Watch out: you will also find some 30A - Black toggle Zinsco breakers and 20A black-toggled GFCI breakers that, as you'll see illustrated below on this page. If you're interested in more information or details please let me know. Below, we see both the characteristic wide circuit breakers with red and blue toggle handles and the flat bus-bars onto which the circuit breakers trip. certain Sylvania electrical panels and breakers which are in fact of the same product design and origin. ---- The replacements for zinsco do not make the 35 amp any more. 240V 3 PH LONG 15 3/4 WIDE 27 3/4 $300.00 $102.65 shipping 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. Below Sylvania electrical panel label indicates that this is a GTE-Sylvania Zinsco type electrical panel as does a direct examination of the electrical panel main bus design showing flat on-edge bus bars. US $199.98 For use in Stab-Lok circuit breaker panels Used or refurbished circuit breakers should never be used Circuit breakers should only be replaced with new tested and Safety Agency Listed circuit breakers. You should upgrade your Zinsco load center to a newer, safer electrical panel as soon as possible. Re-posting without Joe's advertisement At IDENTIFY SYLVANIA ELECTRICAL PANELS we describe other Sylvania brand electrical panels that do not use the Zinsco electrical panel bus and breaker design. But I would rather live in a house full of knob and tube than one of these panels. But in my OPINION this is an unsafe situation: it's not a great idea to include fire-kindling inside of an electrical panel! I'd indeed like to see photos of the breaker panel you cite, in total, its labels, its bus bar design and its breaker details and labels. I have a buyer that wants me to put in a new panel because it might be. Watch out: removing and replacing circuit breakers or "exercising" them by turning them on and off can in some cases actually increase the risk of a future failure because of scoring of a plated panel bus bar or because some breaker brands such as FPE show an increased failure to trip after being switched on and off. Once I found your website we started to take a different path. Zinsco Class Action Lawsuit In 2002, a class-action lawsuit was filed against Federal Pacific Electric and Zinsco regarding the danger posed by their electrical panels. Im copying other Langstaff & Sloan Inc. staff in case they have any additional thoughts. Bottom lien: Your photos show an apparent arc burn flash-over soot on the interior of the Zinsco/Sylvania panel cover, on what appear to be the entering service mains, on the side of the panel enclosure, and on a cluster of circuit breakers shown in this detailed image below. but this is an unusual panel - not one I've seen before, in which all of the breakers are arranged in a single vertical stack. Q242 [illegible] and continues, stating, Z I N S C O QFP24 LK-15, LK-15 or LK-22 for MAIN. ML12(12-24)C (Indoor) - Mod. Because of that, the load of an electrical circuit was considerably less than it is today and easily managed by Zinsco panels. Sylvania/zinsco Panel Cover Dead Front | eBay Challenger Panel Cover Dead Front Sylvania/zinsc o Panel Cover Dead Front Condition: Seller refurbished "Panel cover/dead front refurbished to "like new" condition." Price: US $70.00 Buy It Now Add to cart Add to Watchlist Returns accepted Ships from United States Shipping: Infra-red scanning on a loaded breaker would be the best way to spot it. Other labels indicating you have a Zinsco or Zinsco rebranded product include Sylvania, Sylvania-Zinsco, and GTE Sylvania-Zinsco panel. I'll check with him. Bottom line: Your electrician simply needs to look at the connector bus and breaker to determine if it's a Zinsco design. Aluminum has a useful life of approximately 30 years. Rating with LK-15 150 Amps, LK22 225 AMP. Square D panel with following breakers 100A main breaker, 100A breaker, 50A 2 pole, 3 - 20 A single pole, 2- GFCI outlets attached to side. Photographs contributed to this website by Jim P. Simmons, Mr. Electric, Licensed Master Electrician, If I were estimating an electrical panel age I would Alpha & Omega Home Inspections, However, no inspector should ignore the numerous cases of Zinscos breakers going bad. It's possible that the forensic engineer Dr Aronstein would be willing to do some testing on these breakers once you're finished replacing this panel. (Zinsco electrical panel photo below), 3. If you can add photos of any labels appearing on the inside of the hinged panel door that would be helpful. The peace of mind of having an upgraded panel is likely worth it. Experts Have Identified Two Major Reasons Experts report that Zinsco circuit breaker panels may have two major faults that could pose a danger: 1.) Sean. There is no Zinsco electrical panel recall, despite overwhelming evidence of failures. Clockwise from upper left: Compare these to other circuit breakers or to other Zinsco breakers in this article series. Please see ELECTRIC PANEL AMPACITY for more detailed help in answering your question. Check the Breaker for Damage It's Best to Replace the Entire Panel Conclusion Ways to Remove a Zinsco Breaker Federal Pacific Electric panels may not meet today's updated safety codes. They have a reputation as the breaker which doesnt trip. We have an affiliate partnership with Networx. On 2020-07-10 - by (mod) - is there is a way to tell if this is a Zinsco brand. toggle switch colors and unique labels should be sufficient for most inspectors and owners to identify this equipment. What advice can you give me for connecting a generator. Zinsco electrical panels were distributed in the United States, primarily in the Western states. - and then look for remodeling and renovation dates on the panel and in the home's documentation. 