www.ncwhomeinspections.com 509-670-9572. The following panels are considered out of date or have been involved in an electrical panel recall: Federal Pacific Electric (FPE) Stab-Lok panels. Lots of sparks and a hole the size of your pinky in his pliers and neither the branch nor the main opened under a few second long fault. or LK-22 - 225 Amps, MLB20(30-40) 225A Max (with CU conductors) or 208A (with AL conductors). But it is by no means an exhaustive listing. It has Zinsco type rc38al circuit breaker in it. We are pleased to credit and link-to contributors. Watch out: you've got the electrical panel cover off completely. Please bookmark this page to make it easy for you to check back for our response. At least I am aware though. "Basic Housing Inspection," US DHEW, S352.75 U48, p.144, out of print, but is available in most state libraries. Experts report that Federal Pacific Electric (FPE) circuit breaker panels may have three major faults that could pose a danger: 1.) If I were estimating an electrical panel age I would They named their product "Challenger". According to experts, zinsco panels malfunction for two reasons: Design Flaws Electricians have observed that there are indeed design flaws in the Zinsco circuit breaker panels. Zinsco is considered unsafe and a serious fire hazard without being officially recognized by the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC). Use Z I N S C O QFP24 Circuit breaker LK-15, LK-15 or LK-22 for MAINS as indicated. 20 A - Red Toggle Part # R38-20 or RC38-20 double pole. Alpha & Omega Home Inspections, Between the 1980's to the 1990's Challenger panels were installed in hundreds of thousands of homes. Founded by Hubert Miles, Certified Master Inspector. Below are links to pictures of my electrical panel. Zinsco panels are known for being unsafe, as they are prone to overheating and arcing. Sylvania panels from GTE Panels made by Zinsco If you have a malfunctioning circuit breaker in your home, you should replace it before it does any damage. On the other hand, most other panels are usually black and arranged in two rows. After hundreds of similar incidents, it was found that Zinsco panels were to blame for frequent electrical shocks, short circuits, and fires. 1320 Dayton Street SE, Olympia, WA 98501, 360-705-4225, Fax 360-705-0130 or by email to, Thanks to various electricians, home owners, and home inspectors for contributing the Zinsco Sylvania-Zinsco electric panel and circuit breaker, Thanks to Joe Funderburk, When I told them I have an old Zinsco panel they asked me to snap a picture of all of the breakers and they offered to send me all new replacement breakers so I could test out their equipment. Thank you, On 2020-07-04 by (mod) Below is a Zinsco HQGF20 GFCI circuit breaker with a black toggle switch. In your panel there are two red stickers with arrows: one pointing "up" indicates that the upper portion of the panel contains multiple (Two in this case) main disconnect breakers and the lower portion of this split bus panel contains individual circuit breakers. In the third photo above I mark with red arrows the distinctive deep notches into the side of a Zinsco-design circuit breaker and the vertical or on-edge aluminum bus bars to which the breaker clips. Also is there a place where I can research to find out if my panels were officially recalled? Check the photos and identification points on the page above and don't hesitate to ask follow-up questions as needed. GTE-Sylvania / Zinsco Panel Identification Pictures Below is a close-up of the bus connection end of a classic Zinsco circuit breaker - showing the difference between these devices. Ways to Remove a Zinsco Breaker Prepare the Following Tools 1. Although the breaker appears to be off, internally, the panel may still be conducting power. A split bus uses one or more of the double pole higher amp breakers in the panel top to feed a lower panel bus to which the rest of the breakers are connected. Watch out: replacement circuit breakers that have been tested for these problem brands have generally performed no better than the originals. I also Googled Images for Federal Pacific Electric Panels, and the photos of burned out panels were horrifying. Alpha & Omega Home Inspections, Bottom line: Your electrician simply needs to look at the connector bus and breaker to determine if it's a Zinsco design. Production was halted when design flaws were discovered. It's probably a 15A Zinsco tandem circuit breaker. Again you guys are great for helping out! Zinsco electrical panels were distributed in the United States, primarily in the Western states. Just below, the photo of a recent GTE Sylvania Zinsco circuit breaker burn-up is shown here courtesy of Jeff Weissman and observed, he reports, in a GTE-Sylvania electrical panel. In any case, I would replace this electrical panel. Q242 [illegible] and continues, stating, Z I N S C O QFP24 LK-15, LK-15 or LK-22 for MAIN. It is from 1975. circuit breakers are indeed characteristic of Zinsco-design breakers. Turn the Breaker Off then Unscrew the Conductors 3. MLB20(12-24)C (Indoor) Mod. Note the panel style and construction details and then see Also see the non-Zinsco design panels at IDENTIFY SYLVANIA ELECTRICAL PANELS. What happened with Zinsco and why do electricians tell people to replace their panels? Only one image can be added per comment but you can post as many comments, and therefore images, as you like. Completely by coincidence I happen to have gotten my hands on a Mr. Electric electrician today. - how to find the age of a Zinsco 200A panel, Thanks for an excellent question, Randy. Pushmatic. Ok got pix of the stickers -- will add the images. In that photo I also circle characteristic light green GTE-Sylvania-Zinsco circuit breaker toggle switches. Some Zinsco electrical panels include an embossed "Magnetrip" label in the panel cover (photo, above left). Here we provide text, labels, and equipment photographs used to help identify Zinsco and GTE-Sylvania-Zinsco electrical panels and circuit breakers, and we include photographs of a Zinsco look alike marketed by Kearney. REally appreciate your feedback(wow, and quick too!). 