Zinsco breaker removal
- Thread starter Jsmallberries
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hj
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If I remember correctly, the red bar holds the breakers in place so you have to remove it in order to change the breakers.
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Stuff
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Kill power to the panel first. Sometimes the breakers fall out. Sometimes you need a crowbar. The bars might be corroded or welded to the breaker. You have option to leave bad breaker where it's at and add new breaker in empty space.
Jsmallberries
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Thanks guys,
After sending a picture and saying I needed an exact replacement, when I picked up the breaker at the local electrical supply, the new one has a round edge that protrudes higher than the original, which has a 45 degree slope, that sits under the red metal plate. They said, just file it down to fit
20 amp double pole $$$$$95 plus tax, that doesn't fit without extra labor. To add insult to injury, after installed, one side, no power, a defective fn breaker. ( the breaker in the photo is a 40, and not fully seated, but it shows the physical discrepancy
And yes, the breakers are really hard to pull out. Surprisingly, there are no signs of burning.
Question.....how are these supposed to be installed, pushed straight in, or angled right side in first? I was trying to angle it in putting the right side in first, ended up bending the aluminum bus bar a little.
After sending a picture and saying I needed an exact replacement, when I picked up the breaker at the local electrical supply, the new one has a round edge that protrudes higher than the original, which has a 45 degree slope, that sits under the red metal plate. They said, just file it down to fit
20 amp double pole $$$$$95 plus tax, that doesn't fit without extra labor. To add insult to injury, after installed, one side, no power, a defective fn breaker. ( the breaker in the photo is a 40, and not fully seated, but it shows the physical discrepancy
And yes, the breakers are really hard to pull out. Surprisingly, there are no signs of burning.
Question.....how are these supposed to be installed, pushed straight in, or angled right side in first? I was trying to angle it in putting the right side in first, ended up bending the aluminum bus bar a little.
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Stuff
Well-Known Member
Breakers need to be angled in as outer nub goes under outer bar to secure. Similar to most modern breakers.
Watch someone else struggle. They widened one clip to make it easier to snap in. Start at 3:00:
Jsmallberries
Member
Thanks for the video, at least he didn't have to deal with the rounded top edge not fitting, since that panel doesn't have the red metal plate holding the breakers in. So I need to slightly widen the back metal clip on the breaker, just enough to fit it in,, without causing arcing and an overheating situation.
