Replacing electrical panel

Stan in Oly, WA

Well-known Member
The buyer's inspection report for a house I'm selling noted that the electrical panel is Zinsco brand, and the buyer might want to consider having it replaced. As the owner of the house, I can do that myself, and the buyer is willing to adjust the sales price to pay for my time and materials.

There is a company that makes replacement parts for Zinsco/Sylvania panels so that the box and all connections to it can be left in place, and only the parts with a bad reputation be replaced. Has anyone done this? I can see that the work would be easier than replacing the whole box, but there would be some different problems with this approach. For instance, the replacement parts are probably not available locally, so there would be travel time involved. Also, I would have to get an exact match up which might be problematic. Changing out the whole box would be more work, but would provide a fresh start, and I could go with Square D or other top brand for probably not much more money.

All advice and opinions would be appreciated.

Stan
 
I really like the square D homeline boxes, parts are easy to get and dual ground/neutral buses, but would consider the easiest approach if selling the house.
 
I have replaced whole panels , 4 to 6 hour job, if you have the tools and all parts. If you order the "replacement" parts and it doesen't fit, you wasted money and time. I recomend you call a good contractor and get an estimate. They will give you the best way to do it. Then decide how you want to go. Most contractors will give free estimate. Then do it your self if you think that is best. Just remember if you do it and it burns down , the contractor has insurance for that.
joe retired sparkey
 
You might have a qualified electrical contractor do it but I wouldn't do it myself during a sale. If there was a fire after the sale it would be suddenly your fault whether it was really your fault or not.
 
The Zinsco panel at the farm (main 200 Amp panel)blew up about five years ago. Just had the motor loads from the corn dryer at the time (small motors 1 to 5 hp). We were fortunate that it did not start a fire. Just replace the whole panel.
 
I don't know the Zinsco brand personally, but it sounds like something I'd want to be rid of. Have the building inspector [assuming you have one there] sign off on your replacement job, and you should be good to go as far as liability goes.
 
I wouldn't keep that panel on a bet. Probably has the single stack thin breakers that cost several times what a new standard space breaker costs. The bus is probably in need of replacement, too.

If the house is empty, it would be a good time to change the whole panel. Doing less would not be doing anyone any favor.
 
I know a union electrician who replaced a 200a panel and then installed a 100a sub-panel in 4 hrs. He had all the parts, so there was no wasted time. He made it look easy.
 

Zinsco isn't much better than the federal pacific stab loc panels, changed many of both brands, with three decades as a sparky I would scrap it and replace with a Square D QO panel, in the end I have found them to be better and lower cost in the end, if you find a good sparky they can swap it out much faster than you probably can and you won't have to worry about anything after it's changed out.
Junk like that isn't worth fixing, the scary thing is you can still buy breakers for both brands I mentioned, and from what I have seen the new breakers are no better than the old ones were, last ones I saw at the supply house were made in Mexico, and looked like it.
 
The question may have more to do with what else needs to be done to replace the box. If its in a spot where a little sheet rock and paint will make the new box fit, no doubt go for it. If the old box is inset in a finished wood wall with a fancy matched door or something , well then let the costs be your guide. If time or skill are at all in question, have a pro do it with whatever materials he recommends.
As to the retro or replacement aspect, unless they are giving away the retro parts, replace the entire panel. Zinsco was cheap from the box out.
 
If it was me, and with the buyer offering to cover at least some of the cost of the repair, I'd have it done by a licensed electrician and inspected. Everyone sleeps better at night that way.
 
Safety issues like this are items that allows the buyer back out of the deal at anytime.

Myself, I'd work it out with the buyer to have the panel replaced by a licensed local electrician that the buyer can go back to if there are any problems. A 50-50 split of the costs would be fair, if the buyer will pay more, jump at it. If I was the buyer I would have expected a safe electrical panel in the original offer, so I would expect the seller to pay the full replacement cost or no deal.
 
Replace the entire panel with this and charge her for the upgrade as it increases the value of the home. http://www.homedepot.com/p/Reliance-Controls-200-Amp-Generator-ready-Loadcenter-TTV2006D/202216487
 
Yes , depends on location ,how it is fed, surface or flush, conduit/romex, adding/upgrading, so much more. We used to go into an old house at 8 AM cut the overhead feeders (hot ), strip everything, reinstall a new meter base, service riser,panel, and hook up old circuits, reconnect overhead lines, reinstall meter and have power in the home by noon and sometimes by 11 AM.
Darn, now I can hardly clime a ladder. Life is life. joe
 

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