3. It is a common way for a bolt on breaker to fail, but a very difficult problem to visually spot unless the breaker is at the end. Arrows point to points of identification characteristic of Zinsco breakers. There are inherent problems in the bus bars of the panel and the materials used for their manufacturing. Some other factors that will affect the price for replacing a Zinsco panel are: Depending on these and other factors, even newer wiring might need to be installed. It is also the panel which had several 100 ampere main breaker fails which led to fires. GTE Sylvania Circuit Breakers Type QFP Please see attached - Thanks! 4. Hopefully you can help. No votes so far! . Joe's advice is in our opinion bad and unsafe. Due to significant flaws in the design of the panels, after wear and tear of the breaker, the breaker and aluminum bars in the Zinsco panel melt together. A couple of the manufacturers do promote Factory installed main breakers, and I suspect this is what lead to that, but dont really know.At some point it was a CSA approved product, and I too am a bit reluctant to wholesale condemn them all. 2, Type 1 Enclosure, 125A Max.. GTE Sylvania Circuit Breakers Type Q, QC, R38, RC38 & HRGF. Therefore, we urge homeowners to consider replacing Zinsco panels. There were a few still being installed later, but they are rare. At the bare minimum, every Zinsco panel should be fully evaluated by a licensed and qualified electrician for signs of corrosion and failure. Replacing the panel can help improve the electrical systems overall performance and ensure it functions correctly. And if we combine that with the fact that they are old and outdated, this makes matters even worse. They have been receiving more claims related to such homes, so they are listed as a possible liability. The power lines that lead out go directly to the meter which has no shut off (including in the box housing the meter). Guess I had bettertalk to our electrical contractor :(. 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. They can still overheat and fail to trip after a small overload. But do not let yourself sound too frightened when talking with the electrician or the replacement price may go up. Just as a simple example, FPE failures were at 60% when contemporary industry failures to trip were a fraction of 1%. Challenger also used FPE and Zinsco Circuit Breakers in many Residential Panels and these are the ones that have had trouble according to many experts. That would be useful additional information to document. The Zinsco company was sold to GTE-Sylvania in 1973, which continued to manufacture the Zinsco panel design under the name of Sylvania-Zinsco. The new buyer labeled his company Challenger Electric. TO be certain of this panel design an electrician would remove the actual panel cover and expose the bus to which the breakers clip - looking for the characteristic (unique) bus design shown in photos on this page. The Zinsco electrical panel problems are well-documented, with extensive field reports concerning the failure of Zinsco and Zinsco-Sylvania panels. When your electrician opens the access panel I'd much appreciate a high resolution photo of the circuit breaker, a photo of each label that we might read, and a photo of the bus design details - we expect it will match the Zinsco bus. Frank Adams Electrical panels were installed in buildings in the U.S. roughly between 1900 and 1970. Rating with LK-15 150 Amps, LK22 225 AMP. I should also point out that the 200 ampere mains are mounted differently and as far as I am aware had no problems like this. Zinsco panels are unsafe, and we urge homeowners to consider a replacement. "Electrical Systems," A Training Manual for Home Inspectors, Alfred L. Alk, American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI), 1987, available from ASHI. 2, Type 1 Enclosure, 125A Max.. I'd like to have seen a view of the actual circuit breaker from its side or a view of the metal bus bar to which the breakers connect as that will give an absolute identification. 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. --- Yes, this house is indeed in Fairfax. 1. US $19.5 Free shipping for many products Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 1 Zinsco Rc38-15 RC3815 15 Amp 2 Pole Tandem Twin Circuit Breaker 120/240 VAC at the best online prices at . I would like to verify the bus rating of my house panel the only label that I have is what is attached in the photos It is important to note that some Challenger breakers do not feature their brand name and have the GTE-Sylvania . 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. - Anonymous by private email 2019/01/30. 