GTE Sylvania Zinsco Electrical Panel Safety Precautions for Homeowners and Home Buyers
Signs of Trouble Where Zinsco or Zinsco-Sylvania Electrical Equipment is Installed
Our site offers impartial, unbiased advice without conflicts of interest.
We will block advertisements which we discover or readers inform us are associated with bad business practices,
false-advertising, or junk science. Our contact info is at
InspectAPedia.com/appointment.htm.
Here we outline safety precautions that should be taken by building owners where Zinsco and GTE Sylvania-Zinsco electrical panels are installed, and we outline some indicators that a problem may be occurring with this equipment. This website discusses the electrical, fire, and shock hazards associated with Zinsco electrical components,
circuit breakers, electrical panels, including
certain Sylvania electrical panels and breakers which are in fact of the same product design and origin.
Page top photo of an arcing and burned Zinsco circuit breaker was provided courtesy of Texas electrician Jeff Weissman.
SAFETY PRECAUTIONS - GTE Sylvania Zinsco Electrical Panel Safety Precautions for Homeowners and Home Buyers
Our photo (left, courtesy of J. P. Simmons) shows that bus and circuit breaker burnups occur in Zinsco-Sylvania electrical panels even when new circuit breakers have been installed: the gray breakers in this photo were arcing and burning on the panel bus.The following comments are incomplete - other safety concerns and advice may apply, pending additional technical review by industry experts.
If you are having an emergency right now such as seeing smoke or fire you should get occupants out of the building and call the fire department.
This is a general suggestion for any suspected building fire, and is not unique to Zinsco, Sylvania, or any electrical product manufacturer.
Do not touch the electrical panel if you are standing on a wet floor.
Warning of possible fatal electrical shock: If you have noticed any of the trouble signs listed in the next section below, or if you already
know that you have problem electrical equipment such as the Zinsco components discussed here, have a qualified electrician
inspect the electrical system. Where problems have been observed (such as flickering lights), the electrician can determine the cause of the problem
and recommend the appropriate repair.
Do not disassemble electrical equipment nor try to make electrical repairs yourself: You could be electrocuted or you could make the electrical equipment more unsafe by disturbing it. Although this website includes photographs of the interior of electrical panels,
you should not try to see inside the electrical panel by removing screws to take off the cover yourself as this can be quite dangerous.
Identify the electrical panel: Determine whether or not you have Zinsco or Sylvania-Zinsco electrical equipment installed by simple
visual inspection of the electrical panel exterior, any exposed labels or markings, and by observing the characteristic
red and blue-colored circuit breaker toggle switches. See IDENTIFY ZINSCO ELECTRICAL PANELS.
Flickering lights? Pending replacement of unsafe electrical panels and circuit breakers of any brand, turn off any suspect circuits such as ones displaying
flickering lights.
Be sure that you have working smoke detectors in your home.
Turn off unsafe or suspect electrical equipment. If there is evidence of or suspicion of overheating electrical devices turn off
the offending electrical circuit or turn off all electrical power.
Hire a professional who knows the issue: To inspect the electrical panel, to confirm that you have unsafe electrical equipment, and to replace unsafe electrical equipment in a home,
you should hire a licensed electrician who is familiar with Zinsco/Sylvania equipment and the hazards it poses. Readers should also see HOW TO REPORT ELECTRICAL FAILURES to homeowners when a Zinsco Sylvania electrical panel is observed by a contractor, home inspector, or electrician.
SIGNS OF TROUBLE - Signs of Trouble Where Zinsco or Zinsco-Sylvania Electrical Equipment is Installed
The following initial comments are incomplete - other safety concerns and advice may apply, pending additional technical review by industry experts.
Smell of burning electrical devices such as plastic receptacles, receptacle covers, circuit breakers, or electrical wiring. Our photo (left) shows burning at an electrical receptacle on a Zinsco-protected electrical circuit after the Zinsco circuit breaker failed to trip.
