Zinsco Service Panels- Home Inspection Wenatchee and Chelan.
Zinsco Service Panels- Home Inspection Wenatchee and Chelan.
I had mentioned in an earlier post I seem to get an item that comes up in a series of homes during my home inspections. This one has been Zinsco service panels that have had a fire or an issue with the panel that could lead to one.
Zinsco or Zinsco-Sylvania panels seem to have a higher incident of failure than other brands of service panels(other than FPE). They have been known for corroded bus bars, improper tripping, breakers arcing and loose breakers.
In an earlier post about a house fire the home had a Zinsco panel. Now I cannot tell you if the Zinsco panel is at fault here but one of the issues with the breakers in these panels is that they will not trip when they should.
Here is another Zinsco panel and service disconnects. There was a fire in this house that originated at the service disconnect for the furnace and moved up into the attic. These panels have been filled with smoke. One of the byproducts of smoke is carbon (a conductor) and these panels had smoke damage throughout and should have been replaced.
In this service panel from the same home and all of the breaker are not sitting square on the bus bars. This may create a potential for arcing, shock and potential fire.
Here is another Zinsco panel that has obvious signs of overheating at the main lug. You can see the thermal plastic melted.
When I find one of these panels in a home I discuss with my clients the potential issues with these panels and advise that it should be replaced. My opinion is that they are just not worth the risk to anyone.
Zinsco Service Panels- Home Inspection Wenatchee and Chelan.
NCW Home Inspections, LLC is located in Wenatchee Washington serving Chelan County, Douglas County, Kittitas County, Okanogan County and Grant County Washington and the cities of Wenatchee, Leavenworth, Cashmere, Orville, Cle Elum, East Wenatchee, Quincy and many more…
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