# Replacing an old Sylvania/Zinsco panel?



## North Coast Lights (Apr 20, 2011)

Greetings, all!
I need to replace an old 20/40 Zinsco/Sylvania panel, and need to find a panel that is the same size, as this one is built into a wall. The panel is 36" high, 18" wide, and is a 200A panel with meter socket. Any suggestions?
Thanks


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## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

I think your best choice would be to either rape the guts and cover from an NQOD panel, or get one of CH's retrofit panels that they custom make to your can.


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## Norcal (Mar 22, 2007)

North Coast Lights said:


> Greetings, all!
> I need to replace an old 20/40 Zinsco/Sylvania panel, and need to find a panel that is the same size, as this one is built into a wall. The panel is 36" high, 18" wide, and is a 200A panel with meter socket. Any suggestions?
> Thanks





MDShunk said:


> I think your best choice would be to either rape the guts and cover from an NQOD panel, or get one of CH's retrofit panels that they custom make to your can.


I don't see how a retrofit panel will work in a semi-flush panel, nor slapping in the guts of NQOD, panel either, if this is the typical Zinsco/Sylvania "all-in-one" panel the metering is down on 1/2 the panel & the distro section is on the other half, making it too narrow for anything, ripping out the old one & installing a new panel seems to be the only choice.


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## Bkessler (Feb 14, 2007)

http://www.electriciantalk.com/f2/todays-work-21414/


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## North Coast Lights (Apr 20, 2011)

I was afraid of that, but I'm not sure there's another choice. I haven't found another panel that can hold 40 breakers that can fit in this space. Mayb e it's time to break out the power saws and the hammers.
Thanks for the reply.


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## Magnettica (Jan 23, 2007)

North Coast Lights said:


> I was afraid of that, but I'm not sure there's another choice. I haven't found another panel that can hold 40 breakers that can fit in this space. Mayb e it's time to break out the power saws and the hammers.
> Thanks for the reply.


I run into this issue all the time. Some minor carpentry skills are necessary if you're doing service work. You know, old work.


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## North Coast Lights (Apr 20, 2011)

It's amazing how often we electricians end up being carpenters, sheet metal workers, fabricators, etc. etc.


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## steelersman (Mar 15, 2009)

North Coast Lights said:


> Greetings, all!
> I need to replace an old 20/40 Zinsco/Sylvania panel, and need to find a panel that is the same size, as this one is built into a wall. The panel is 36" high, 18" wide, and is a 200A panel with meter socket. Any suggestions?
> Thanks



I just tell the customer that there will be drywall repair that will need to be done after I install the new panel. Then I proceed to cut the drywall out roughly 6" higher and lower than the dimensions of the new panel.


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## Magnettica (Jan 23, 2007)

North Coast Lights said:


> It's amazing how often we electricians end up being carpenters, sheet metal workers, fabricators, etc. etc.




I take great pride in it. I shouldn't really say "carpenter skills" because all I'm really doing is securing a couple blocks of wood to a concrete foundation and attaching a sheet of a cut plywood, then painting it. But I have seen where an electrician has built a studded wall attached to the ceiling and floor and then attached plywood to that and then mounted all the electrical equipment. That was actually a really nice looking install. 

Some other minor carpentry skills include pulling away base molding trim to drill a pilot hole to know where to drill up from the basement or whatever. Also, knowing precisely how a dwelling unit is framed definitely helps when snaking in an old home.


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## Norcal (Mar 22, 2007)

North Coast Lights said:


> It's amazing how often we electricians end up being carpenters, sheet metal workers, fabricators, etc. etc.


Is the siding stucco or wood / wood "product"?


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## Bkessler (Feb 14, 2007)

If the house is stucco, you have to replace the stucco and do the proper flashing to keep moisture out if the wall. Chapter 14 of the U.B.C.


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## RIVETER (Sep 26, 2009)

What I have done is ...with the approval of the inspector, purchased new panels and gutted them and inserted into the old panel. I contacted the inspector ahead of the work to make sure he would have no problem with it because of size of panel considerations.


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## rnr electric (Jan 29, 2010)

what does this do for the UL rating..are you covered on this.if i understand correctly you took the guts out of old panel and installed them in new panel?" there are alot of torque ratings,space reqmts, etc,etc, involved here. but alot of times we have to do things to make chicken soup from chicken sh**


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## Norcal (Mar 22, 2007)

RIVETER said:


> What I have done is ...with the approval of the inspector, purchased new panels and gutted them and inserted into the old panel. I contacted the inspector ahead of the work to make sure he would have no problem with it because of size of panel considerations.


 
The panel in question does not lend itself to installing guts from another panel. 
Picture is not the same manufacturer of course, but gives a idea of the panel.


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## Magnettica (Jan 23, 2007)

^^

That's a nice looking install. Cutler Hammer CH too, that's value. I even like the trim around the enclosure.


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## North Coast Lights (Apr 20, 2011)

It does look like a nice install. The panel I'm replacing is between two 2x6 studs on 16" centers. I may have to have a carpenter come in and increase the width (with appropriate added load-bearing horizontals) to accommodate the new panel, unless I can find a 20/40 with meter that wlil fit.


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## Norcal (Mar 22, 2007)

Magnettica said:


> ^^
> 
> That's a nice looking install. Cutler Hammer CH too, that's value. I even like the trim around the enclosure.


 
Thank you, it happens to my house panel, BTW it fits between 16" centers, even junk panels made by SQ D (HOM)*, C-H BR, GE will fit.

*QO was discontinued in favor of Homeline in those type of panels years ago.


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## user4818 (Jan 15, 2009)

Norcal said:


> *QO was discontinued in favor of Homeline in those type of panels years ago.


You can't get a QO all-in-one? What a shame.


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## Norcal (Mar 22, 2007)

Peter D said:


> You can't get a QO all-in-one? What a shame.


 
Not since SQ D introduced the **** line.


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