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. Aluminum Enters the Picture. Photo 2: A Zinsco panel bus, showing scratch and oxidation marks Photo 3: A Zinsco double pole breaker in-place, with the electrical panel bus exposed Photo 4: A Zinsco breaker side blowout, exposed breaker contact exposed in the electrical panel Photo 5: A Zinsco breaker side blowout-2, exposed breaker contact exposed in the electrical panel However, the bad electrical panels already produced were installed in homes for a few more years. "Evaluating Wiring in Older Minnesota Homes," Agricultural Extension Service, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota 55108. To know with confidence what the breakers are in the panel an electrician will remove the cover, pull a breaker and compare it with the breaker designs illustrated as characteristic of Zinsco. That's probably what you've got. It looks like I have the unsafe Sylvania GTE panel. Watch out: you've got the electrical panel cover off completely. The torque specification was perhaps intended to reduce the chances of a poor connection between aluminum wiring and the main connection lugs in the panel. Zinsco type Q, Qc, QCN, Q24, Cat. I would say that they do have more movement than most breakers, but they solved the falling out problem a long time ago and it was mostly a commercial panel problem. I cannot see anything of the main breaker in your Zinsco panel so it's ampacity could differ, but the panel label describes a 400Amp panel single phase, 120/240VAC unit. IDENTIFY GTE SYLVANIA-ZINSCO PANELS at InspectApedia.com - online encyclopedia of building & environmental inspection, testing, diagnosis, repair, & problem prevention advice. Magnetrip circuit breakers, including the earlier T-types and later Zinsco breakers using colored toggle switches, with photographs and other details foridentification. and I am watching carefully Challenger as well as the others you name. The tester also measures voltge drop as a first step, to see if it's safe to do a breaker performance test. What are your thoughts about this panel set-up? Excerpts: Panel info: 20-5X(10-20) C Mod. The present invention is directed to a relatively inexpensive circuit breaker of the type commonly used as the main breaker in a household electrical service unit in which the rated capacity can be preset by a plug-in cam element made of inexpensive molded plastic material. Note: appearance of your Comment below may be delayed: if your comment contains an image, photograph, web link, or text that looks to the software as if it might be a web link, your posting will appear after it has been approved by a moderator. It drops a dead short across the circuit and measures trip current and time to trip. Kosup, Russell R. MULTIPLE CAPACITY CIRCUIT BREAKER [PDF] U.S. Patent 4,187,482, issued February 5, 1980. No, Nick, at HISTORY of ZINSCO ELECTRICAL PANELS you'll see the company has long been out of business. Application filed by Unicorn Industries Inc.. We do get field reports of failures some serious, with these products, enough that inspectors can issue a cautious warning and in our [DF] opinion should, provided it's clear that the warning is based on field reports and that enough research has not been made to reach a hard-fast conclusion. But other times not. I'm dealing with this problem in my home currently, I have both my HVAC and an electrician here. It would be prudent to replace it. Since Zinsco Sylvania panels are no longer manufactured, you will not find them in newer buildings. Zinsco electrical panels are obsolete. This panel, in photos above, uses a Zinsco type bus design. What happened with Zinsco and why do electricians tell people to replace their panels? The upper and lower "Do not Remove this K.O." InspectAPedia tolerates no conflicts of interest. 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. As a consequence of this, in Ontario we had to mount drywall behind panels for years. Often you will see evidence of arcing or burning at this location. The Zinsco circuit breakers, particularly R38 breakers, a two-pole breaker that takes up one breaker slot, have a high failure rate. 15 amp has Blue Handles Part # R38-15 20 Amp has Red Handles Part # R38-20 30 Amp has Green Handles Part # R38-30 Look for an electrical inspector's stamp of approval of the installation - those, if present, are dated and signed. Mr. Funderburk is a NACHI member and home inspector who can be reached at, Thanks to reader Richard Sims for photographs of a 400A Zinsco Electrical panel 3/6/2007, Thanks to reader Judd Stiff for photos of a Zinsco-Sylvania meter base 3/6/2007, Our recommended books about building & mechanical systems design, inspection, problem diagnosis, and repair, and about indoor environment and IAQ testing, diagnosis, and cleanup are at the. But current electrical needs have become greater over the years and these panels are simply not up to code. Like Zinsco, it brought safety hazards and was recalled. SKU:SK5261622. "Electrical System Inspection Basics," Richard C. Wolcott, ASHI 8th Annual Education Conference, Boston 1985. You will not receive a notification when a response to your question has been posted. Please bookmark this page to make it easy for you to