Zinsco breaker box replacement breakers, 2 pole? 1 pole?

[abovo]

I have an old panel in my house and I need to add a 20A circuit. I've done plenty of wiring but never dealt with a Zinsco circuit breaker panel.

Someone had previously added sockets in the garage and instead of installing a separate breaker they piggybacked it onto the circuit for the washing machine. Of course if I plugged any power tools in the garage with the washer running it put too much load on the circuit.

Looking on Amazon the Connecticut Electric breakers for a Zinsco panel come in single pole or two pole varieties. Which should I be using for my panel? I have two power bars in the panel.

 

[G_P]

A single pole will get you one 120v circuit. A double pole will be for a 240v circuit and take up 2 slots in the panel. Or it could be a tandem breaker which will give you two 120v circuits off one breaker slot.

For a 20a 120v circuit, you need a single pole breaker.

 

[abovo]

Ah great! Thank you. I have no familiarity with these boxes, I appreciate the help.

 

[Aceman]

Replace the panel, they're garbage. I can't count how many burned breaker-buss connections I've personally ran into over the years.

http://inspectapedia.com/electric/Zinsco.htm

 

[Norcal]

Replace the panel, they're garbage. I can't count how many burned breaker-buss connections I've personally ran into over the years.

http://inspectapedia.com/electric/Zinsco.htm

If it's Zinsco, it is at least 40 years old & time to get rid of it, & Zinsco /Sylvania became obsolete in the early 1980's. That stuff needs to die.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Replace the panel, they're garbage. I can't count how many burned breaker-buss connections I've personally ran into over the years.

http://inspectapedia.com/electric/Zinsco.htm

If it's Zinsco, it is at least 40 years old & time to get rid of it, & Zinsco /Sylvania became obsolete in the early 1980's. That stuff needs to die.

I couldnt agree more! Zinsco breakers dont always trip when they should...And i also cant count the number of service calls ive had that turned out to be eithr a zinsco breaker fused to the bus bar or melted bus stabs making it so the breaker had no connection...

If the OP gets a replacement breaker, they need to make sure its a UL approved one!

 

[Norcal]

I couldnt agree more! Zinsco breakers dont always trip when they should...And i also cant count the number of service calls ive had that turned out to be eithr a zinsco breaker fused to the bus bar or melted bus stabs making it so the breaker had no connection...

If the OP gets a replacement breaker, they need to make sure its a UL approved one!

Any new breaker* for a Zinsco/Sylvania loadcenter will be UL classified to be used in those panels, being UL listed is reserved for OEM breakers, if packaging says they are UL "approved" you have a counterfeit product as UL does not approve anything, they "list" it.


BTW "early" Zinsco panels had a plated copper bus, would have served the company much better not to change to aluminum bus but they were trying to be the low price leader, which is why they were popular in apartments, tract homes, and anywhere else someone wanted cheap.


*UBI is the only company making new UL classified breakers to fit Zinsco, they are of ChiCom origin.

 

[warren57]

They are getting hard to get. There is one supplier in Denver that has a few in stock last time I talked to them.
They aren't manufactured any more, so no new stock. If you can find any, try to find slims that allow two in a single space.
Long term, you should consider changing panel one day. The old Zinsco aren't great. A couple years ago I sold my dads old house built in the early 50's. After inspection, the loaning bank made me replace the panel for safety issues.
Changing the panel is a Saturday type project. Unplug the meter, disconnect and remove the breakers, demo the box, set the new box route old wires in new box (extend as needed), plug in new breakers, attach wires, plug the meter back in and you are good.

 

[Norcal]

They are getting hard to get. There is one supplier in Denver that has a few in stock last time I talked to them.
They aren't manufactured any more, so no new stock. If you can find any, try to find slims that allow two in a single space.
Long term, you should consider changing panel one day. The old Zinsco aren't great. A couple years ago I sold my dads old house built in the early 50's. After inspection, the loaning bank made me replace the panel for safety issues.
Changing the panel is a Saturday type project. Unplug the meter, disconnect and remove the breakers, demo the box, set the new box route old wires in new box (extend as needed), plug in new breakers, attach wires, plug the meter back in and you are good.

What are you going to do with a Zinsco semi-flush panel in a stucco wall?

A live service change is not a DIY project, there is no overcurrent protection on the PoCo's feed so it's risky......

 

[paranoid56]

i know around here you can buy new zinsco beakers at home depot the panels may not be made anymore but you can still buy new breakers. (i recently switched ours out for the new style)

 

[Norcal]

i know around here you can buy new zinsco beakers at home depot the panels may not be made anymore but you can still buy new breakers. (i recently switched ours out for the new style)

Those are not new Zinsco breakers, they are ChiCom sourced, UBI,(Unique Breakers Inc.) UL classified replacements. The Zinsco /Sylvania/ Challenger, OEM replacements are no longer made. Note: UBI also sells replacements for FPE Stab-Lok, & I-T-E Pushmatic.

 

[paranoid56]

Those are not new Zinsco breakers, they are ChiCom sourced, UBI,(Unique Breakers Inc.) UL classified replacements. The Zinsco /Sylvania/ Challenger, OEM replacements are no longer made. Note: UBI also sells replacements for FPE Stab-Lok, & I-T-E Pushmatic.

ug, sorry, all i am saying is you can still buy new breakers for a zinsco panel. do you also get pissy when people call tissue Kleenex?

 

[alfredeneuman]

The simple fact that went out of business means that Zinsco and some company didn't take them over proves that they never up to snuff.
They are trash, just like the FPE Stab-Loks, with some real inherent problems.

That anyone would actually argue for a replacement breaker for these amazes me.

 

[warren57]

What are you going to do with a Zinsco semi-flush panel in a stucco wall?

A live service change is not a DIY project, there is no overcurrent protection on the PoCo's feed so it's risky......

When you unplug the meter there is no feed to the panel, but you are correct, if you don't know what you are doing, stay away from changing out a panel.

As for the panel being in a stucco wall, that definitely adds cost and work, but not impossible. You (or you electrician) may even be able to gut the panel and install the new buss bars, etc. from a new panel, in the old can. The housing is nothing more than a metal box that houses components. But that's getting away from your initial post.
They don't have those breakers at Home Depot here. Maybe "paranoid56" could pick one up at his Home Depot and send it to "abovo".
"abovo", let me know if you want me to try and find one here in Denver and send it...

 

[mm08822]

As everyone is suggesting - get rid of that panel - go with a Siemens or sq d now and this problem you have now is gone for good. If money is tight , plan to do it in next 12 months and for now double-up your branch circuit home run onto an existing cb.
Certainly new panel should have plenty of extra breaker space , whether you increase 100 to 200 is another question in your budgeting amount.