Are you a flip flopper? Zinsco Breaker and Bus Design

Are you a flip flopper? Zinsco Breaker and Bus Design Wenatchee and Chelan Building Inspection

Well if you have been following me you know that I am not a big fan of the Zinsco panels and breakers.

I have many reasons for this, one is it may just burn your house down. I know that seems a little strong but hey I did not design these things. And when you have a garbage design, I get to say so!

When I see a Zinsco panel during a home inspection I let my clients know that in my professional opinion that they should have it replaced.

So I thought I would talk about one of the brilliant design features of the Zinsco panel.

If you look at the bus design of the more popular Square D and Cutler Hammer panels the buses zig-zag so that when you put breakers in the breakers that are side by side are on different legs of the service.

This achieves two things. The breaker can be designed in a uniform manner and the inherent design of the bus will ensure that the breakers cannot be loaded on the same bus.

But with the Zinsco breaker you have to go in and flip flop the bus clip to ensure that the breaker is on one leg versus the other. If you do not do this then you could have a bunch of breakers on one leg next to each other. Then they could start to heat up and overload that bus/leg.  In addition you have clip that better be tighten or you can have another point of failure.

Here is an example of two Zinsco breakers showing how the clips need to be to ensure that they are landing on opposite buses when next to each other.

Here is a photo of a new Zinsco panel still in the box. A split bus design also :) You can clearly see the two bus bars in a straight line.

So if you are not a good flip flopper you could be in for trouble. The best thing to do is just replace the panel and then you do not have to worry about it.

“If you think it's expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until you hire an amateur.”

Red Adair

NCW Home Inspections, LLC  is a Licensed Washington State Home Inspection service located in Wenatchee Washington serving Chelan County, Douglas County, Kittitas County, Okanogan County and Grant County Washington and the cities of Wenatchee, Leavenworth, Cashmere, Oroville, Cle Elum, East Wenatchee, Quincy and many more…  

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