Help dating an alecrical panel

[ebehrens (Enrique E. Behrens)]

Help dating an alecrical panel
Hey guys,
I would appreciate it if someone would take a guess or give me any helpul insight as to what the best way to guesstimate when this panel was installed or upgraded. Its in florida, 1961 home, eq loadcenter brand(I.T.E), 150 amp fuse block for the main, and the rest of the breakers are in good looking shape, NO single strand aluminum, Aluminum sevice entry conductors, one aluminum 240 breaker.
When did they start, stop using fuses for the main, specially 150 amp main fuse that I have never run into before, nothing over 100 before. Is the combination of main fuse with breakers any clue, is there anything to point me in the right direction of decade, 1961 had 150 amps main??

here is the pic

Thanks you to anyone that can help. dating panels is always a pain for me unless obvious clues are there

[jpope (Jeffrey Pope, CMI)]

Posted in another section…

@jpope

Like I said, it’s original equipment. That panel was almost certainly put in during original construction of the home. I’ve seen that exact panel (and many similar models) with 100A, 125A, 150A and 200A fuse blocks on homes built in the 50’s.

If it was ever upgraded, it’s very unlikely to have been fuses in the 70’s.

[belliott (Bob Elliott, 450.0002662)]

Most likely original but why do you need exact date?
Looks like there are a few comments you can make in regard to cloth conductors,double taps,and wrong color.
Nothing wrong with 150 amp service unless you are in process of load calculations which is beyond myself or most Home Inspectors.
Point out what you know are issues and let a Sparky do the rest.

[gbell (Greg Bell, Sr CMI)]

@belliott

Most likely original but why do you need exact date?
Looks like there are a few comments you can make in regard to cloth conductors,double taps,and wrong color.
Nothing wrong with 150 amp service unless you are in process of load calculations which is beyond myself or most Home Inspectors.
Point out what you know are issues and let a Sparky do the rest.

More than likely he is doing a four point for the insurance company. They want to know the age of the panel. In most cases this is going to be original equipment. Think about it why would they replace the panel in the 70s when it was only 10 years old.

[belliott (Bob Elliott, 450.0002662)]

@gbell

More than likely he is doing a four point for the insurance company. They want to know the age of the panel. In most cases this is going to be original equipment. Think about it why would they replace the panel in the 70s when it was only 10 years old.

EXACTLY… though they did maybe replace the branch circuit fuses.
I think it may have been common to use Buss fuses in the main however.

[rmeyers5 (Rollie Meyers)]

The panel is a pre-1968 model (about when the current CTL panelboard standards appeared). The panel pictured has unnotched bus stabs, a later model would have notched stabs in positions allowing twin breakers, so IMO would have to agree that the panel is orig. to the building.