Zinsco Main Panel

[gmacandog]

Hi All,

Did an inspections today,townhouse has a Zinsco panel. No traces of problem inside the panel.I believe this panel has a history of failure. I called it out as safety issue.What would you do if you ran across this type of panel?

Many thanks for the information(s)

Gerald

[thirst]

They do and have had a history of problems. Especially the ones with aluminum lugs at the bus. I would do just as you did and recommend evaluation from a qualified electrical contractor and take the burden off of you.

[Christopher Currins]

Originally Posted by gmacandog

Hi All,

Did an inspections today,townhouse has a Zinsco panel. No traces of problem inside the panel.I believe this panel has a history of failure. I called it out as safety issue.What would you do if you ran across this type of panel?

Many thanks for the information(s)

Gerald

This was on a previous thread, by one of the most knowledgeable.
Quote:
The home is equipped with a Zinsco brand electrical panel(s). Zinsco components are considered problematic by industry professionals due to their high failure rate. Failure of any component within the electrical system may result in fire and/or electrocution. Further evaluation of the electrical panel by a state licensed electrical contractor is advised to determine its safety, integrity and performance.

[Jeffrey R. Pope]

That is my narrative, and you may use it if you wish.

Simply having a Zinsco panel, is not enough to call it a "safety issue." There are many replacement components that can be purchased to reduce or eliminate some of the inherent problems associated with these panels.

The above narrative (IMHO) is a great "catch-all" if you aren't familiar with what to look for in these panels. I created it in my first year of inspecting and have expanded on it to cover many of the different variations I see on a regular basis.