check back for our response. Proceed to complete the identification your panel by having its main bus design examined by your electrician. A good place to start reading about proper generator hookup is 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. Use Z I N S C O QFP24 Circuit breaker LK-15, LK-15 or LK-22 for MAINS as indicated. This was used as a temp panel for 3 months on a job. Above is an example, a Zinsco R38 Tandem circuit breaker sporting light blue toggle switches. US $97.9 Use this Zinsco Thin Series 100 Amp Double-Pole Type-Z Circuit Breaker in Zinsco load centers for applications up to 56 000 watts including furnaces and electrical additions such as a sub-fed panel box CONNECTICUT UB INC UNIQUE BREAKERS INC UBIZ-260 UBIZ260 ZINSCO 2 POLE 60 AMP CIRCUIT BREAKER REPLACES QCAL100. There is live voltage in the panel interior - you could be shocked or killed. at BACKUP ELECTRICAL GENERATORS the circuit breaker colors and other external details permit the inspector to identify the problem Zinsco-design electrical panel bus and circuit breaker materials. And there have never been any recalls initiated on the Zinsco products. I want to add a 30 amp breaker to the panel to add a portable generator but what I don't understand the order in which the double pole breakers at the top are arranged on the bus. Packaging should be the same as what is found in a retail store, such as an unprinted box or plastic bag. Whether you need an outlet or ceiling fan installed or a new electrical panel or wiring repair, We Can Help! The manufacturer is KO Instruments. Try posting a larger photo of that detail. I'll attach - I want to add a 30 amp breaker to the panel to add a portable generator. @Robert shaner, Zinsco panels, also known as GTE Sylvania-Zinsco panels. Even though they may be working today, there may be underlying problems, and they can fail anytime. Third party vendors may produce "zinsco replacement" breakers but testing has shown they perform no more safely than the original ones. Without more investigation of the breakers, panel bus, and circuit involved one cannot say for certain if this arc-flash damage was due to a defect in the circuit breaker, panel bus, connections, or some other issue. "Electrical Systems," A Training Manual for Home Inspectors, Alfred L. Alk, American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI), 1987, available from ASHI. the circuit breaker colors and other external details permit the inspector to identify the problem Zinsco-design electrical panel bus and circuit breaker materials. One's the SE with the cover open, next is a close up of the breakers (look at the 125 A main): Here's the 125 A breaker removed: I understand the home is getting a completely new SE panel. 20 days ago. An electrician needs to look with care at this panel for any immediate safety hazards, pending its replacement. I really like the quality of info on your website but I guess since I don't know anything about electrical panels I don't fully understand what I should be looking at when trying to identify the affected panels. No. The bottom line is that having a Zinsco electrical panel can make . Home inspectors often call out the dangers of a Zinsco style panel during a home inspection. - Anonymous (pending author wish to be identified) to A.C. to D.F. 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. This gray circuit breaker may have been installed in a GTE-Sylvania electrical panel but is breaker did not use the Zinsco-design circuit breakers and/or may be of a different brand or manufacture. CONTACT Us with field reports and photos. Use GTE Sylvania Circuit Breakers Type Q, QC, R38, RC38,and HRGF. LK-15 Watch out: from the panel label and external appearance of the circuit breaker toggle switches, it looks as if as your panel is one of those that are unsafe and should be replaced. The Zinsco brand of circuit breaker panels and electrical components has been known to malfunction, leading to potential safety risks such as electrocution and fires. Try the search box just below, or if you prefer, post a question or comment in the Comments box below and we will respond promptly. Although sometimes brand names change at the border. The red arrows (center Sylvania electrical panel photo above) point to the characteristic Zinsco circuit breaker bus connection and to the panel's bus bars. Plated aluminum bus bars that get gouged-through when a breaker is inserted (mounting a breaker cuts through the plating and we see corrosion, overheats, failures). @Robert shaner, It is best to avoid buying used Zinsco breakers. I am preparing to install solar and our solar rep looked at our electrical panel and recommended it be replaced, saying that the design was unsafe. WA Home Inspector Advisory Licensing Board. OPINION: a look by your electrician at the condition of the circuit breaker-to-bus connection might show the same arcing and burning illustrated above in this article. In that photo I also circle characteristic light green GTE-Sylvania-Zinsco circuit breaker toggle switches. Does the home you are buying have a Zinsco panel? I found it exceedingly helpful, and think it's worth sharing widely. 4-77 1977 [Lots of sketches of older-type service panels.].