Zinsco Hazards - Always insist on a careful check or this critical component when ever you buy a home

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Zinsco Electric Panel Hazards
If you have a Zinsco or Federal Pacific panel, please have it checked by an Electrician.
Always insist on a careful check or this critical component when ever you buy a home

JJ & Suzanne Greive

Two Certified and State Licensed Inspectors for
complete and efficient inspections Over 500 last year

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King, Snohomish, Thurston and Pierce County area

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The Zinsco panel is one of the most common brands of dangerous electrical equipment we see. This company made many different types.

Most have this silver foil label with the Zinsco name, others are called Magnetrip, others have the Zinsco name stamped in the enclosure. Never buy without an inspection, it could save your life. Really! See Cheryl's story here

Zinsco electrical equipment is known to be hazardous for several reasons. There is a problem with the bus bar and breaker contact points arcing and overheating. Overheating the electrical contacts on breakers can destroy the integrity of this important safety item. Many reputably electricians won't service these anymore, and replacement is strongly recommended. They have been manufactured with aluminum bus bars with a clip on the breakers that make poor connections.

Arcing has been observed in where these breakers contact the bus. This can result in the overheating and incapacitation of the breakers. We observed these breakers have their cases blow out and leave soot on the inside of the enclosures. Note the extensive soot inside this panel and inside the cover, this is a sure sign of overheating and is an extreme hazard.

Sylvania/Zinsco
These panels were also in later years manufactured by Sylvania. This is the Zinsco design and has the same reputation. The Sylvania like the Zinsco had the blue and foil label inside and colorful red, blue and green breakers. With the same flawed breaker and bus bar connection design. These panels are ones that we recommend replacement.