Zinsco Breaker I do not recognize

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highlandbreaker.jpg

I was dispatched to look at this panel. Yes, I flinched. The client has been called out by the local housing authority for "over fused panel".

I think it is the pair on the left. One is a 20, the other a 30. They feed a 10 ga run to a modern sub panel inside the house.

The owner intends to sell, and this is on some of the last open land in Hollywood, so the house will nearly certainly be demolished and replaced by denser and more upscale housing. So she does not want to replace the panel, much as I'd like to pitch that to her.

I will be looking for a 30 a breaker to bring this up to snuff.

Here's the issue: I don't recognize this type of Zinsco breaker. All that I am used to have that silly U shaped contact that clamps (poorly) on the buss bars.

These breakers are screwed down to buss bars at the top of the image.

And someone did a bit of extreme plumbing on this one. The panel as designed will only accommodate one 240v circuit down the middle of the six spaces.

There is a jumper from the right buss bar to the left most breaker. So it goes.

Anybody know how those breakers are designated?

Thanks.
 

JWelectric

Electrical Contractor/Instructor
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Well Home it looks like no one knows anything about these breakers.
If there is a twenty amp breaker on a #10 conductor there is nothing wrong. If the breaker is not tripping I would do nothing.

Should you be able to find a breaker it is almost a guarantee that replacement of the panel will cost about the same as the breaker.
 
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Yes, it certainly looks as if it is obscure.

As I wrote, the housing inspector seems to think the panel is "over fused" because (I am assuming at this point) a 20 and a 30 share a trip lock.

And I really expect that the whole house will be demolished and replaced by six or eight nice apartments. It really is on a remarkably valuable lot in Hollywood. So I resist charging $800 or $1000 (I gotta get over that) for a meter panel with four breaker slots. Which is what this situation needs.
 
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