Question for the Electrical Engineer types

[CaptRonn]

I recently replaced the Carling CB on my engine ignition circuit. I was having an intermittent problem where the engine would get no power, then the next day it was fine. The problem could be replicated if I turned off the breaker in that circuit.

So after removing the suspect breaker, I performed an autopsy on it. What I found out was the contact points looked burnt.

Could this have attributed to my problem? Could the pitting on the points interrupted the power flow and not tripped the breaker?

Back in my aviation days we had breakers fail intermittently like that, especially breakers that were pulled often. I suspect my breakers were used like an on/off switch.

 

[my3sons]

As you describe it, that could be the problem.
Similar to a simple starter solenoid, when they fail and just “click”, we usually just replace them, but in a pinch, they can be taken apart and the contacts cleaned up and they work fine again until it can be replaced. Hopefully that’s the end of your problems.