This was used as a temp panel for 3 months on a job. On 2020-07-10 - by (mod) - is there is a way to tell if this is a Zinsco brand. - Anonymous by private email 2019/01/30. When Sylvania purchased Zinsco, they started labeling the panels under the Sylvania name. Below is a Zinsco HQGF20 GFCI circuit breaker with a black toggle switch. 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. . Turn the Breaker Off then Unscrew the Conductors 3. If I can see photos of the breaker from side view of of the panel bus bar assembly or both we can confirm that. 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. 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. I would GREATLY VALUE your opinion. Federal Pacific Electrical Panels, often known as FPE Stab Lok panels, are a type of electrical panel manufactured by Federal Pacific. Founded by Hubert Miles, Certified Master Inspector. Questions & answers about the identification of Zinsco, Sylvania-Zinsco, and Kearney Electrical Panels - Zinsco-look alike Electrical Panels and Circuit Breakers. Or use the SEARCH BOX found below to Ask a Question or Search InspectApedia. As a homeowner, you are liable when someone is injured on your property, especially if the harm was foreseeable. Be the first to rate this post. Is my panel safe - FPE. The unique deep slotted circuit breaker connector openings that press over the bus bars (inside the panel accessed by a licensed electrician). @Robert shaner, 2, 225AMPS Max. What advice can you give me for connecting a generator. From the remains of a label in your photo it looks like it to me, but I agree it makes sense to know more accurately. Thanks so much, this is a great service you are providing! Above: Sylvania electrical panel Catalog No. According to usinspect.com, problems with Zinsco Panels . 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. Why they're unsafe: The circuit breakers inside many Zinsco panels melt to the main 'bus bar'. Zinsco electrical panels were distributed in the United States, primarily in the Western states. Do not touch anything inside the panel. Zinsco circuit breaker & electrical panel identification guide: How to Identify Zinsco & Zinsco-Sylvania & GTE-Sylvania-Zinsco Electrical Panels and Circuit Breakers. --- Moving the panel to meet electrical codes. Why Do Zinsco Panels Malfunction? Photo courtesy Tim Hemm cited at references at the end of these articles. 3. Depending on the panel's amperage (150A or 200A panels will cost more), additional electrical upgrades may also be necessary. panel or performs further disassembly (DANGER) can further identify the characteristic circuit breaker details but the circuit breaker At least I am aware though. 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. 112. r/solar. CONTACT US with field reports and photos. What Is A Zinsco Panel And Why Should I Care? Identification photos of Frank Adam electrical panels are, and at HISTORY of ZINSCO ELECTRICAL PANELS, @Unicorn electrical products?, Zinsco electrical panels were distributed in the United States, primarily in the Western states. It would be prudent to replace it. 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. 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 I am also wondering if my box is one of the hazardous ones. I see it's in Fairfax Virginia (my home for many years) and I'm guessing from the electrical inspector's tag that the home or at least the panel is from 1976. We have no relationship with advertisers, products, or services discussed at this website. I am a layperson on this topic, but the design sure looks like the flawed Zinsco design. The photo above shows the distinctive operating handle on the door of this Zinsco electrical panel. Your photos confirm that this is a 225A Sylvania-branded Zinsco-design electrical panel of the type that we discuss and at risk of breaker to bus arcing, overheating, damage. The inside box is a Zinsco/Sylvania model number 20-5x (7-14). 5. It turns out as I'm reading your article, you cite someone named James Simmons from Mr Electric. We have an affiliate partnership with Networx. Zinsco or GTE-Sylvania panels were popular electrical panels installed in homes throughout the 1970s. It looks like I have the unsafe Sylvania GTE panel. Will snapmore pix when I can drag myself away from computer. It is from 1975. 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). My Missouri home was built in 1978. In 1973, GTE-Sylvania (same owners of Zinsco) introduced their own panel and breaker design. Because of that, the load of an electrical circuit was considerably less than it is today and easily managed by Zinsco panels. But I would rather live in a house full of knob and tube than one of these panels. Book your home inspection today by calling 818-298-3405 2. Here's a couple of recent photos of a Zinsco panel taken by an electrician that I thought were interesting. There were problems found with our air handlers and they were wondering if that is what caused this Ark. Only one image can be added per comment but you can post as many comments, and therefore images, as you like. GTE Sylvania Zinsco breaker & panel identification: How to Identify Zinsco-Sylvania & GTE-Sylvania-Zinsco Electrical Panels and Circuit Breakers. 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. 