than the catalog. We stock and build commercial and industrial switchboards from 1000A through 4000A and above, in front-access and rear-access configurations, with fixed-mount or drawout breakers. Most orders ship inside 24 to 48 hours. We carry every major manufacturer line, including Square D, Siemens, Eaton, GE, and ABB, and we build to spec when a one-to-one replacement isn't on the shelf.

This page is the hub for our full switchboard range. If you already know the manufacturer, jump straight to the brand pages linked below. If you're still scoping the order, the sections that follow cover the switchboard types we stock, the amp ratings we build to, and the applications we ship into most often.

What is a switchboard?

A switchboard is the service-entrance or main distribution equipment for a commercial or industrial building. It takes utility or generator power at 600 volts or below and distributes it across feeder circuits to downstream panelboards, motor control centers, and large loads. Switchboards differ from panelboards in scale: panelboards typically handle branch circuits up to 1200A, while switchboards start where panelboards leave off and run up past 4000A. They're built around a heavy-duty bus, individually or group-mounted overcurrent devices, and a freestanding enclosure rather than a wall-mount cabinet.

Switchboards split into two broad roles. Service-entrance switchboards sit at the point of utility connection and include the main disconnect, metering provisions, and ground-fault protection where the code requires it. Distribution switchboards sit downstream and feed sub-panels, MCCs, and large equipment loads. Both can be specified with the same construction, but service-entrance units carry the metering and utility-approved features the local power authority will sign off on.

Switchboard types we stock

Service-entrance switchboards

Service-entrance switchboards include utility metering provisions, a main disconnect (fused switch or circuit breaker), and ground-fault protection on 1000A or larger 480Y/277V services. We stock service-entrance configurations across all five major manufacturer lines. Utility approval lists vary by region, so confirm whether your local power authority requires Square D QED, Siemens Sentron, Eaton Pow-R-Line, GE Spectra, or another listed series before we cut steel.

Distribution switchboards

Distribution switchboards take feeder power from the service-entrance gear and break it out to downstream panelboards, motor control centers, and large discrete loads. These are simpler to build than service-entrance units because they don't need utility metering or main disconnect listings. We stock distribution switchboards in both group-mounted (multiple breakers behind a common door) and individually-mounted (each breaker in its own compartment) configurations.

Low-voltage switchboards (LV-SWB)

Low-voltage switchboards cover everything at 600V and below, which is the majority of commercial and industrial switchboard demand in the U.S. They're rated for 1000A to 4000A and above on the main bus, and they accept molded-case, insulated-case, or low-voltage power circuit breakers depending on the manufacturer line and the application. LV-SWBs are the workhorse class for office towers, hospitals, schools, hotels, multi-tenant commercial, and light-to-medium industrial sites.

Switchgear-style switchboards

The line between switchboards and switchgear blurs at the top of the LV-SWB range. Switchgear-style construction uses drawout circuit breakers, with full-section barriers between compartments, and a heavier-duty bus designed for repeated maintenance withdrawals. Square D Power-Zone 4, Eaton Magnum DS, GE Power Break II, ABB SACE Emax 2, and Siemens WL-frame switchgear all fall in this category. We carry switchgear-style assemblies for data centers, hospitals, and any installation where downtime for breaker maintenance isn't acceptable.

Motor control center ties

Many industrial installations tie a switchboard directly into a motor control center for the plant's motor loads. We stock MCC-tie sections, MCC main breakers, and the bus extensions that connect the two assemblies. If your order pairs a switchboard with an MCC, send both line-ups in one quote request and we'll match the bus rating, short-circuit ratings, and termination plan across the pair.

Amp ratings we build

Our high-margin range is 1600A through 4000A, where manufacturer factory lead times run 20 to 40 weeks and most contractors get burned waiting on a deadline. We stock every standard frame in that range:

• 1000A to 1200A — entry-level service-entrance and distribution switchboards for smaller commercial buildings, multi-tenant retail, and light manufacturing.
• 1600A to 2000A — the most common service-entrance rating for mid-size office, hospitality, and industrial loads. We hold inventory in both group-mounted and individually-mounted configurations.
• 2500A to 3000A — hospital, data center, and larger industrial service-entrance and distribution gear. Almost always specified with drawout breakers and full-section barriers.
• 4000A and above — large data centers, campus mains, heavy industrial. Switchgear-style construction is standard. We build to spec when a stocked unit doesn't match the riser plan exactly.

Voltage classes covered: 208Y/120V, 240V delta, 480Y/277V, and 600V three-phase. Most commercial demand sits in the 480Y/277V class. We stock both 100% and 80% rated mains as the application requires.

