Old Breakers

[zinsco]

Is it recommended to replace stab-on breakers after so many years? Maybe 20 years or 30 years?

I have seen so many of these breakers burn the busing. The way it was explained to me is that they get lose over time, and when they get lose they heat up and burn the busing.

I was told that as you use electricity it heats up and when you turn it off it cools down which causes expanding and contracting. And that over time this causes the connections to get lose.

So, would it be recommended to replace them before this happens?

 

[wbalsam1]

If these breakers were of the type named in the class action suit against Federal Pacific many years ago....I would certainly replace them....but not with FP replacement breakers, but by replacing the make of panelboard to something more up to date and safer.

 

[kbsparky]

If you lose a connection, the circuit opens.

If you have a loose connection, that can create heating, arcing, and other similar headaches.