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Don't know what else is involved... wall repair, paint?
The ones I've changed out were about $350 in materials and the always figured a day from picking up the materials and making the swap...
Never had to price a 200 amp breaker so that could be more... here 100 or 125 is standard for the main because we don't have A/C and use gas for heat and hot water and sometimes cooking.
That is a Zinsco panel. They are no longer in production, so replacement parts may be hard to find, and expensive. They also had an issue with aluminum bus bars (the bars that run down the middle where the breakers make contact). Over time oxide may form on the aluminum causing poor connection with the breakers, which can lead to arcing, overheating, and possibly breaker failure.
This panel is packed. Personally, I would replace the panel, but that's just me. It looks like its 200 amps, so should be plenty big. But its a Zinsco.
You are clearly a person that should never remove the cover of a breaker panel.
Not "tubes"- that the main lines coming into the panel from the meter. It may or maynot be "overheating", but there are two sets of wires at the bottom of the panel that "appear" to have been overheated due to the blistering on the sheathing.
You are clearly a person that should never remove the cover of a breaker panel.
Not "tubes"- that the main lines coming into the panel from the meter. It may or maynot be "overheating", but there are two sets of wires at the bottom of the panel that "appear" to have been overheated due to the blistering on the sheathing.
If I had to guess, it looks like someone pulled them in pretty harshly and got the outer jacket coating hung on the edge of the conduit, connector or a box.
Definitely an ugly panel though. Something like that would bother me as it would be near impossible to work on it (not that there seems to be any room to add circuits) or trace something out. I'm not normally afraid to work in a hot panel, but I wouldn't even think about going in there without turning the main off. If they were as slipshod pulling in everything as those two larger conductors, there is likely be a few nicked wires lurking about.
You are clearly a person that should never remove the cover of a breaker panel.
Not "tubes"- that the main lines coming into the panel from the meter. It may or maynot be "overheating", but there are two sets of wires at the bottom of the panel that "appear" to have been overheated due to the blistering on the sheathing.
I have been in a few dozen panels. Even designed a light duty equivalent. I missed the turn in the two main feeds first time I looked and though they went on down the panel. That made no sense.
The wires to the 50 amp breaker at the bottom look strange but the pattern is also visible elsewhere and may be something other than heat damage.
Sherifftruman is right. There is a clear plastic coating on some wires that can get damage like shown in the photo. As long as the wire sheathing is intact, there isn't a danger.
Every Zinsco panel I have seen has been very crowded. They would be a mess to try to work on. When I see them I usually recommend an upgrade (because of the busbar issue). I have opened a bunch that the bus bar is so corroded there are holes in it.
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