How to Identify GTE Sylvania-(Zinsco) Electrical Panels & Circuit Breakers
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How to Identify Zinsco-Sylvania & GTE-Sylvania-Zinsco Electrical Panels and Circuit Breakers
How to Identify Zinsco-like Sylvania Electrical Panels and Circuit Breakers
GTE-Sylvania-Zinsco Electrical Panels that used Zinsco circuit breakers and bus design & may involve similar electrical panel failures and safety concerns as Zinsco
Questions & answers about how to identify GTE-Sylvania-Zinsco electrical panels and circuit breakers.

Here we provide text, labels, and equipment photographs used to help identify Zinsco and GTE-Sylvania-Zinsco electrical panels and circuit breakers, and we include photographs of a Zinsco look alike marketed by Kearney.

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IDENTIFY GTE-Sylvania-ZINSCO - How to Identify Zinsco-Sylvania & GTE-Sylvania-Zinsco Electrical Panels and Circuit Breakers

This website discusses the electrical, fire, and shock hazards associated with Zinsco electrical components, circuit breakers, electrical panels, including certain Sylvania electrical panels and breakers which are in fact of the same product design and origin.

Readers should also see IDENTIFY ZINSCO SYLVANIA METER BASE and see GTE-SYLVANIA-ZINSCO FAILURE MECHANISM, as well as ZINSCO FAILURE REPORTS.

GTE Sylvania Zinsco breaker (C) J Weissman D Friedman

Zinsco electrical panels were distributed in the United States, primarily in the Western states.

Photo (at left) of a recent GTE Sylvania Zinsco circuit breaker burnup courtesy of Jeff Weissman.

GTE Sylvania Zinsco (C) JP Simmons D Friedman

Some Sylvania brand electrical panels are essentially a "Zinsco in Sylvania's clothing". The panel labels may identify it as "Sylvania", Sylvania-Zinsco, or GTE-Sylvania-Zinsco, but the circuit breaker colors and other external details permit the inspector to identify the problem Zinsco-design electrical panel bus and circuit breaker materials.

Photographs of Zinsco Sylvania and GTE Sylvania Zinsco electrical panel labels courtesy of J. P. Simmons.

An expert who opens the electrical panel or performs further disassembly (DANGER) can further identify the characteristic circuit breaker details but the circuit breaker toggle switch colors and unique labels should be sufficient for most inspectors and owners to identify this equipment.

Sylvania Zinsco Main Panel, note the blue and silver foil "Sylvania" label
Sylvania Zinsco Main Panel, main breaker and Sylvania label
Sylvania Zinsco Main Panel, closeup of the blue and silver Sylvania label
Sylvania Zinsco Main Panel, Sylvania label and pale green double pole breaker
Sylvania Zinsco Main Panel, closeup of the blue and silver Sylvania label
Sylvania Zinsco Main Panel, double pole green Zinsco circuit breaker in a Sylvania-labeled electric panel
Sylvania Zinsco

IDENTIFY SYLVANIA-ZINSCO - How to Identify Zinsco-like Sylvania Electrical Panels and Circuit Breakers by Electrical Panel Labeling

Zinsco Sylvania GTE identifying Label (C) J Simmons D Friedman

Photographs of Zinsco Sylvania and GTE Sylvania Zinsco electrical panel labels courtesy of J. P. Simmons.

Readers should also see IDENTIFY ZINSCO SYLVANIA METER BASE and see GTE-SYLVANIA-ZINSCO FAILURE MECHANISM, as well as ZINSCO FAILURE REPORTS.

Frequently-Asked Questions (FAQs) about how to identify GTE Sylvania Zinsco electrical panels and and circuit breakers

Question: My electrical panel has the flat busbars but is not labeled Zinsco

My home was built in 1983 and has a circuit breaker panel labeled Sylvania GTE. I have inspected the entire thing- there is no Zinsco marking anywhere, including on the box or breakers, and the Sylvania label is different from those shown in the identification photographs, as is the Underwriter Labs label. However, it does have the bus bars that are strips of metal that run perpendicular to the back of the panel box. Do those bus bars indicate it is a Zinsco style Sylvania, or is that a design that was used outside of Zinsco? Thanks, A.C.

Reply:

A competent onsite inspection by an expert usually finds additional clues that help accurately diagnose a problem in electrical components such as panels and circuit breakers.

That said, The Zinsco-Sylvania panels I've seen and of which others have provided still more photos included a label that presented both the Sylvania and Zinsco names. But I don't rule out the possibility of some Sylvania labels where you don't see the word Zinsco, either from a particular manufacturing period or because a label could have been peeled off.

The flat busbars perpendicular to the panel back you describe might indicate the panel is a Zinsco design. You or someone who is qualified can (WATCHOUT FOR ELECTROCUTION HAZARDS) open the panel, remove the cover, and inspect one of the breakers: if you see that the breaker matches the Zinsco breaker designs shown in our website article photos - that is, the characteristic Zinsco breaker with a mounting slot and a clip that connects the breaker to the bus bar, then you can know with confidence that it is or is not the Zinsco design, regardless of being labeled as just Sylvania.

I would avoid any unnecessary unplugging and re-plugging of circuit breakers because if it's the Zinsco design, the plug-in procedure on aluminum or even copper plated aluminum bus bars cuts the copper plating and can encourage arcing, bad connections, and overheating or failures in the equipment.

Send us some photos of the whole panel (use the CONTACT link at top, left, or bottom of our web pages), all panel labeling, the bus and a breaker, and we can also most likely confirm what you've got.

