toggle switch colors and unique labels should be sufficient for most inspectors and owners to identify this equipment. What are your thoughts about this panel set-up? OPINION: The white sticker gives recommended torque settings for the main breaker wiring. www.ncwhomeinspections.com 509-670-9572. Our Comment Box is provided by Countable Web Productions countable.ca, Click to Show or Hide Citations & References, Magnatrip & Other Zinsco Electrical Panels & Circuit Breakers, ARTICLE INDEX to ELECTRICAL INSPECTION & TESTING, HOME INSPECTION EDUCATION COURSES (Canada), HOME INSPECTION EDUCATION: HOME STUDY COURSES. Zinsco panels, also known as GTE Sylvania-Zinsco panels. Since Milbank still uses a Zinsco design breaker, prefer to keep them on my "do not buy" list. I will do another post with another picture. But other times not. 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. Because the Challenger panel was very similar in design to Zinsco's . I wanted corroboration so I could be sure I wasn't buying something that I really didn't need. I can ask Dr Aronstein if he can test this Sylvania - Zinsco electrical panel before we disturb conditions by actually pulling breakers. Most of the Zinsco electrical panels and circuit breakers were installed in the 1960s and 1970s. Join. (Zinsco electrical panel photo below), 3. Free shipping for many products! I'll check with him. ML12(12-24)C (Indoor) - Mod. It appears that the present Unicorn Industries has nothing to do with the old meter base in your photo; the current Unicorn describes themselves: If I were estimating an electrical panel age I would Zinsco Panels Like Federal Pacific Electric panels manufactured from the 1950s through the 1980s, Zinsco panels also fail to trip when they should. 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. 5. Model# is MT12MBB and House was built in 1977 in San Mateo County, California, USA. single pole, yellow handle. 20 March 2015. Use Z I N S C O QFP24 Circuit breaker LK-15, LK-15 or LK-22 for MAINS as indicated. Pushmatic. 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. @Robert shaner, Your Wenatchee and Chelan Professional Real Estate, Home and Structural Pest Inspection Service. Sylvania electrical panel Catalog No. MLB20(12-24)C (Indoor) Mod. 2, 225AMPS Max. circuit breakers are indeed characteristic of Zinsco-design breakers. Moving the panel to meet electrical codes. Zinsco panels are known for being unsafe, as they are prone to overheating and arcing. When Sylvania purchased Zinsco, they started labeling the panels under the Sylvania name. You will not receive a notification when a response to your question has been posted. This is accomplished, in brief, by providing a breaker having a switch unit by which shunt current paths of different resistance can be selectively connected in parallel across the current path in which the current is sensed for activating the trip mechanism at a predetermined current level. Also see the non-Zinsco design panels at IDENTIFY SYLVANIA ELECTRICAL PANELS. 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. SKU:SK5261622. Are you able to determine this from the attached pictures? Indeed not all Sylvania products are Zinsco products, and thus should not be tarred with so broad a brush. Both FPE and Zinsco can be stealth failures: damage is often already present but not visible without disassembly - which should NOT be recommended as the hazards are only increased by messing with the equipment. Thank you, On 2020-07-04 by (mod) These are just as prone to safety issues and frequent malfunctions. Why Do Zinsco Panels Malfunction? On 2021-08-25 by inspectapedia.com.moderator (mod). 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. 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. They were legal during the installation and are still legal according to the standard in place at the time of installation. 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. This was used as a temp panel for 3 months on a job. Tandem 15A, 20A, 30A, and occasionally larger amperage "cheater" circuit breakers by Zinsco were sold in the same colors as above. "Basic Housing Inspection," US DHEW, S352.75 U48, p.144, out of print, but is available in most state libraries. - Vertical or "on edge" electrical panel bus bars identify a Zinsco design. "Electrical Systems," A Training Manual for Home Inspectors, Alfred L. Alk, American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI), 1987, available from ASHI. Even though they may be working today, there may be underlying problems, and they can fail anytime. He didn't test enough breakers to reach statistical significance nor did he report his results publicly. We are pleased to credit and link-to contributors. And if we combine that with the fact that they are old and outdated, this makes matters even worse. Panel info: 20-5X(10-20) C Mod. 