Zinsco panel oneway screws

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zinsco said:
Anyone know the exact name of the screw driver to remove one way screws from zinsco panels? Maybe even where to get it?

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I found this http://www.amazon.com/Jacknob-Number-One-Way-Remover-Yellow/dp/B0006G84JM

But I don't know if the zinsco screw is a #12-14 and I'm wondering if there is another type of screw remover that any of you have used.

I've always just hammered my screw driver against it until it turns and it has always worked, but it would be nice to have a tool designed for it.
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zinsco said:
Ya, I've done that too. It's not that I can't get these screws loosened, it's just that I expect there to be a proper tool to do so and I would like to give it a try. I found one at home depot for $6.00 so when I get it i'll let you guys know how it worked.
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I am not very familiar with Zinsco panels, they must have never had a distributor in this area as you almost never see them. I have see that style of screw head before - just looking at the design it has to be intended for an application where it is not intended to have to remove the screw. If it gets seized up threads, good luck you are probably destroying it to get it out no matter what kind of tool you may find. Other "tamper resistant" screw heads are at least designed to turn the screw both directions, this one is designed to turn it only one way.
 
kwired said:
I am not very familiar with Zinsco panels, they must have never had a distributor in this area as you almost never see them.
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Impe,In a lot of cases too it also depended on the ec who wired those houses years ago as much Zinsco stuff seems to be original to the building- in some vintage neighborhoods you may have slater devices/ Zinsco panel/ bakelite boxes on one side of the street while on the other side (wired by the other guy) you will have almost exclusively leviton devices/Sqd xo panel/ metal boxes.

Even then there were preferences (or they bought whatever was cheaper) when it came to panels ( that doesn't sound familiar, does it?:D)- if only the old timers who argued Zinsco vs. FPE knew what we know today......
 
I wonder if it was a countermeasure to keep people from buying a loaded panel/breaker combo at a low price just to get the breakers cheaply? :)
 
iwire said:
:slaphead:

Do you mind if I ask why you would be doing that?
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Turning a 42 space panel into a 45 space. There was a large breaker mounted above the rest of the breaker spaces and to comply with the "no more than 42 circuit rule" at the time, Square D put block off plates over three of the spaces. I needed the space and removed the screws, since the 42 circuit is now gone.
 
kwired said:
Which panel(s)? I install a lot of Square D and have seen some so called tamper resistant screws before, but never ones like pictured in OP in any electrical gear of that type.
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Standard QO panel but with a large frame breaker also mounted in the same tub. They had the same tamper resistant screws like the OP had blocking three of the spaces to comply with the 42 circuit rule at the time.
 
sparkyrick said:
Standard QO panel but with a large frame breaker also mounted in the same tub. They had the same tamper resistant screws like the OP had blocking three of the spaces to comply with the 42 circuit rule at the time.
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It is still a violtion to add more than 42 circuits to that older panel.
 
sparkyrick said:
Standard QO panel but with a large frame breaker also mounted in the same tub. They had the same tamper resistant screws like the OP had blocking three of the spaces to comply with the 42 circuit rule at the time.
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Seems to me it would have been simpler maybe even less cost to only make the bus long enough for 42 spaces - but then it all depends on how it was constructed, maybe same part for multiple products or same part used for all three buses or something of that nature and they just blocked access to certain points in certain panels.
 
Without the picture and reference to Zinsco, we would think he was needing to take apart steel bathroom divider panels!:lol:

Isn't the proper tool a left hand drill bit? Available in a set at Harbor Freight. Then put in a regular head replacement screw.:D

Kleins would be my first go to tool in the field.
 
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