Brands stocked

We carry every major U.S. switchboard manufacturer line. The brand pages below cover series compatibility, retrofit options, and the specific frames we hold in inventory:

• Square D switchboards — QED-2 and QED-3 distribution, Power-Zone 4 switchgear, plus the full Power-Zone breaker range from Masterpact to Compact NSX. Most-stocked line by volume.
• Siemens switchboards — P1, P2, and P3 series distribution and service-entrance gear, switchgear, and the WL-frame drawout breaker line. Strong fit for utility-approved service-entrance work in the Western U.S.
• Eaton switchboards — Pow-R-Line C distribution, Magnum DS switchgear with drawout Magnum breakers. Common spec on healthcare and large commercial.
• GE switchboards — Spectra Series distribution, Power Break II switchgear with EntelliGuard and AKR breakers. Frequently the existing-installation match on industrial retrofits.
• ABB switchboards — System pro E distribution with SACE Tmax molded-case breakers, SACE Emax 2 air circuit breaker switchgear. Strong fit for European-spec equipment and pharmaceutical sites.

If you're sourcing a one-to-one replacement, the brand match matters because of bus arrangements, breaker frame compatibility, and how the existing terminations land. If you're building new, we'll quote the line that best fits your utility approval list, your existing-spare-breaker inventory, and the lead time you're working against. Send the original drawings or a photo of the existing nameplate and we'll spec from there.

Applications we ship into

Switchboards in our inventory go into the same building types every week, but the spec changes considerably between them.

Data centers drive the largest end of our range. UPS-fed switchboards, generator paralleling gear, and downstream PDU switchboards all push us into the 2500A to 4000A range with drawout breakers and full selective coordination. Redundancy requirements (N+1, 2N) mean orders often come in pairs or quads.

Hospitals demand strict utility approval, ground-fault protection on essential branches, and equipment that can be serviced live wherever possible. We stock the listed service-entrance configurations and have built the dual-source automatic transfer switch ties into adjacent switchgear lineups on emergency builds.

Manufacturing plants tend to specify by amp rating and by what's already installed on-site. Replacement of a failed 2000A main on a Friday afternoon is the kind of call we handle most weeks. MCC ties, oversized neutrals for non-linear loads, and arc-flash labeling all come into the conversation.

Multi-tenant commercial (office towers, mixed-use retail, hotels) typically lands in the 1600A to 2500A range with sub-metering. Service-entrance switchboards here are often the entire job, with distribution panelboards taking power downstream.

Higher education and municipal sites usually replace ageing equipment in occupied buildings, which means physical envelope matters as much as electrical spec. We've shipped switchboards in non-standard frames to fit existing electrical room footprints when a manufacturer's stock unit wouldn't physically fit.

Configurations: front-access vs rear-access, drawout vs fixed-mount

Front-access switchboards allow all maintenance from the front of the unit. They take less floor space (no rear working clearance needed) and suit tighter electrical rooms. The trade-off is more limited internal access on larger frames.

Rear-access switchboards require working clearance behind the unit but give technicians full access to lugs, bus connections, and incoming cable terminations. Most service-entrance gear above 2000A is specified rear-access for serviceability.

Drawout breakers roll out of their compartments on rails for inspection, testing, or replacement without de-energizing the bus. Standard above 2000A and on any switchgear-class assembly. Magnum DS, Power-Zone, Power Break II, Emax 2, and WL all support drawout configuration.

Fixed-mount breakers bolt directly into the structure. Lower cost, smaller footprint, longer outage when replaced. Standard on most distribution switchboards through 2000A.

Individually-mounted devices each sit in their own compartment with separate doors. Higher fault rating, full selective isolation during maintenance, longer line-up.

Group-mounted devices share a compartment behind a single door. More compact, lower cost, slightly tighter coordination on selective isolation.

If you're undecided, send the load schedule and a sketch of the available floor space and we'll come back with the configuration that fits both.

Why order through Verified Breakers

Switchboards are the part of the electrical scope that breaks deadlines. Manufacturer factory lead times on 1600A and above currently run 20 to 40 weeks, and that gap is what's putting projects months behind schedule across the country. We turn switchboard orders around in 24 to 48 hours when manufacturer lead times are 20 weeks or longer. That's the entire reason this catalog exists.

How we hit that turnaround:

• Real inventory. We hold finished switchboard sections across all five major brands. Most stocked orders ship the next business day.
• Emergency build capacity. When the stocked configuration isn't an exact match, we cut steel, mount breakers, with and run the bus from our own facilities. Emergency builds ship in 24 to 48 hours on most specs.
• Nationwide shipping. Freight goes coast-to-coast from our locations in Colorado, Texas, and California. No regional restrictions.
• Direct contact. You speak to the people specifying and building the unit, not a national call center routing tickets.

If your project is on a deadline and the factory has quoted you Q4, this is the right place to be talking.

Request a quote

Send the existing nameplate, the drawing sheet, or a line item from your bid package. We'll come back with availability, configuration, and ship date inside one business day. For active emergencies, call directly and we'll quote against current inventory in real time. Request a switchboard quote.