Tom Rollins Posted January 19, 2006 Report Share Posted January 19, 2006 Can anyone give me more information on the Zinsco breaker panels? I know they are no longer being made and should be replaced. I have searched here and googled it and I cannot find a write up like the FPE panels. I wrote it up in my report the same as I do for the FPE panel and told the buyer to have it replaced ASAP before moving in. Any additional information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian G Posted January 19, 2006 Report Share Posted January 19, 2006 I've also looked for such an article and had no luck. I'd love to see someone do a comprehensive article on Zinzco like the one on FPE at Code Check. All I've ever found is a few paragraphs and photos in Electrical Inspection of Existing Dwellings (same author, Douglas Hansen), but that's copyrighted material so I can't post it. Best of luck Tom. Brian G. We're Dealing With Dinosaurs [:-banghea Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wayne Wildermuth Posted January 19, 2006 Report Share Posted January 19, 2006 Why must they replace the FPE panals ASAP? I just let them know that they were the subject of litigation. I do not recall anything that was proven that led to call for their removal from the market or any recall that said to replace them. Did I miss something? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inspectorjoe Posted January 20, 2006 Report Share Posted January 20, 2006 I too have searched in vain for authoritative documentation on Zinsco's. I ran across a thread on Mike Holt's forum a while back. I still have it bookmarked: http://www.mikeholt.com/forum/Forum1/HTML/005092.html Wayne: All you need to know about Federal Pacific panels can be found on Dan Friedman's site. Amazing pictures too. When I run across a FP panel, I send the buyer there for an eye opening education. http://www.inspect-ny.com/fpe/fpepanel.htm Joe Hancaviz Nazareth, PA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gerry Beaumont Posted January 20, 2006 Report Share Posted January 20, 2006 Hi to all, there have been multiple great discussions on the NACHI board on this topic, including: http://www.nachi.org/forum/showthread.php?t=712 Just last week (sorry to link out Mike)also here are 2 slides that I posted from a class I am presenting at the NACHI conference. Thanks to Jeff Pope for use of some images. I hope these help Regards Gerry Download Attachment: zinscoslidecrop.jpg 68.26 KB Download Attachment: FPESlidecrop.jpg 58.98 KB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Rollins Posted January 20, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2006 Thanks all. I too have been to Mike Holts forums and some others and they all say about the same thing. Thank you all for your input. Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hausdok Posted January 20, 2006 Report Share Posted January 20, 2006 Hi, I've written about Zinsco panels till I'm blue in the face and tonight I just don't have enough energy to go through it again. It's too bad my software won't let me search back for more than a year. If it did, I'd be able to pull up all of those old posts. Here's what I suggest. Go over to Brian's board at http://www.inspectionnews.com and do an advanced search by word and author, using Zinsco and O'Handley. Brian's board will search waaaaaaaay back and you'll be able to pull up one or two of my tomes about the Zinsco quest. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scottpat Posted January 20, 2006 Report Share Posted January 20, 2006 This picture will show you the problem with Zinsco. Lets start with Aluminum bus bars and breakers that are held on by friction! Download Attachment: Zinsco_burn_marks.JPG 80.62 KB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian G Posted January 20, 2006 Report Share Posted January 20, 2006 I'm actually fond of friction, but only certain types. [][-crzwom] Brian G. You Can Get Burns That Way Too [:-dev3][][:-dev3] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roy Angevine Posted February 1, 2006 Report Share Posted February 1, 2006 Zinsco breakers are still made and are U. L. or similary approved. I agree that the old boxes are frequently a problem, but if I find nothing wrong ( usualy there is some do it your self work that you can use for a reason for an electrin to repair) I state: "Older box of questional design. Should be inspected by licensed Elsctrion." I let them be the heavy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hausdok Posted February 1, 2006 Report Share Posted February 1, 2006 Roy is right. Zinsco never did lose their U.L. status and Thomas & Betts bought the tooling and the rights to the Zinsco name about five years ago and began manufacturing breakers for these. I find some of them that are pristine and look great but most are a mess - particularly the older MagnaTrip panels. The electrical contractor who's office is about 50 meters from where I'm sitting told me last year that they'd replaced every Zinsco panel in a large condominimum complex last year and had found 'significant' problems with the majority of them. That's enough for me to red-flag them. Hell, if it had only been 5% - 1 out of every 20 - I would have still done it, but the majority? Uh, uh, I've got nothing good to say about 'em. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike P.S. Gee Roy, I was just asking someone yesterday if you were still around. What's it been? 3-4 years? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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