Florida Panel Upgrades
Service & Panel Changes
Your Home's Electrical System?
While there are many combinations, most homes have a FPL meter, a meter disconnect, and a panel that form the electrical 'switchboard.' This 'switchboard' can be one complete unit or consist of three separate items. In many cases, these 3 items are located far apart in different areas of the home.
Why Change your Service or Panel?
1) Add more circuits or capacity
2) Replace failing or failed components
3) Consolidate system for aesthetic reasons
Remember a fully functional service system is your best defense against electrical fires and shorts. Over time even the best equipment degrades and should be inspected by a state-licensed electrical contractor like Wesworth.
What Products Does Wesworth Offer?
Wesworth uses both Siemens and SquareD products which have proven themselves as quality manufacturers and will always be easy to repair and upgrade the the future.
What Are the Steps for the Changes?
Service changes require:
1) removing the old meter
2) installing new meter and switch OR meter main combo and
3) installing new wire from meter to disconnect.
Panel changes usually require a larger size box to be installed, new breakers inserted, and occasionally refeeding the wire from the meter to panel.
Danger of FPE ans Zinsco Panel and Breakers
Your electrical components work continuously to protect your home against dangerous shorts and fITes. However, over time all
components eventually breakdown and need to be replaced.
Two brands, FPE(1 land Zinsco(2 lare no longer made and are prone to failure. While Zinsco breakers tend to breakdown and damage the panel, FPE systems have been known to catastrophically fail, causing shorts and fITes. Wesworth recommends replacing these older systems since 1) the replacement parts are expensive and hard-to-find 2) they use old and discredited technology 3) they may not perform as specified and 4) nearly 1/3 ofthe removed systems exhibit signs ofthe early stages of arcing, shorting and burn outs.
We welcome you to learn more about the FPE and Zinsco debates at: http://www.inspectionperfection.net/ & http://www.inspectny.com/fpe/fpepanel.htm.
1 - FPE or Federal Pacific Electric (seen above as orange tabbed breakers). Aka "Stab-10k"
2 - Zinsco or GTE Sylvania (usually multi-colored tabs on the breakers from light blue to red and green)