Loss of electrical power on a circuit in the building might be due to an overcurrent and tripping off of a circuit breaker, or it might be due to panel bus and circuit breaker burn-up.
Warning: a Zinsco circuit breaker or electrical panel bus may be burned and not functioning properly without any external signs that would be visible to a consumer.
If you have noticed any of the GTE Sylvania Zinsco electrical panel trouble signs, and for that matter even if you have not, have a qualified electrician inspect the equipment and determine the cause of the problem as soon as possible.
DO NOT TRY TO DO IT YOURSELF. You could be electrocuted or you could make the electrical equipment more unsafe by disturbing it.
Critique, contributions wanted: Contact Us to suggest corrections or additions to articles at this website, and if you wish, to receive online listing and credit as a contributor. Particular thanks are due to the many experts and also consumers who read and critique technical articles at InspectAPedia.com.
Additional technical contributors & reference sources for this article are listed below.
Use links just below or at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.
Personal communication, J. Aronstein to D. Friedman, 3/6/2006
James P. Simmons: Personal communication and photographs used in this article series, J. Simmons to Daniel Friedman, 3/4/2006, 2/19/2008. Photographs contributed to this website by Jim P. Simmons, Mr. Electric, Licensed Master Electrician,
1320 Dayton Street SE, Olympia, WA 98501, 360-705-4225, Fax 360-705-0130 or by email to mrelectricoly@msn.com
Thanks to various electricians, home owners, and home inspectors for contributing the Zinsco Sylvania-Zinsco electric panel and circuit breaker field failure reports cited above.
Thanks to David Osborn, an alert home inspector, for helpful critique regarding the need for Zinsco/Sylvania electrical panel replacement, 4/27/06
Thanks to Joe Funderburk,
Alpha & Omega Home Inspections,
Hickory Grove, SC for his photos of a Kearney electrical panel. Mr. Funderburk is a NACHI member and home inspector who can be reached at jfunderburk@aohomeinspection.com or at www.aohomeinspection.com
Thanks to Texas electrician Jeff Weissman for contribution of photographs of burned Zinsco circuit breakers. 03/06/2007. Mr Weissman can be reached at jeffweissman@gmail.com or by telephone at 713-666-6605
Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair
Our recommended books about building design, inspection, and repair, and about indoor environment testing, diagnosis, and cleanup are at the InspectAPedia Bookstore.
Recommended books on electrical inspection, electrical wiring, electrical problem diagnosis, and electrical repair can be found in the Electrical Books section of the InspectAPedia Bookstore. (courtesy of Amazon.com)
Electrical System & Wiring Hazard Inspection, Detection, Cause, Remedy, Prevention
Aluminum Wiring Information Website Aluminum Electrical Wiring Hazards and Repairs: in-depth authoritative info, photos,
documents including selection of proper vs. ineffective repair methods. E.g.: Ideal 65 "Twister" purple connector fails in field and lab testing with aluminum wire.
Electrical Panels, How to Inspect in Buildings, safety for electrical inspectors, electrical panel, fusing, wiring defects,
defective products. Inspection Class Presentation
More Information on Building Diagnostic Inspections and Repairs
...
InspectAPedia® Home & Site Map - Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, Repair, & Problem Prevention Advice: In-depth research & advice on diagnosing, testing, correcting, & preventing building defects & indoor environmental hazards. Unbiased information, no conflicts of interest.
The Mold Information Center: What to Do About Mold in Buildings, When and How to Inspect for Mold, Clean Up Mold, or Avoid Mold Problems
Environmental Inspection, Testing, & Diagnosis On-Site IAQ, Gas, Air Testing, Mold Investigation, Sick Building Diagnosis, Lab Services, & Remediation Plan Preparation - indoor air quality testing, problem source determination, supporting lab work, written remediation plan addressing removal of environmental and other hazards and prevention of their recurrence.
InspectAPedia ® Home & Site Map 
InspectAPedia® Home & Site Map
