Common Challenges:

Breakers do not always trip when circuit is overloaded

Breakers arc onto the buss and damage it

Breakers are damaged by arcing and heat

Replacement breakers are expensive

 

    Master electrician Jim Simmons finds that approximately 10 to 15% of the time when he removes circuit breakers from a Zinsco panel he finds damaged bus bars.  These damaged bus bars can lead to overheating of the circuit breaker, failure of the circuit breaker to trip when the circuit is overloaded and ultimately a fire in the structure.

Here are some photos of Zinsco panels taken by Jim Simmons.

 

For more information on Zinsco electrical panels see Daniel Frieman's website at www.inspect-ny.com/electric/Zinsco.htm