It seems highly unusual to me that a site is requesting only failure information about one specific panel or breaker. In order to produce valid results, why not request failure information on each type of panel, then post the results on separate pages. If Zinsco panels are truly an issue, it is likely that the volume of problems--when compared to other panels or breakers--will speak for itself.

Mike, the website for the information about Zinsco panels and breakers does not come up. Wonder if the url is right? Thanks Steve Center, Steven Center Electric

it has been about 15 years, got a call to fix a circuit in a double wide mobile home. when i got to site it was multiple problems but not the panels in the home of which there was 2 - 100 amp panels and a gaffed in feeder to an outside - Zinsco panel which was self distructing, all the mobile homes had zinsco panels outside and from what i saw they all were in some stage of self destruction. i am in michigan and had never saw a zinsco panel, i thought federal had the worst panels untill i saw this, had to get permission to shut feeder down to replace zinsco panel with a siemens panel [ ITE]. talked to part time inspector about the mess at trailer park, he did not say much, found out he had done the whole job and was not about to blow the whistle on hisself. nice world we live in.

Has there been any recourse published for this Zinsco problem, such as a recall of these breakers in the past? I am a licensed electrician and have been in business for over 50 years.I have one home that I wired back in the 50s that was spec'ed out by an achitect for using Zinsco breakers in a Gold Medalion home. I am retired now but I need to know all that I can find out about this Zinsco problem and be able to address it for my customer and friend. Thanks Ron at--(lectric@localnet.com) --

while zinsco or sylvania panels aren' t commom in our service area, I have had many encounters over the past years with Bryant breakers and panel boxes having the same characteristics of failure as indicated in your article, i.e. won't trip on rated current draw, pitting of bus, breaker blow out , etc. Have any studys been done on these? I don't think they are still available, at least under the Bryant name, but were very common in the 60 through early 90's in this area.

I HAVE REPLACED THESE PANELS THAT THE CONTACT LUGS WERE ALL BURNT AND OXIDIZED CAUSED BY LOOSE CONNECTIONS AND ARCING.

I HAVE ALSO FOUND NUMEROUS GE PANELS THAT ARE BURNT AND INTERNETTENT BECAUSE OF BAD CONNECTION AT LUGS.

Zinsco breakers and panels have been a problem for years. Power companies in NC used to furnish these panels to customers. The problem was not the breakers or panels as much as the ratings.

These terminals and breakers were rated at 90 degrees C, this was especially a problem with electric heat loads of 20KW. Add to this a breaker that was not secured properly and you have a design for disaster.

I did many investigations on these in the 70's and eighties, in the summer time some of these breakers would get so hot you could not touch them.

There is no way to ever estimate the fires that were probably caused by this type of installation.

Thanks for this it helps to let customers know that you are not just trying to get extra money from them when you suggest a panel change.

Someone I met in 1992 had a problem ITE interchangeable style breakers spitting and popping because the busbar jaws would overheat and loosen. Measurements of a lighting circuit ( four 400 watt mercury vapor fixtures ) that ate breakers showed that the busbar jaws of a 20 amp circuit breaker could not carry 11 amps. The ballast type was constant wattage autotransformer.

After Ilsco Deox passed the 3-year salt spray test on the starter motor on my car and SquareD started using grease on the jaws of their I-line circuits breakers, I did an easy repair for him. I turned off the 200-amp main breaker, pulled all of the breakers from the bus, cleaned crud off of the busbar tabs, greased the busbar tabs with Ilsco Deox, injected each breaker jaw with Deox, put all of the breakers back on. Has worked fine since then. In 1991 or 1992 I met an electrician who had done the same thing with 4 ITE 200-amp panelboards.

SquareD seems to have been bery wise to start putting part number PJC-7201 grease on the jaws of their I-line and QO circuit breakers. This grease also allowed them to get rid of the Q1 frame size breakers as well too.

Mike Cole mc5w at earthlink dot net

Gentlemen: In one of the photos of a Zinsco box with a burned breaker, I noticed that the breaker is not a genuine Zinsco.... It is a Chinese clone (grey in colour). These clone breakers are available in Zinsco, FPE and Pushmatic formats, usually at DIY stores, and they sometimes go by the name of "Unique Breaker". They also have no UL label. They are labelled with something called "ETL" which, I am told is a poor man's UL. My rule has always been: NO CSA, NO UL, NO CE mark.. then it's no go ! I will not supply, use, or accept anything without a UL, CSA or CE label.. Also nothing made in China, if I can avoid it. By the way, "genuine" Zinsco replacement breakers are currently being made by T&B, someplace in Mississippi, and Bryant is now a division of Cutler-Hammer. Thanks.