Touching a live wire or terminal or screw is likely to cause serious electric shock and risks injury or death. HOW TO WIRE UP an ELECTRIC GENERATOR and ISOLATION SWITCH REQUIREMENTS, On 2020-12-04 by BW Simmons It would have top be purchased used only. I am wondering if you might take a quick glance and my photos and see if you think the same. unused, Condition:: New: A brand-new. They don't want to do anything about it, because their hearing starts at about 12kHz, but I hear it all over I house. 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. Don't be fooled by its lookalike counterparts; this panel is easily distinguishable with its pastel-colored breakers lined up in a single row. Please bookmark this page to make it easy for you to check back for our response. Here I'll post a closer-view excerpted from your photo. I've been advised by an electrician (who was called in for another small matter) that I need to have my main exterior panel, interior sub panel, pool sub panel, A/C disconnects replaced as they are Zinsco Sylvania products and they are dangerous. The manufacturer is KO Instruments. - I want to add a 30 amp breaker to the panel to add a portable generator. Due to the type of aluminum used, Zinsco breakers can melt and fuse to the bus bar, prohibiting the breakers from tripping and can cause house fires. At IDENTIFY SYLVANIA ELECTRICAL PANELS we describe other Sylvania brand electrical panels that do not use the Zinsco electrical panel bus and breaker design. Zinsco circuit breakers and the buss connections they use are easily identified regardless of the loss or absence of panel labels. Some history of Unicorn Industries circuit breakers is at. 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. Although the breaker appears to be off, internally, the panel may still be conducting power. Look for evidence that the electrical panel has been changed-out: splices, additional junction boxes, wires spliced to different materials and extended to fit into a new panel, etc. The instructions say to use certain Zinsco breakers to replace the original ones. They were installed in millions of homes and commercial properties in North America. The following remarks from a licensed electrician were provided to us courtesy of Al Carson, Carson Dunlop Associates, a Toronto home inspection and home inspection education firm. [DF NOTE: I do NOT recommend this obsolete publication, though it was cited in the original. 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. 160. Actually that top component labeled "Main" looks like it could even be a fuse pull-out. So they should be treated as the same electrical panel with the same weaknesses. I'd be grateful if you'd post your photo and question there. Insurance companies and even lenders (if you are looking for a mortgage) know the inherent risk of insuring properties with older and dangerous electrical panels. 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. One of my staff accidentally cut the wrong wire. Please see details at ZINSCO SYLVANIA ELECTRICAL PANELS. Moving the panel to meet electrical codes. A good place to start reading about proper generator hookup is He was recommended to me by a friend who's in contracting locally. 2. Thanks again *and* in advance after I get more pix! Look for evidence that the panel is original, having been installed when the home was built and take that as the panel age Often the panel manufacture date is stamped on the panel labeling but not always and not in a consistent patterns. 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. or Cat.No. Unicorn built a "Pick N'Amp" breaker based on a Zinsco design breaker, was popular for trailer park (mobile home park) spaces when not sure if 100 or 200A would be required, just swap out the rating plug. "Electrical System Inspection Basics," Richard C. Wolcott, ASHI 8th Annual Education Conference, Boston 1985. Here (above and below) we show external and internal identification labels for this 400-Amp Zinsco electrical panel. Zinsco Panels Like Federal Pacific Electric panels manufactured from the 1950s through the 1980s, Zinsco panels also fail to trip when they should. Look for an electrical inspector's stamp of approval of the installation - those, if present, are dated and signed. An electrician needs to look with care at this panel for any immediate safety hazards, pending its replacement. The panel labels may identify it as "Sylvania", Sylvania-Zinsco, or GTE-Sylvania-Zinsco. Sometimes that's true. 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. this is the dryer outlet, and our dryer is a 24-amp appliance, so no problem there. Zinsco panels are unsafe, and we urge homeowners to consider a replacement. 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. Panel info: 20-5X(10-20) C Mod. I would GREATLY VALUE your opinion. Photo of a recent GTE Sylvania Zinsco circuit breaker burn up courtesy of Jeff Weissman. Zinsco or Zinsco-Sylvania is the name given to a brand of electrical panel that was commonly installed up to the mid-1970's. It was a very popular product and installed throughout North America. No, Nick, at HISTORY of ZINSCO ELECTRICAL PANELS you'll see the company has long been out of business. 4. At IDENTIFY SYLVANIA ELECTRICAL PANELS we describe other Sylvania brand electrical panels that do not use the Zinsco electrical panel bus and breaker design. Instead the generator is connected to the panel THROUGH a transfer switch - an "either-or" type switch that makes certain that both power systems are not ever turned on simultaneously. by inspectapedia.com.moderator (mod). 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. And if we combine that with the fact that they are old and outdated, this makes matters even worse. The photo above shows the distinctive operating handle on the door of this Zinsco electrical panel. Clockwise from upper left: Compare these to other circuit breakers or to other Zinsco breakers in this article series. 