How to Replace Zinsco Circuit Breakers

Circuit breakers are an asset to have in your home. They monitor the flow of electricity, and can shutdown the power if the current climbs too high. In doing so, they save your appliances and devices fromexploding due to uncontrollable surges of electricity, and eventually saving your home from a potentialfire.
But over the years, the earlier versions of Zinsco circuit breakers have been found to be faulty. Somehave also become obsolete as newer versions and better features came into the market. If you have thefaulty version and want to replace it with either new Zinsco circuit breakers or other brands, here’s howto remove them.
First, you will need new circuit breakers, flashlight, wire strippers, flatheads or Phillips screwdrivers, andsome screws. Before proceeding with the task, it’s best to ask your local government if there are permitrequirements needed for electrical work. Some might require you to hire a licensed electrician. Whilereplacing Zinsco circuit breakers is not exactly rocket science, a professional might be able to anticipateproblems and get the job done faster. If you still want to do it yourself, read on.
Start by turning off the power. Fiddling around with the circuit breakers and panels can be dangerousbusiness, especially with electricity still coursing through the wires. Next, gently remove the coverassembly of the electrical panel with your screwdrivers, using either flatheads or Phillips depending onthe shape of the screws. The electric panel is where the circuit breakers are attached to.
Slowly unscrew the electric panel from the wall. Do this one circuit at a time. Don’t clip out the wires;you will need them later. After the entire panel has been taken down, install the new one. Make surethe wires are in their proper places and connected to the right circuit breakers. After that, attach thecover assembly once more. If your replacement is bigger than the Zinsco circuit breakers you hadbefore, make sure you bought a new, bigger cover assembly before you start the installation. If this isthe case, drill in new holes that would hold the bigger cover assembly. Lastly, turn the power on andcheck if everything’s running smoothly. If it is, congratulate yourself for a job well done!