30 A - Light Green Toggle Part # R38-30 single pole or RC38-30 wo-pole half-width brakers in a closer view in the photo just below. Excerpts: I am wondering if there is a way to tell if this is a Zinsco brand. "Simplified Electrical Wiring," Sears, Roebuck and Co., 15705 (F5428) Rev. Original breakers were patented in 1950 and labeled "Magnatrip." Five additional patents would be issued for subsequent designs. I am always very careful what I say as many people quickly jump to conclusions that I am upselling or Fear marketing. He was recommended to me by a friend who's in contracting locally. It showed that the central ZINSCO panel and circuit breaker failure problems stem from burn-ups at those clip-to-bus connections. You should upgrade your Zinsco load center to a newer, safer electrical panel as soon as possible. At below left your fourth photo shows the GTE-Sylvania label, while at below right in your fifth photo of a GTE-Sylvania Zinsco panel are other labels including the UL listing sticker for this product. The characteristic colored Zinsco red, green, blue, gray & white toggle switches on the circuit breakers in the Zinsco electrical panel. by inspectapedia.com.moderator (mod). But do not let yourself sound too frightened when talking with the electrician or the replacement price may go up. The amps rating of the panel box is often on a label on the inside of the cover or on occasion on the sidewall inside of the electrical box - something your electrician can find if it's still there. Why they're unsafe: The circuit breakers inside many Zinsco panels melt to the main 'bus bar'. The issue was that the bolt on breakers were not firmly seated allowing a good contact surface. To identify a Zinsco panel, look for a vertical line of color-coded circuit breaker handles down the middle of the electrical box. certain Sylvania electrical panels and breakers which are in fact of the same product design and origin. Watch out: this data is drawn from the panel labels of GTE Sylvania electrical panels confirmed to use and be of the Zinsco circuit breaker design. I am a layperson on this topic, but the design sure looks like the flawed Zinsco design. I will do another post with another picture. Help, my parents bought a new solar system and since then my head hurts. Hi this seems to be a really helpful site, thanks! - Vertical or "on edge" electrical panel bus bars identify a Zinsco design. "Electrical System Inspection Basics," Richard C. Wolcott, ASHI 8th Annual Education Conference, Boston 1985. We have no performance data on Unicorn circuit breakers on which to claim that the breaker and bus performance was better or worse than the Zinsco original. Instructor- Fundamentals of Home Inspection- Bellingham Technical College. Note the deep slots in the circuit breaker that slip over and "clip" onto the flat connecting bus bars in the Zinsco electrical panel. As a result, this made their breakers extremely popular.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[468,60],'homeinspectioninsider_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_0',835,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-homeinspectioninsider_com-medrectangle-3-0'); In 1973, Zinsco was sold to GTE Sylvania. It seems that the problems stem from aluminum parts within the panel. The unique vertical thin-edged bus bars (aluminum, plated aluminum, or in older Zinsco panels copper bus bars (inside the panel accessed by a licensed electrician). @Robert shaner, An expert who opens the electrical Although sometimes brand names change at the border. There is live voltage in the panel interior - you could be shocked or killed. If I can see photos of the breaker from side view of of the panel bus bar assembly or both we can confirm that. Application filed by Unicorn Industries Inc.. For people who are too poor to make their homes safer by replacing questionable electrical equipment we suggest some initial or temporary hazard reduction measures: I was reading information on your website about Zinsco panels but I can't determine if my main panel and sub-panel inside the house are the affected panels. Zinsco electrical panels are obsolete. Frank Adams Electrical panels were installed in buildings in the U.S. roughly between 1900 and 1970. The younger Zinsmeyer took over the company from his father in 1943 and renamed it Zinsco. panel or performs further disassembly (DANGEROUS STEP) can further identify the characteristic circuit breaker details but the circuit breaker Depending on the panels amperage (150A or 200A panels will cost more), additional electrical upgrades may also be necessary. I have searched the web and cannot find any of the identifying marks of a Zinsco panel on the panel I have. The average cost of replacing a Zinsco service panel is $1,600 to $4,000. Try posting a larger photo of that detail. Will a Zinsco Electrical Panel Pass Inspection? ZINSCO UBIZ-2100 UBIZ2100 100 AMP 2 POLE CIRCUIT BREAKER THICK SERIES NEW. The Challenger panel was installed in thousands of homes between 1980s to 1990s. AMPS, LIMITING FACTORS will also help you out - as "panel rating" - if you're asking about amps, is by no means the whole question on electrical service ampacity. Here we provide text, labels, and equipment photographs used to help identify Zinsco and GTE-Sylvania-Zinsco electrical panels and circuit breakers, and we include photographs of a Zinsco look alike marketed by Kearney. Be the first to rate this post. At IDENTIFY SYLVANIA ELECTRICAL PANELS we describe other Sylvania brand electrical panels that do not use the Zinsco electrical panel bus and breaker design. Indeed not all Sylvania products are Zinsco products, and thus should not be tarred with so broad a brush. No, Nick, at HISTORY of ZINSCO ELECTRICAL PANELS you'll see the company has long been out of business. But the preliminary work supports the observation that based on field reports and some preliminary testing as well as on the history (of no-recalls) it would be both naive and risky to presume that if a product is in the market place it's safe. 20 March 2015. On 2021-08-30 The other reason is the Zinsco breakers are the only problem and seeing that the panels can't be returned, a Zinsco panel recall isn't practical. Here I'll post a closer-view excerpted from your photo. "Evaluating Wiring in Older Minnesota Homes," Agricultural Extension Service, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota 55108. It appears to be less than 10 years old, but with some older breakers in it.still the main should have tripped. zinsco still make 35 amp breakers? 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