Chuckster in NJ
Well-known member
TRUE!………. It's also very disturbing and funny.
BTW! The 1 and 3 phase (10-30) comment was epic and deserves the "Darwin Award 2026"
Does this chart indicate that he maximum breaker allowed is a 30 amp?
- Thread starter wazzabie
- Start date
BTW! The 1 and 3 phase (10-30) comment was epic and deserves the "Darwin Award 2026"
alfredeneuman
Well-known member
A Sylvania panel to me usually means Zinsco breakers.
A photo of the actual breakers would be helpful.
(Either that or a call to a competent electrician)
A photo of the actual breakers would be helpful.
(Either that or a call to a competent electrician)
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wyliesdiesels
Well-known member
They came in both the zinsco style long breakers and the BR style square breakers... depends on what breakers were used and the panel
alfredeneuman
Well-known member
That's why I suggested a competent electrician.
He could tell in a second.
He could tell in a second.
Codyboy
Well-known member
Hobbyman22, is that you?
I did HVAC for years. If I was hooking up electric heat in a house with fed pack or Sylvania, I would completely refuse to install with those panels. I've been called to walk a fire a few times and I brought the inspector to the problems I saw previously in the box. One time, before the fire, I took a temp and had to look at the inside and every single attachment to the bus was scorched. The panel was quite crispy, but not a single circuit blown. I shorted the line to the well pump to test and it refused to blow. It squealed and buzzed, but wouldn't blow. The previous time I had been to this home, I accidentally caused a bolted short when the disconnect welded itself. The transformer that went to their house and the neighbors house went up in flames even though it had a fuse protecting it. I was simply amazed that the house main and the 200 amp feeder breaker on the pole did not blow. It was x-mas eve and I left the scene to the electric company. I totally didn't expect to see this box again. So when I had to come back, I really didn't expect to see the same panel again. The customer said they couldn't afford a new breaker because a new one would have cost them 400 bucks. IDK the price because I don't buy them at all.I found an error that both the electrician and inspector failed to catch over 10 years ago. The electrician installed a Siemens breaker into the Silvana panel. While the break did fit it is not correct. Eaton has the sole ownership of the breakers for this vintage panel.
So I need to pull the breaker the electrician and inspector failed to catch and replace. I also need to pull the three Siemens I installed and replace those breakers in more recent years. I'm hesitant to do this because the bus bar is scored anytime a breaker is removed and replaced.
I jump threads a lot. Then, I comment thinking I'm looking at one done recently. And sometimes I will comment on an old one to get newer responses because every article out there far and wide is old. Not trying to stir things up or reinvent the wheel either.
dave*99
Well-known member
On GJ, you will get comments that "this is an old thread" quite often. Sometimes folks will advise you to start a new thread if there is a new problem to solve. There seems to be distaste for waking up zombie threads.
YMMV
Lassen Forge
Well-known member
Our old house had a Sylvania panel in the back half of the house, and a good ol' Zinsco in the front. I had a breaker fry out on the front panel, was able to bypass the cooked bus bar, but finding a "legal" breaker for that panel so it didn't cook our homeowners was a royal PITA.
I finally found an approved breaker from Connect-a-*** electric, but it was 'spensive, and I already had a QO for both boxes when we sold the house.
I finally found an approved breaker from Connect-a-*** electric, but it was 'spensive, and I already had a QO for both boxes when we sold the house.
nadogail
Well-known member
Be Very Careful of Assumptions, I have told many that Assume is a compound of three words. ***, Me and You.
nadogail
Well-known member
In my somewhat limited experience gained over the last few decades, I have never seen or heard of a Zinsco circuit breaker referred to by only Zinsco; they are always F—-ing Zinscos.
Many people have said they don’t open on overloads but have been known to fail catastrophicly.
Many people have said they don’t open on overloads but have been known to fail catastrophicly.
wyliesdiesels
Well-known member
when i was a service electrician for a contractor who did lots of home warranty calls, i saw both types of failures with shitsco breakers.
I even saw entire bus stabs melted because the breakers didnt trip and kept letting power flow...