Licensed electricianFamily-owned in Greeneville, TN
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Electrical guide · GPM Electrical
If your home has a Federal Pacific or Zinsco panel, have a licensed electrician evaluate it. Electricians flag both brands because of reported problems with the breakers inside them, and replacement is commonly recommended. That is not a reason to panic. It is a reason to find out what you have, get a professional opinion and plan the job. We will not quote a replacement cost on a web page, because the price depends on your home, but we can explain what drives it.
A breaker has one important job: to trip when a circuit is overloaded or shorted. The concern with Federal Pacific panels, often called by their breaker name Stab-Lok, is that the breakers have been reported to fail to trip when they should. The concern with Zinsco panels, which were also sold under the Sylvania name, is that the breakers can fail to connect well to the metal inside and overheat. In both cases, the part meant to protect your wiring may not do so.
We do not claim every panel of these brands is failing. Many are still working. But if a safety device might not work when you need it, and you cannot tell from the outside, most electricians would rather replace the panel than trust it.
You can check without opening anything. Look at the panel door or the cover, and read the label. Look for:
These panels were common in homes built from the 1950s into the 1980s. So the older Greeneville and Greene County houses we work on can have them. If you are buying an older house, a home inspector may flag one in the report.
Safety note: Read the label from the outside only. Do not open the panel cover and do not remove breakers. The parts inside stay energized from the utility side even when the main is off.
Many of these are signs of other problems too. Our guide on why a breaker keeps tripping walks through the common causes.
If the label says Federal Pacific or Zinsco, our advice is to have a licensed electrician look at it and plan on replacement. Insurers and home buyers also pay attention to these brands, and some may ask about them. Ask your own insurance agent how yours handles them. If you are buying a home, a flagged panel is something you can use when you talk about price.
The decision is yours. What we recommend is not to ignore it.
The power is off for part of a day. We tell you the window ahead of time. Learn more about how we handle this on our electrical panel upgrade page.
People search for Federal Pacific and Zinsco replacement costs and find wide ranges. That is because the job is not the same everywhere. These are the things that change the price:
We price the job before work begins. We often estimate by phone, and we will tell you if we need to see the panel first. There is a service-call fee for a visit. We explain it when you call.
In a house built in the 1970s in Greeneville, a dryer breaker kept popping. When we opened the panel, we found arcing behind the main breaker, and the panel was replaced. That house is the reason we say repeated tripping deserves attention. The panel that looks fine from the outside can be the one with the problem.
If you smell burning or the panel is hot, call right away. We offer same-day service.
Talk to Nick directly
(423) 620-2283Same-day service when the schedule allows. You get the price before any work begins.
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Electricians flag these panels because of reported problems with breakers failing to trip. Not every panel will fail, but you cannot tell from the outside, which is why we recommend an evaluation.
Zinsco panels were later sold under the Sylvania name, and the concerns are similar. Check the label for either name.
Swapping breakers does not address the underlying concern with the panel itself, so most electricians recommend replacing the whole panel instead.
We cannot speak for any insurer. Some ask about these panels, so check with your agent.
Request an estimate
Think you have one of these panels? Send us a photo of the label or call and we will talk it through.
Tell us about the job and Nick will get back to you.
Prefer to talk? Call (423) 620-2283
