This article describes electric meter bases of the Zinsco design made by GTE / Sylvania / Zinsco and by Kearney.

IDENTIFY Kearney or Zinsco Sylvania Electric Meter Base & Main Switch Combo

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.

Above, courtesy of Judd Stiff, we include photographs of a Zinsco-Sylvania electric meter base.

And below you can see the interior of the Zinsco main service disconnect switches.

At our closeup (above right) you can see that the electric meter connections have overheated and look burned.

Below is a close-up photograph of connections in a Kearney electrical meter base.

Contact Us with field reports and photos. We are pleased to credit and link-to contributors.

Kearney National, Inc. History

Current Kearney National concerns and related companies:

Kearney National, Inc., 565 Fifth Ave. (4th Floor), New York NY 10017-2143, Tel: 212-661-4600, website: x

Quoting: Kearney-National Inc. manufacturers and distributes electrical power distribution products. Its manufacturers electronic-parts and electronic switches. Kearney-National Inc. was incorporated in 1963 and is based in New York, New York. [4]

Kearney-National, Inc., 200 Park Ave, New York, NY 10166 Tel: 212-972-9590

National Metering Services in Kearney NJ, National Metering Services Corporate Offices and Certified Meter Testing Facility 163 Schuyler Avenue Box 491, Kearny, New Jersey 07032 Toll Free: 1-888-448-0009 Phone: 201-246-1115 Fax: 201-246-1831, quoting:

Business Process Consultancy, Test and Measurement Instrumentation, Database Management, Leak Detection Sprays, Project Planning Consultancy available from National Metering Services based in Kearny, NJ. [6]

Millbank Residential Meter Sockets, Milbank Manufacturing Co. PO Box 419028 Kansas City, MO 64141-6028, Tel: 877-483-5314 [reader suggested that Millbank purchased Kearney): quoting:

Milbank residential meter sockets can be installed on homes with light load current requirements of 100 amps, up to the demanding requirements of the largest homes requiring single 320 amp meter sockets or multiple meter sockets feeding multiple service panels.[7]

Patent litigation involving Kearney National gives an interesting insight into a small piece of the company's history. See Helen Wills Strong and Kearney-National, Inc., Plaintiffs-Appellants, v.General Electric Company, Defendant-Appellee., 434 F.2d 1042 (5th Cir. 1971) [3]

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Reader Q&A - also see RECOMMENDED ARTICLES & FAQs

I don't think this is the bad Zinsco Meter & Main Switch panel - is that right?

Thank you for all the information - I don't think this is a Zinsco panel, but would you be able to confirm?

Model# is MT12MBB and House was built in 1977 in San Mateo County, California, USA.

I'm looking to upgrade to 200A with solar system in future but trying to decide if I should replace it now if it's unsafe.
Please see attached - Thanks! Sean On 2020-07-04 by SeanN - I

This Q&A were posted originally at IDENTIFY GTE SYLVANIA-ZINSCO PANELS

by (mod) - Wrong: that's a Sylvania Zinsco Main Switch in 1977 Sylvania Meter Base MT12MBB

Sean

Unfortunately, yes, that's a Zinsco-Sylvania panel design. Notice those two vertical strips that connect to two deep slots in the circuit breaker?

That identifies this as a Zinsco design. Above I post a closer-view excerpted from your photo. There we show the key identifcation points to confirm the Zinsco breaker design.

Is Kearney electrical panels still in business

Sir, is Kearney electrical panels still in business, I need a repair part for a meter base,I can not get any info on the co. Thanks for any help, Don

Reply: No but here's an example of a supplier of a similar electric meter base part

Don, I did not find a source of Kearney meter base replacement parts, though there are plenty of similar part suppliers whom you can find online by searching for "replacement electric meter base".

You might want to give Millbank a call and discuss the model and type of meter base you need - reader below indicated that Millbank purchase Kearney (let us know what you're told)

Millbank Residential Meter Sockets, Milbank Manufacturing Co. PO Box 419028 Kansas City, MO 64141-6028, Tel: 877-483-5314, website: http://www.milbankmfg.com/ - moved in 2025: to Millbank Energy https://www.milbankworks.com/

I also found three Kearney National concerns and provide their contact information in our references section below - see citations # [4][5][6] in case you want to give the current going concerns a call.

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Continue reading  at OK to USE ZINSCOS? or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.

Or see this

Zinsco Electrical Panel Article Series

• ZINSCO SYLVANIA ELECTRICAL PANELS - home
  • GTE-SYLVANIA-ZINSCO FAILURE MECHANISM
  • GTE-SYLVANIA-ZINSCO FAILURE REPORTS
  • IDENITFY FRANK ADAM ELECTRICAL PANELS
  • IDENTIFY GTE SYLVANIA-ZINSCO PANELS
  • IDENTIFY KEARNEY PANELS
  • IDENTIFY SYLVANIA ELECTRICAL PANELS
  • IDENTIFY WALKER ELECTRICAL PANELS
  • IDENTIFY ZINSCO ELECTRICAL PANELS
  • IDENTIFY ZINSCO SYLVANIA METER BASE
  • OK to USE ZINSCOS?
  • UBI FPE CIRCUIT BREAKER TEST RESULTS
  • ZINSCO CIRCUIT BREAKER INDEPENDENT TESTS
  • ZINSCO CIRCUIT BREAKER TEST REPORT
  • ZINSCO ELECTRICAL PANEL AGE & HISTORY
  • ZINSCO FAILURE PHOTOGRAPHS
  • ZINSCO FAILURE REPORTS
  • ZINSCO OVERHEAT IR PHOTOS
  • ZINSCO FAILURE REPORT PROCEDURE
  • ZINSCO REPLACEMENT CIRCUIT BREAKERS
  • ZINSCO REPLACEMENT PANELS
  • ZINSCO REPLACEMENT PANEL COSTS
  • ZINSCO SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
  • ZINSCO SUMMARY PAGE for Reproduction
  • ZINSCO WARRANTY & CONTACT INFO

Suggested citation for this web page

IDENTIFY ZINSCO SYLVANIA METER BASE at InspectApedia.com - online encyclopedia of building & environmental inspection, testing, diagnosis, repair, & problem prevention advice.

Or see this

INDEX to RELATED ARTICLES: ARTICLE INDEX to ELECTRICAL INSPECTION & TESTING

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Citations & References

In addition to any citations in the article above, a full list is available on request.

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