Such added details can help us understand what's happening and often permit some useful further comment. What we both learn may help me help someone else.

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ELECTRICAL INSPECTION, DIAGNOSIS, REPAIR
ZINSCO SYLVANIA ELECTRICAL PANELS
ADVICE FOR ZINSCO OWNERS
  ZINSCO SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
  SIGNS OF ZINSCO GTE SYLVANIA TROUBLE
IDENTIFY ZINSCO ELECTRICAL PANELS
IDENTIFY GTE SYLVANIA-ZINSCO PANELS
IDENTIFY ZINSCO SYLVANIA METER BASE
IDENTIFY KEARNEY PANELS
GTE-SYLVANIA-ZINSCO FAILURE MECHANISM
ZINSCO FAILURE PHOTOGRAPHS
ZINSCO FAILURE REPORTS
ZINSCO OVERHEAT IR PHOTOS
ZINSCO FAILURE REPORT PROCEDURE
  REPORT TO WEB AUTHOR
  REPORT TO THE US CPSC
  ZINSCO INSPECTION REPORT LANGUAGE
ZINSCO REPAIR ELECTRICIANS
ZINSCO REPLACEMENT PANELS
REPLACEMENT PANEL COSTS
ZINSCO WARRANTY & CONTACT INFO
REPAIR ELECTRICIANS

Personal communication, J. Aronstein to D. Friedman, 3/6/2006
James P. Simmons: Personal communication and photographs used in this article series, J. Simmons to Daniel Friedman, 3/4/2006, 2/19/2008. Photographs contributed to this website by Jim P. Simmons, Mr. Electric, Licensed Master Electrician, 1320 Dayton Street SE, Olympia, WA 98501, 360-705-4225, Fax 360-705-0130 or by email to mrelectricoly@msn.com
Thanks to various electricians, home owners, and home inspectors for contributing the Zinsco Sylvania-Zinsco electric panel and circuit breaker field failure reports cited above.
Thanks to David Osborn, an alert home inspector, for helpful critique regarding the need for Zinsco/Sylvania electrical panel replacement, 4/27/06
Thanks to Joe Funderburk, Alpha & Omega Home Inspections, Hickory Grove, SC for his photos of a Kearney electrical panel. Mr. Funderburk is a NACHI member and home inspector who can be reached at jfunderburk@aohomeinspection.com or at www.aohomeinspection.com
Thanks to Texas electrician Jeff Weissman for contribution of photographs of burned Zinsco circuit breakers. 03/06/2007. Mr Weissman can be reached at jeffweissman@gmail.com or by telephone at 713-666-6605
Thanks to reader Richard Sims for photographs of a 400A Zinsco Electrical panel 3/6/2007
Thanks to reader Judd Stiff for photos of a Zinsco-Sylvania meter base 3/6/2007

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Recommended books on electrical inspection, electrical wiring, electrical problem diagnosis, and electrical repair can be found in the Electrical Books section of the InspectAPedia Bookstore. (courtesy of Amazon.com)
* Safety Hazards and Safe Inspection Procedures for Electrical and Home Inspectors at Residential Electric Panels
Aluminum Wiring Information Website Aluminum Electrical Wiring Hazards and Repairs: in-depth authoritative info, photos, documents including selection of proper vs. ineffective repair methods. E.g.: Ideal 65 "Twister" purple connector fails in field and lab testing with aluminum wire.
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Rust and Corrosion in Electrical Panels, A Study and Report on Frequency and Cause for Electrical and Home Inspectors at Residential Electric Panels
"Electrical System Inspection Basics," Richard C. Wolcott, ASHI 8th Annual Education Conference, Boston 1985.
"Simplified Electrical Wiring," Sears, Roebuck and Co., 15705 (F5428) Rev. 4-77 1977 [Lots of sketches of older-type service panels.]
"How to plan and install electric wiring for homes, farms, garages, shops," Montgomery Ward Co., 83-850.
"Electrical System Inspection Basics," Richard C. Wolcott, ASHI 8th Annual Education Conference, Boston 1985.
"Simplified Electrical Wiring," Sears, Roebuck and Co., 15705 (F5428) Rev. 4-77 1977 [Lots of sketches of older-type service panels.]
"How to plan and install electric wiring for homes, farms, garages, shops," Montgomery Ward Co., 83-850.
"Home Wiring Inspection," Roswell W. Ard, Rodale's New Shelter, July/August, 1985 p. 35-40.
"Evaluating Wiring in Older Minnesota Homes," Agricultural Extension Service, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota 55108.
"Electrical Systems," A Training Manual for Home Inspectors, Alfred L. Alk, American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI), 1987, available from ASHI. [DF NOTE: I do NOT recommend this obsolete publication, though it was cited in the original Journal article as it contains unsafe inaccuracies]
"Basic Housing Inspection," US DHEW, S352.75 U48, p.144, out of print, but is available in most state libraries.
Electrical System & Wiring Hazard Inspection, Detection, Cause, Remedy, Prevention - Main Electrical Page
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IDENTIFY GTE-Sylvania-ZINSCO - How to Identify Zinsco-Sylvania & GTE-Sylvania-Zinsco Electrical Panels and Circuit Breakers

IDENTIFY SYLVANIA-ZINSCO - How to Identify Zinsco-like Sylvania Electrical Panels and Circuit Breakers by Electrical Panel Labeling

Frequently-Asked Questions (FAQs) about how to identify GTE Sylvania Zinsco electrical panels and and circuit breakers

Question: My electrical panel has the flat busbars but is not labeled Zinsco

Reply:

Questions & Answers regarding this article

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Technical Reviewers & References

Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair