Old Breaker Panels – Federal Pacific/Zinsco
Federal Pacific and Zinsco Breaker Panels
Here at Electric Doctor/Sparky’s, one of our most common jobs is answering questions about the dangers of having an older breaker panel (electrical service). Generally, we always recommend replacing breaker panels that are more than 20-30 years old. The most common panels which are mentioned in home and electrical inspections are Federal Pacific Panels (also known as FPE) and Zinsco Panels.
So, how do you know which type of breaker panel is powering your home?
Federal Pacific (FPE) Panels generally have orange breakers but also come in black and brown:
Zinsco Panels are generally multi-colored including blue, red, green and black:
Newer breaker panels are generally labeled better than older services, making it much easier to identify.
Common Breaker Panel Manufacturer’s for Newer & Older Panels:
Cutler Hammer
General Electric (GE)
Siemens (ITE)
Square-D – Homeline
Square-D – QO
Common Breaker Panel Manufacturer’s for Older Panels:
Bulldog (Pushmatic)
Challenger
Federal Pacific (FPE)
Wadsworth
Westinghouse
Zinsco
If you ever have any trouble identifying your breaker panel, feel free to call and ask us. We offer panel maintenance services to help keep your electrical service running at its best for many years. We also offer free estimates on all service replacements, upgrades and repairs.
