Zinsco Electrical Panel and Circuit Breaker Replacement

If you have a Zinsco electric circuit breaker panel in your house, you probably should get a licensed electrician to inspect and replace it. Whenever we find a Zinsco panel, we recommend that it be upgraded because there are so many problems with them failing or even causing a house fire.

The Zinsco brand electrical panel box is a product that hasn’t been manufactured for many years. They were installed in many houses and multi-family units in the east bay during the 1960s and 1970s, which means you’ll find them throughout Alameda, Contra Costa, Santa Clara, and beyond.

There are problems with these panels that can, in some cases, be serious. Some Zinsco panels have aluminum bus bars (the bars that run down the middle of the panel to which the breakers connect). Over a period of years, the aluminum can oxidize, causing a poor connection with the breakers and leading to arcing, overheating, and, eventually, breaker failure.

Other problems with Zinsco panels include circuit breakers (depending on the vintage) failing to trip with too much current, causing overheating or even a fire.

Talk to your licensed electrician today if you have a Zinsco breaker box and at a minimum, get it inspected right away.