Question:
Zinsco never had a sterling reputation. Replacements are still available thru lots of distributors though. Just do a web search. They also pop up frequently on eBay. Long run, replace the panel. Jim – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – My mother recently had a short-circuit and fire in her oven. The circuit breaker never tripped. Although I cannot establish the amperage that was being drawn during this event, it did make me suspicious of the breaker. So I checked the panel in her house. It’s a Zinsco "Magnetrip", in a very small enclosure (16 x 7.5 x 3.5). It doesn’t look like the breakers themselves can be replaced with anything modern, and I assume Zinsco is no longer in the breaker business. Does anyone have an opinion about whether it would be advisable to replace an old off-brand box such as this with a modern SquareD or other unit? I know it won’t be cheap, but neither is the repair after an electrical fire. Any thoughts/ideas welcome… — Jordan Singer – Jordan Singer
Response:
My mother recently had a short-circuit and fire in her oven. The circuit breaker never tripped. Although I cannot establish the amperage that was being drawn during this event, it did make me suspicious of the breaker. So I checked the panel in her house. It’s a Zinsco "Magnetrip", in a very small enclosure (16 x 7.5 x 3.5). It doesn’t look like the breakers themselves can be replaced with anything modern, and I assume Zinsco is no longer in the breaker business. Does anyone have an opinion about whether it would be advisable to replace an old off-brand box such as this with a modern SquareD or other unit? I know it won’t be cheap, but neither is the repair after an electrical fire. Any thoughts/ideas welcome… — Jordan Singer – Jordan Singer
Response:
Assuming you have it done by someone experienced in the field, and inspected afterwards I would certainly update the board. Electricity is a scary thing when it becomes worn down. A new board will protect you from a number of things but at the same time you may want to see what type of wire is being used throughout the home. While you certainly don’t want to rewire everythign it might be beneficial to run new modern insolated wire to the HV appliances at the same time.
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – My mother recently had a short-circuit and fire in her oven. The circuit breaker never tripped. Although I cannot establish the amperage that was being drawn during this event, it did make me suspicious of the breaker. So I checked the panel in her house. It’s a Zinsco "Magnetrip", in a very small enclosure (16 x 7.5 x 3.5). It doesn’t look like the breakers themselves can be replaced with anything modern, and I assume Zinsco is no longer in the breaker business. Does anyone have an opinion about whether it would be advisable to replace an old off-brand box such as this with a modern SquareD or other unit? I know it won’t be cheap, but neither is the repair after an electrical fire. Any thoughts/ideas welcome… — Jordan Singer – Jordan Singer
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