Panels
What is a panel?
The panel has several different aliases: breaker box, electric box, electric board, breaker board, service box... All of which describe the same thing. We refer to it as the "panel".
Your panel, depending on when your home was built, can be in a variety of different places. In newer homes it's probably in your garage or outside, in older homes it may be in a closet or room. No matter where it is, we recommend that you keep the area easily accessible, with no less than 3ft of clearance around it. You should know where your panel is, and know how to operate it in case of an emergency.
The panel controls the electricity coming from the utility company into your home. More specifically, the breakers that are attached to each circuit regulate the amount of electricity or AMPS. If a problem arises like an overloaded circuit, the breaker will trip, this preventing any electricity flowing into that circuit. Once the issue is resolved, the breaker may be turned back on the enable electricity to flow throughout the circuit again.
The panel is the heart of any electrical system. A good panel can prevent serious damage and protect against hazards. If you are unsure about the state of your panel, Give us a call today and we will be more than happy to discuss it with you.
You may think about replacing your panel if you observe any of the following conditions:
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It is older than 15 years - if unsure of age of panel, what is the age of your home?;
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There is corrosion visible anywhere on the panel or panel cover;
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Several different brands of breakers are installed - look for different colors or manufacturer labels;
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Rusting has occurred or is visible anywhere in the panel.
If your panel is manufactured by one of the following companies it may need to be replaced immediately, please follow the link for more information:
• Zinsco
Q: How do I know what brand of panel I have?
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Look on the panel cover;
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Look on one of the breakers;
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Look inside the panel door;
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Look on the (UL) tag.
Please be careful around any electrical panel! Do not attempt to take the cover off for any reason without a licensed electrician present!
If you have any other questions regarding you panel or how to use it, please contact us, we love to answer questions.
What is a "Zinsco" Panel?
If you have noticed that you have a Zinsco breaker box, or one of our technicians informed you that you have one, you may be interested in the information on this page and the other pages linked to it. It is our recommendation as well as the NFPA (National Fire Protection Agency) that all Zinsco panels be replaced. Although some Zinsco panels are more of a hazard than others, when it comes to safety for your home and family, too safe is never safe enough. Over time Zinsco panels & breakers have been known to fail, which can lead to very serious damages including fire(s). If you do have one of these panels, you should start thinking about getting it replaced soon.
For this reason we can not warranty any repairs made on Zinsco panels, and if possible we always recommend replacement over repairs on this type of equipment. Zinsco panels are no longer manufactured which make the parts more costly and harder to find. Most customers have found that replacing the panel at first ends up costing less in the long run then replacing the breakers one or two at a time.
There have been several test on Zinsco equipment, the experts recommend replacing the panels. Please click this link to see information one of the third party test: http://www.inspect-ny.com/electric/Zinsco.htm#Zinsco8
We have attached links to some articles published please research these articles and others, if you have any questions regarding this information please contact us, we love to answer questions.
If you decide to take our recommendation on replacing your panel, we would love the opportunity to serve you. We replace panels such as these everyday and use only the newest and highest grade equipment in your home and/or business. We are the trusted and highly recommended Dallas/Fort Worth electricians! Call us today!
Helpful Websites:
http://www.inspect-ny-.com/electric/Zinsco.htm
What is a "FPE" Panel?
If you have noticed that you have a Federal Pacific (FPE) breaker box, or one of our technicians informed you that you have one, you may be interested in the information on this page, and the other pages linked to it.
It is our recommendation that all FPE panels be replaced. Although some FPE panels are more of a hazard than others, when it comes to safety for your home and family, too safe is never safe enough. Over time FPE panels and breakers have been known to fail, which can lead to very serious damages including fire(s). If you do have one fo these panels, you should start thinking about getting it replaced soon.
There have been several test on the FPE equipment, the experts recommend replacing the panels. Please click this link to see information from one of the third party test: http://www.inspect-ny.com/fpe/fpefire.htm
For this reason we can not warranty any repairs made on FPE panels, and if possible we always recommend replacement over repairs o this type of equipment. FPE panels are no longer manufactured which make the parts more costly and harder to find. Most customers have found that replacing the panel at first ends up costing less in the long run then replacing the breakers one or two at a time. Pleas see the link at the bottom of this page for more information.
We have attached links to some articles published... please research these articles and others, if you have any questions regarding this information please contact us, we love to answer questions.
If you decide to take our recommendation on replacing your panel, we would love the opportunity to serve you. We replace panels such as these everyday and use only the newest highest grade equipment in your home or business. We are the trusted and highly recommended Dallas/Fort Worth electricians! Call us today!
http://www.codecheck.com/pdf/electrical/240overcurrent/FPE%20Article%20from%20DH%20-%20Nov2003.pdf
http://www.inspect-ny.com/fpe/fpepanel.htm#summary
Article on replacing FPE breakers:
