Federal Pacific and Zinsco panels: how to spot one, and what to do about it.
These two brands turn up in older Houston-area homes more than most people expect. They are the panels home inspectors write up and insurers ask about, and they are worth a look even if nothing has gone wrong.
How to tell which panel you have
Open the panel door and look at the label, usually on the inside of the door or along the edge of the panel. A Federal Pacific Electric panel will say Federal Pacific or FPE, and its breakers are usually marked Stab-Lok. Zinsco panels may say Zinsco, or Sylvania or GTE-Sylvania, which sold the same design.
The reason they get flagged is the breakers. A breaker has one job, to trip when a circuit is overloaded or shorted, and both brands have a long record of breakers that inspectors do not trust to do it. That is why a home inspection report or an insurance renewal is often the first time a homeowner hears about it.
If you have one, the fix is a panel replacement, not a new breaker, because replacement breakers do not solve the underlying design. It is the same job as a standard panel upgrade: new panel and breakers, every circuit relabelled, the meter coordinated with the utility, and a permit and inspection.
- Federal Pacific (Stab-Lok) panel replacement
- Zinsco and Sylvania panel replacement
- Upgrade to 200 amps in the same visit where it makes sense
- Permit, utility coordination and inspection handled
Licensed, bonded and insured. TX Electrical Contractor License #34414.
Federal Pacific & Zinsco Panels: common questions
My home inspector flagged a Federal Pacific panel. Do I have to replace it before closing?
That is a negotiation between you and the other party, not a rule we can decide for you. What we can do is look at the panel, give you a written scope and price, and schedule the work around your closing date.
My insurer is asking about my panel. What do they need?
Usually the panel brand and, if it has been replaced, proof that the replacement was permitted and inspected. The permit record covers that, and we can tell you where to find it.
Can you just replace the bad breakers?
We do not recommend it for these two brands. The concern is the design, so a new panel is the fix that actually closes the question.
How long is the power off?
Most of a working day, the same as a standard panel upgrade, because the utility has to pull and reset the meter.
Send us a photo of your panel label.
Open the panel door, take a photo of the label and the breakers, and text it to us. We can usually tell you what you have before we drive out.