Zinsco panel

[Max Headroom]

Hello to all, I have an easy question that I think I know the answer to but wanted to confirm. Late yesterday evening I got a call fron a lady claiming her breaker was tripping with the A/C's running. So I went and had a look. There war a Connecticut Electric replacement CB in an old Zinsco Panel, it had tripped, would not latch into the off position and would not reset. Looking at some photos I took I noticed on the handle where the work OFF was it seemed like maybe it had gotten pretty hot, like maybe the second F was no longer visible. Regardless, I found a new Connecticut Electric 20A CB at a local HD for $C60 which I am planning on buying. Now sorry for the lengthy intro but my question is, there is an unused 20A dbl pole in the panel with both handles tied together. Is thereany reason I couldn't or shouldn't use that breaker until I replace the one that won't reset? Thank you for any advise.

 

[letgomywago]

Hello to all, I have an easy question that I think I know the answer to but wanted to confirm. Late yesterday evening I got a call fron a lady claiming her breaker was tripping with the A/C's running. So I went and had a look. There war a Connecticut Electric replacement CB in an old Zinsco Panel, it had tripped, would not latch into the off position and would not reset. Looking at some photos I took I noticed on the handle where the work OFF was it seemed like maybe it had gotten pretty hot, like maybe the second F was no longer visible. Regardless, I found a new Connecticut Electric 20A CB at a local HD for $C60 which I am planning on buying. Now sorry for the lengthy intro but my question is, there is an unused 20A dbl pole in the panel with both handles tied together. Is thereany reason I couldn't or shouldn't use that breaker until I replace the one that won't reset? Thank you for any advise.

Make sure it works first it could be unused since it's worn out. As a temporary same day or week hold over it should be fine if it works

 

[Max Headroom]

Make sure it works first it could be unused since it's worn out. As a temporary same day or week hold over it should be fine if it works

OK Well it works and I did move the wire from the bad breaker onto the double pole as I figured it would trip on overcurrent the same as a single pole, I did find two conductors with ends taped up and assumed they were off the 2pole 20A as they were directly under it. Thank you

 

[oceanobob]

Being this is a Zinsco panel, one may wish to inspect the bus bars and the contacts at the CktBreaker mounts.

 

[Max Headroom]

Being this is a Zinsco panel, one may wish to inspect the bus bars and the contacts at the CktBreaker mounts.

OK, so you are saying it might be a good idea to pull out the breakers and inspect the buss for signs of arching and also the breakers themselves, All of them?

 

[Max Headroom]

Being this is a Zinsco panel, one may wish to inspect the bus bars and the contacts at the CktBreaker mounts.

This is from a Federal Pacific a couple of months ago, I could do an inspection on this job with the Zinsco panel, I'm going to change the bad breaker in it tomorrow, an inspection might definitely be in order. I think this buss looks pretty bad hey?

 

[tthh]

and three double tapped breakers in the panel...really needs replacing

 

[norcal]

Being this is a Zinsco panel, one may wish to inspect the bus bars and the contacts at the CktBreaker mounts.

Wonder how many of the Zinsco single pole breakers are on the same leg, it was up to the installer to alternate the clip where it attaches to the bus bar so they balance instead of all being on the same leg? When twin breakers were used that is not a issue.

 

[Tulsa Electrician]

120volt ac unit?
If so when you replace breaker take a look at the grounded conductor connection at the netural bar.

 

[Max Headroom]

120volt ac unit?
If so when you replace breaker take a look at the grounded conductor connection at the netural bar.

Thanks for that, I did, I think all of the barrels had at least two conductors, I torqued them all and that's it.

 

[Max Headroom]

Wonder how many of the Zinsco single pole breakers are on the same leg, it was up to the installer to alternate the clip where it attaches to the bus bar so they balance instead of all being on the same leg? When twin breakers were used that is not a issue.

Copy that, Thank you. I did fail to check that, I did find one three wire circuit on two single pole breakers not directly next to one another, I reinstalled them so they were side by side, they were on alternate buss's, I didn't think to pull all of the breakers to try and balance the the load, not sure what each one was supplying but it would have been interesting to have a look just to make sure there was a semblance of balance, I might have to go back for another look.

 

[Max Headroom]

and three double tapped breakers in the panel...really needs replacing

one of those was a 10awg and 12awg under the same screw, I cut them off and wire nutted them together with a single 12awg pigtail and landed that on the breaker. The others all got removed, cut off and re-stripped then double tapped on their respective breakers and torqued, maybe I should have pigtailed them too? all the specs were saying 45 lb. in. but I stopped at 30, I doubt I could have gotten them to 45 and if I was able to I might have broken something, not sure but my driver only goes to 40 lb. in. and that's tighter than any screws of that size I have torqued in the past.

 

[Max Headroom]

Here's what the buss's looked like, I don't think they look too bad?

 

[tortuga]

Zoomed into the photo in post#1, There is some new orange 10/2 NM entering the bottom,
thru what looks to be dog-legged EMT with no box connector?

 

[Max Headroom]

Zoomed into the photo in post#1, There is some new orange 10/2 NM entering the bottom,
thru what looks to be dog-legged EMT with no box conn

Zoomed into the photo in post#1, There is some new orange 10/2 NM entering the bottom,
thru what looks to be dog-legged EMT with no box connector?

That is correct sir, I'm not sure but I think one of them goes to an abandoned spa, but the other 10/2 I don't know. The panel has a dead front which I reinstalled but the door to the NEMA 3 R cabinet is missing so it is definitely no longer good for a wet environment. Definitely time for a new service at this house.