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. Im copying other Langstaff & Sloan Inc. staff in case they have any additional thoughts. Moderator comment: Watch out: replacement circuit breakers that have been tested for these problem brands have generally performed no better than the originals. white stickers telling you not to remove those "knockout" pair of opening covers. Application filed by Unicorn Industries Inc.. 200 amps - $1,300 to $2,600. Above is an example, a Zinsco R38 Tandem circuit breaker sporting light blue toggle switches. It appears to be less than 10 years old, but with some older breakers in it.still the main should have tripped. I am sending you a picture, can you tell if it needs to be replaced? "Electrical Systems," A Training Manual for Home Inspectors, Alfred L. Alk, American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI), 1987, available from ASHI. CONTACT Us with field reports and photos. Or use the SEARCH BOX found below to Ask a Question or Search InspectApedia. My electrician told me they were Zinsco and had to be replaced. 2, Type 1 Enclosure, 125A Max.. I'm sorry to say that I have not found a credible Zinsco electrical panel age decoder. Photographs contributed to this website by Jim P. Simmons, Mr. Electric, Licensed Master Electrician, Challenger discontinued the Zinsco panel line, but continued making Zinsco breakers for the existing Zinsco and Sylvania panels that required the type Z breakers. Why Do Zinsco Panels Malfunction? 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. It is not a law. It looks like I have the unsafe Sylvania GTE panel. where we discuss, among other topics, Depending on the panel's amperage (150A or 200A panels will cost more), additional electrical upgrades may also be necessary. "Basic Housing Inspection," US DHEW, S352.75 U48, p.144, out of print, but is available in most state libraries. Will a Zinsco Electrical Panel Pass Inspection? Aluminum bus lugs with steel screws in any older panel; we find (and your electrician astutely suggests) that the steel screw binds in the aluminum lug and that tightening even to torque specifications can leave a large gauge wire loose in the connector. It showed that the central ZINSCO panel and circuit breaker failure problems stem from burn-ups at those clip-to-bus connections. 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. Below are links to pictures of my electrical panel. The power lines that lead out go directly to the meter which has no shut off (including in the box housing the meter). Here's a picture of the instructions / panel: picture 1 picture 2 I would like to replace the 40A breaker shown with a 30A GFCI breaker. They can still overheat and fail to trip after a small overload. [Click to enlarge any image]. and I am watching carefully Challenger as well as the others you name. Pushmatic. "Evaluating Wiring in Older Minnesota Homes," Agricultural Extension Service, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota 55108. No. 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 on-edge, flat bus-bar connection is distinctive and so is easy to recognize. Is my panel safe - FPE. Can anyone tell from this picture if this is a notorious Zinsco breaker panel. a picture of the Sylvania sticker and also another one of the whole box. 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: This is contrary to other breakers that are in two rows and black colored. I have searched the web and cannot find any of the identifying marks of a Zinsco panel on the panel I have. Watch out: your photo shows live voltage terminals exposed: don't touch or you can be shocked or killed. We include photos of Zinsco breaker labels and other markings that identify Zinsco and Kearney electrical equipment. There were a few still being installed later, but they are rare. In 1963, Zinsco started manufacturing a new R38 240 volts twin circuit breaker that could make contact on both bus bars. 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. I have an MLB20 (15-30)C indoor mod 2 breaker box, is this prone to problems? On 2020-12-04 by (mod) In 78 they changed the name of the Zinsco line to Challenger. 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. Only one image can be added per comment but you can post as many comments, and therefore images, as you like. Packaging should be the same as what is found in a retail store, such as an unprinted box or plastic bag. InspectAPedia tolerates no conflicts of interest. I [will] send pictures Sylvania Electrical Panel Catalog No. 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. - and then look for remodeling and renovation dates on the panel and in the home's documentation. 20 days ago. Those red and light blue (?) Zinsco electrical panels were distributed in the United States, primarily in the Western states. Again you guys are great for helping out! Some of these such as FPE involved outright fraud by people who knew perfectly well that the product did not perform properly. Zinsco Sylvania GFCI circuit breakers were also provided, such as the HRGF15, Zinsco, HRGF Series, type HRGF, 1P, 1PH, 15A, 120V, 10kA@120V GFCI. 3. The Pick M'Amp circuit breaker, designed based on Zinsco's problem circuit breaker and bus design, was produced by Unicorn Industries. As a consequence of this, in Ontario we had to mount drywall behind panels for years. What are your thoughts about this panel set-up? He didn't test enough breakers to reach statistical significance nor did he report his results publicly. "How to plan and install electric wiring for homes, farms, garages, shops," Montgomery Ward Co., 83-850. 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