Zinsco Panels

Electrical Panels

What are Zinsco Electrical Panels?

The Zinsco Electric Company manufactured electric panels from the 1940 until 1973. The product design was narrower than their competition, allowing for an electrician to install more circuits and breakers in an electrical panel in a smaller area. The Zinsco company was then sold to GTE-Sylvania in 1973. The product line remained active for about the next five years. In 1981, GTE – Sylvania, sold off the product line and it was acquired by the Challenger Electrical Equipment Corporation. Challenger effectively ceased to manufacture this style of breaker and begin to use a more proven and compatible style of bus and frame for their electrical panels.

They are a major fire risk – the use of dissimilar metals in electrical panels have led to numerous issues and hazards. Breakers can become loose causing arcing and overheating. Overtime, this can lead to breakers welding onto the bus bar and may also cause the breaker to fail. If the breaker does not trip during an overload of short circuit the wire can overheat and cause a fire.
In many instances insurances companies will charge a higher premium or refuse to insure a location with these panels.
Finding replacement breakers for these panels are extremely expensive- as much as 10 times as comparable breakers.
Zinsco panels do not easily support the addition of GFCI or AFCI breakers, nor the installation of surge protectors. National Electrical Code (NEC) requires most new installations to employ these items, achieving this with fuse panels can prove to be very challenging.

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Popular questions about our company

What type of work do you do?

We are a high voltage electrician performing work in industrial, commercial, and residential settings. We perform both new and remodel projects. We also can perform some low-voltage work including: phone, TV cable, Ethernet, and fire alarms.

How long have you been in business?

Tommy’s Electric has been in business since 2004.

Do you accept credit cards?

Although we prefer cash or check, as convenience to our customers we do accept credit cards with a 3% fee. Payment is required at the time of completion or upon receiving your invoice.

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