A Master Electrician Warns About Zinsco Panels

[hausdok]

Editors's Note: The following was submitted to TIJ via E-mail by James Simmons (User name: Mr. Electric). Mr. Simmons is a Master Electrician who has trained many home inspectors how to inspect for electrical deficiencies.

The attached pictures are from a repair we just did (we are getting him a price to replace the service). If you look at the first two pictures you see what the breaker looks like on a visual inspection. Then the last picture shows what the 125-amp breaker actually looks like!

There are several issues with Zinsco/Sylvania:

1. The first one is this is the reason I recommend a licensed electrician look at every Zinsco/Sylvania panel. You just cannot visually tell that there may be a major problem with them. It is very dangerous to remove a breaker in these panels especially since many of them (this one included) do not have a main breaker.

2. The second issue is that these panels are junk and are by far the highest number of panel problems that we find (followed by ITE, Murray, FPE, and older Siemens).

3. The last reason is that the breakers are very unreliable. I have seen 20-amp breakers with continuous 30-amp loads on them without tripping more than once. We have seen many examples over the years where Zinsco/Sylvania breakers are overloaded and did not trip.

Please feel free to use these pictures, forward the email, or to post the information.

Jim P. Simmons

Mr. Electric

PH: 360-705-4225

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James P. (Jim) Simmons owns and operates a Mr. Electric franchise in Olympia, Washington. Jim is a Master Electrician that has been licensed since 1975. He's done several seminars for home inspectors (NAHI/ASHI); has taught classes on the NEC as a Washington State Department of Labor and Industries approved instructor; has served on the Board of the Puget Sound Section of IAEI (International Association of Electrical Inspectors) since 1994; has served on the Washington State Electrical Board since 1999; is a member of the board of directors for the Olympia Master Builders (representing over 1000 members in Western Washington); and was named Top Gun at the 2008 Mr. Electric National convention.

[Jerry Lozier]

Originally posted by hausdok

Editors's Note: The following was submitted to TIJ via E-mail by James Simmons (User name: Mr. Electric). Mr. Simmons is a Master Electrician who has trained many home inspectors how to inspect for electrical deficiencies.

There are several issues with Zinsco/Sylvania:

1. The first one is this is the reason I recommend a licensed electrician look at every Zinsco/Sylvania panel. You just cannot visually tell that there may be a major problem with them. It is very dangerous to remove a breaker in these panels especially since many of them (this one included) do not have a main breaker.

2. The second issue is that these panels are junk and are by far the highest number of panel problems that we find (followed by ITE, Murray, FPE, and older Siemens).

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Didn't know how to get this to elec forum....sorry

I see lots of FPE, Zinsco/Sylvania, and an occasional Pushomatic.... Always call them out for (at minimum) further electrical contractor evaluation, ( best recommendation is replacement)

However

Had not heard of issues with other panels mentioned above.... any place to find out more info other than gooooogleville

thanks Jerry

[kurt]

What's wrong with Pushmatic?

[hausdok]

Didn't know how to get this to elec forum....sorry

Don't worry about it; if I'd wanted it to be in the electrical forum I would have put it there.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with responding to articles from the home page. Your responses aren't shown there. Whenever an article is posted to the home page, it simultaneously becomes a forum entry.

OT - OF!!!

M.

[Kyle Kubs]

Jim,

Thanks for the contribution.

Quick question. Albeit just a little bit, I am surprised to see Murry lumped in there with the others. Now, I agree, it's a low grade panel (I'm probably being more nice then I should) and I even have a couple breakers in my basement waiting for an overload test before I break them apart to take pictures of the arcing damage they show at the stab terminal, but is this a really wide spread thing with them? I just haven't had my hands on that many of them. What are some of the key factors putting them in with the ranks of FPE & Zinsco?

Thanks again for the info.

[Brandon Whitmore]

This might fit into this thread.

I've got a Bulldog Pushmatic in my house. My air compressor shorted out a while back. I didn't realize what had caused the breaker to trip, so I went to re- set the breaker. It instantly arched inside the panel and re- tripped. I thought "that's weird", so being the smart guy that I am , I tried to re- set it again. Same thing happened. Seems a little odd to have arching inside a panel when trying to re- set a breaker does it not?

[Paul N Frey]

Brandon, in my experience with PushMatic panels - when I trip a circuit if I wait 5-10 minutes it usually resets and does not continue to trip. I just assumed that the heat had to dissapate before it would reset. Jeeze, what panels are good??? Maybe we should just make a "blanket statement" and recommend all panels over ?? (age) should be evaluated. That will really get us some points in this market!!!

[Mr. Electric]

Jim,

Thanks for the contribution.

Quick question. Albeit just a little bit, I am surprised to see Murry lumped in there with the others. Now, I agree, it's a low grade panel (I'm probably being more nice then I should) and I even have a couple breakers in my basement waiting for an overload test before I break them apart to take pictures of the arcing damage they show at the stab terminal, but is this a really wide spread thing with them? I just haven't had my hands on that many of them. What are some of the key factors putting them in with the ranks of FPE & Zinsco?

Thanks again for the info.

I am just saying that we do have problems with these brands more often than some others. They are definitely not as bad as Zinsco or FPE so don't get too worried. In my opinion the best panels and breakers are Cutler Hammer and Sq. D. We rarely see any problems with them, and the breakers work very well.