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. There is live voltage in the panel interior - you could be shocked or killed. However, they can still be found in older homes and properties built before 1990. Zinsco breakers are known to not trip in the presence of overcurrent or short circuits. Brief History of Zinsco Emile Zinsmeyer started Zinsmeyer Co right after the stock market crash of 1929. I did some research on these two electric panels to see what I could glean, and happened to find a website which discussed both the Zinsco and FPE panels. Some Zinsco electrical panels include an embossed "Magnetrip" label in the panel cover (photo, above left). "Had to" is a technical opinion with which I agree. 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 . 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. Is replacing a Zinsco breaker panel worth it? Sean The younger Zinsmeyer took over the company from his father in 1943 and renamed it Zinsco. For example, the deep slot that cuts up into the side of Zinsco breakers and the "on-edge" bus bars are key details that will reliably identify Zinsco breakers and panels and can be easily seen in an electrical panel. Thank you so much for your help. 7. I'm looking for information on a Zinsco single-phase 400A, 240VAC panelboard with a DS-4564 designation. I expect your electrician to be able to confirm the design by removing the panel cover and noting the classic Zinsco bus details. Well I am in the middle of Working From Home in this crazy time! The average cost of replacing a Zinsco service panel is $1,600 to $4,000. Zinsco panels may not meet today's updated safety codes. I started HomeInspectionInsider.com to help people better understand the home inspection process and answer questions about homeownership and home maintenance. - Anonymous by private email, 2017/02/16. Photo of a recent GTE Sylvania Zinsco circuit breaker burn up courtesy of Jeff Weissman. 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. 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. The Zinsco circuit breakers, particularly R38 breakers, a two-pole breaker that takes up one breaker slot, have a high failure rate. as providing "information systems for the European energy industry and utilities. " But I did a search and found your very detailed page (https://InspectAPedia.com/electric/GTE_Sylvania_Zinsco_Identification.php) on the topic. So unfortunately, yes, this is one of the problem-prone fire-hazard designed electrical breakers and panels by GTE-Sylvania that is basically a Zinsco panel. Original breakers were patented in 1950 and labeled "Magnatrip." Five additional patents would be issued for subsequent designs. Thanks so much, this is a great service you are providing! (Obsolete, not recommended), Personal communication, J. Aronstein to D. Friedman, 3/6/2006, James P. Simmons: Personal communication and photographs used in this article series, J. Simmons to Daniel Friedman, 3/4/2006, 2/19/2008. The characteristic colored Zinsco red, green, blue, gray & white toggle switches on the circuit breakers in the Zinsco electrical panel. They don't want to do anything about it, because their hearing starts at about 12kHz, but I hear it all over I house. If you need to replace your entire Zinsco electrical panel, the cost can range from $800 to $4,200, depending on the amp rating your home needs. The peace of mind of having an upgraded panel is likely worth it. Electrical panel interior access should be by a licensed and trained electrician. 2, Type 1 Enclosure, 125A Max.. GTE Sylvania Circuit Breakers Type Q, QC, R38, RC38 & HRGF. Connecticut Electric offers Zinsco breaker replacements. It was also sold under the Kearney brand name. Home inspectors often call out the dangers of a Zinsco style panel during a home inspection. This is contrary to other breakers that are in two rows and black colored. Will snapmore pix when I can drag myself away from computer. Or if your electrician doesn't know how to look at the Zinsco breakers we've illustrated, have her take some sharp photos of all sides of the breaker and email them to me. I have personally experienced it over 20 times for overcurrent situations and about 5 times in fault current situations. 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. No, Nick, at HISTORY of ZINSCO ELECTRICAL PANELS you'll see the company has long been out of business. You will not receive a notification when a response to your question has been posted. Continue readingat IDENTIFY ZINSCO SYLVANIA METER BASE or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.