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. Use Zinsco circuit breakers type Q, Qc, QCN, Q24, Cat. Hazards of Zinsco Panels. Due to the deficiencies found in these panels and the adverse effects the panels can cause, Zinsco electrical panels should be replaced. If you're interested in more information or details please let me know. 390-205-09 on a label which has the bottom left corner torn off. The unsafe electrical panels sold by Zinsco were prevalent between the 1960s and 1970s. But Watch out: opening an electrical panel, if you touch what you shouldn't means dead Larry (or Dead Daniel if I do it). Photo of a recent GTE Sylvania Zinsco circuit breaker burn up courtesy of Jeff Weissman. There is no and was no GTE-Sylvania Zinsco electrical panel recall that would help you out with replacement costs. Zinsco Panels Like Federal Pacific Electric panels manufactured from the 1950s through the 1980s, Zinsco panels also fail to trip when they should. The full size is type Q and the two ploes are type QC. This GTE Sylvania Zinsco panel label states. CONTACT Us with field reports and photos. Production was halted when design flaws were discovered. 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. Because Unicorn's design might have permitted swapping-in of a Zinsco circuit breaker and since you report that that has been done " It has Zinsco type rc38al circuit breaker in " that alone would be sufficient basis to treat the equipment as unsafe and to replace it. There will usually be a label with the Zinsco logo on the panel. 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. 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. Don't be fooled by its lookalike counterparts; this panel is easily distinguishable with its pastel-colored breakers lined up in a single row. It was also sold under the Kearney brand name. There were a few still being installed later, but they are rare. ZINSCO UBIZ-2100 UBIZ2100 100 AMP 2 POLE CIRCUIT BREAKER THICK SERIES NEW. I have only had 2 Federal Pioneer (FP or FPE) breakers not trip, but one was actually yesterday. Why GFCI Outlets have a Blinking Red Light? Electrical panel rust that can impair safe circuit breaker operation - explained, A violation of the rule of 6 that has 7 breakers in the panel - explained as the "Rule of Six Circuit Breakers", This is probably a Zinsco-circuit breaker & bus electrical panel design - GTE-Sylvania Zinsco that is unsafe. Those red and light blue (?) Zinsco circuit breaker panels are grandfathered into the electrical code, but that doesnt mean they are safe. Continue readingat IDENTIFY GTE SYLVANIA-ZINSCO PANELS or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX. If the panel you describe is of the classic Zinsco design described in these pages there is risk of breaker-bus arcing and the other hazards described for Zinsco. I am wondering if there is a way to tell if this is a Zinsco brand. Zinsco electric panels jolley1859 1.6K views 2 years ago How to Upgrade an Electric Meter to 200-Amp Service (Part 1) | This Old House This Old House 2.7M views 8 years ago Hack for AFCI_GFCI. On 2021-08-25 by inspectapedia.com.moderator (mod). IDENTIFY ZINSCO ELECTRICAL PANELS at InspectApedia.com - online encyclopedia of building & environmental inspection, testing, diagnosis, repair, & problem prevention advice. The Challenger panel was installed in thousands of homes between 1980s to 1990s. Frank Adams Electrical panels were installed in buildings in the U.S. roughly between 1900 and 1970. Discussed: GTE-Sylvania-Zinsco Electrical Panels that used Zinsco circuit breakers and bus design & may involve similar electrical panel failures and safety concerns as Zinsco. 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. In addition, Zinsco panels typically have the logo at the top of the panel. Thanks again *and* in advance after I get more pix! mobile home doors that open properly - all buildings need safe functional fire exit passages, Turning off any strange-behaving circuits (flickering lights) with the caveat than in an FP/FPE case "turning off" may actually leave the circuit on as the breaker may not switch off internally), Red and blue breaker switches with visible colored base, Oblong opening at wire connection terminal, Flat electrical panel bus bars in parallel fitting into two slots on each breaker, Oblong opening in plastic receiver of bus bar ends, Vertical arrows point to the flat electrical panel bus bars of a Zinsco electrical panel. 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. As a consequence of this, in Ontario we had to mount drywall behind panels for years. It is a Zinsco type electrical panel and should be replaced. - I want to add a 30 amp breaker to the panel to add a portable generator. When these panels experience a short circuit or an overcurrent, they often fail to cut the power supply to the affected circuit. toggle switch colors and unique labels should be sufficient for most inspectors and owners to identify this equipment. There is live voltage in the panel interior - you could be shocked or killed. - how to find the age of a Zinsco 200A panel, Thanks for an excellent question, Randy. Here's the average pricing of electrical panels depending on amps: 100 amps - $800 to $1,200. 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