An electric panel is an essential element of every home building and yet it is rarely the case that homeowners pay attention to. It is enough to know that there is one in the house and that it keeps all the electrical circuits running and operating equipment. However, an important aspect of one thing is safety, which means it should keep the whole system from overheating or catching fire.

However, there are several well-known brands that remember electrical panels because they were a safety hazard, a threat to the reliability of electrical circuits, and the good health of the occupants. These are old panels, used before 1990.

All panels have clear indicators that prevent overheating and even fires caused by excessive energy flowing in one area of ​​the electrical circuit. But older panels, which were installed before 1990, could no longer meet the requirements of modern life, and some also had design flaws so they were also memorable, as they could be a potentially dangerous threat to the home.

People often do not even know what kind of electrical panel they have in their homes, but it is advisable to keep checking these features, especially when moving to a new home. If the house was built before 1990 and still has its original panel, you may be facing the old one. Therefore, to avoid any accidents, you should check the power panel and replace it if necessary.

3 Restored Power Panels To Note

Several types of electrical panels have been removed from the market due to reported accidents and even deaths. Any of the following brands should be changed at once and include only a qualified emergency electrician.

1. Zinsco panels

One of the most memorable electrical panels was sold by Zinsco’s archaic brand, which had a faulty design that led to fire hazards and electric shocks. Official reports that began in 1994 showed that an emergency electrician near me was burnt to second and third degree as a result of an electrical fault from the Zinsco panel on which he worked.

Zinsco’s electric panels are not difficult to spot, as they come with small, colorful breakers – yellow, pink, red, blue and blue. Also, they usually have a logo written on it, and you should look at Zinsco or Sylvania / GTE-Sylvania, as a large number of Zinsco panels were renamed. If you have any of these, you should change them very quickly.

2. Federal Pacific Panels

Perhaps one of the most dangerous electrical panels in the world, the Federal Pacific was an example of a panel dashboard installed between 1950 and 1990. However, questions were raised after several electric fires were reported in the 80s and concluded that 25% of Stab-Lok breakers used on Federal Pacific panels could not stumble. That means one in 4 breakers did not prevent overheating or other electrical faults. A 2012 report revealed that FP Stab-Lok power brakes could be responsible for 2,800 fires and 13 deaths.

Federal Pacific power panels have certain identification marks, such as red lines on all breakers or FPE and Stab-Lok labels.

3. Challenger Electrical Panels

Challenger panels were housed for ten years, between the 1980s and 1990s, but they were remembered for posing security threats. If you are trying to identify a Challenger breaker, one should keep in mind that some may be labeled as GTE-Sylvania, like Zinsco panels.

Remembering Electrical Panel Problems

As mentioned earlier, electrical panels are built with extreme safety, to prevent heat or even fire. The way they do that is by not allowing too much power in one area of ​​the electrical circuit. However, the aforementioned restored panels had various problems that prevented them from working properly.

Breakers will not go – with Zinsco panels, for example, electric breakers melted in the bus line, which stopped the circuit from moving. As a result, a lack of or strong pressure can heat up and melt the wires. This causes electric fires, something that has often been linked to the Zinsco type over the past 20 years.

Episodes could not be reset – this means the episodes are moving but they are not moving from a neutral location, they are continuing. When this happens, the network is at risk of short circuits – the charged cable joins the neutral. They can cause overheating, mechanical damage, and can be a cause of fire.

Cheap materials – most of these panels are made of cheap metal in arcs when hot. Electric arcing is a process that occurs when the current flows into the air between two conductors and is very dangerous, as it can cause fires, emit toxic gases and even small explosions. In some of these panels, cheaper materials were also used to ride buses, so their reliability was reduced.

The Dangers of Having an Unsafe Electric Panel

These memorable electrical panels pose a number of risks, most commonly electrical fires. But you may also be at risk of electrocution or serious damage to your electrical appliances and devices. Here are 3 main dangers of not replacing an expired electrical panel immediately:

Electric fire: on both the Federal Pacific and Zinsco power panels, a major fire hazard. Its circuit breakers do not stumble as much as they should, in the case of short or overloaded circuits, which have caused thousands of fires across the country.

Electricity: Several records have shown that Federal Pacific Electric circuits do not turn off when turned off, still sending power to the network. Working in a circuit that should be shut down, but it is not, can lead to power outages.

Loss of insurance: Many insurance companies reject policies relating to certain types of homes or models of electric breakers, such as the Federal Pacific and Zinsco. They had high costs due to complaints involving these two types, that they no longer covered insurance.

15 Amp vs 20 Amp Outlet: How to Divide Them

In case you have a problem installing new devices in your home, the first thing you need to do is check the type of stores in the electrical network, and see if you are dealing with a 15 amp or 20 amp outlet. With 15 amp amplifiers also operating in 20 amp circuits, most American homes are built with these. They have two spaces and a U-shaped floor (left picture).

Ingredients with a 20 amp current have the same design as the 15 amp, except for one. An additional horizontal hole, forking from one of the vertical spaces (right picture). This allows 20 amp plugs to be plugged directly into the outlet area. Larger consumers, especially kitchen appliances, such as microwaves. Blenders and toasters, need a dedicated 20 amp cycle. To ensure continuous power flow, meaning they cannot share the circuit with other devices.

An easy way to find the intensity of a home electrical circuit is to check the breakers. And / or fuses on the panel. The 15 amp circuit usually consists of 14-gauge cables, while the 20 amp circuits use 12-gauge or 10 cables.

Applications for 15 Amp & 20 Amp Outlets

If the two regions, respectively the stores with different amperages do not seem to be very different so far. There is a clear difference, and often controlled, when it comes to their use. While built for residential purposes, 20 amp circuits are built for high current capacity.

Even within the domestic use sector, there are clear guidelines for 15 amp vs 20 amp outlet usage. Despite the fact that almost every house is built-in, with a cost savings of 15 amp. These stores are not suitable for all the electrical needs of a modern home. Although a 15 amp circuit is a good option for lighting fixtures. It cannot cover the energy required by kitchen appliances, for example.

Any basic lighting settings are powered by 15 amp power networks, whether it is a ceiling unit or balcony lamps. Just remember to check the instructions for each machine, to make sure it supports a 15 amp circuit. And does not require low amperage. Therefore, lights and outlets should be in separate circuits. So that both can operate at maximum capacity without overloading the electrical system. As a rule, it is always best to keep the load above 80%.

Kitchen appliances, on the other hand, are considered to be a large. Consumer and therefore require 20 amp outlets with wires in 120-volt circuits. Sector rules stipulate that a 20 amp output is set in each branch circuit of 20 amp. Meaning that there is only one receiver at the end of that connection. This type of grid is supplied with circuit breakers (GFCI) which are intended. To protect the system by shutting it down in the event of overcrowding. It is always recommended to install several dishes in the kitchen. Especially in the countertop area.