Electrical Service FAQs

100/125/200 Amp Panel Upgrades – What is this and why would I need to replace it and/or upgrade?

The main panel is the device through which your local utility provides metered electrical power to your home. It consists of a main circuit breaker and branch circuit breakers, and a meter socket into which the utilities meter plugs into. Your main breaker panel and your branch circuit breakers are a vital part of the safety to you and your home, designed to shut down the electricity if there is a problem detected. When you are experiencing breakers tripping, this may mean a defective or ageing circuit breaker, or a circuit that is being overloaded. It can also indicate a problem with the bussing on your panel, this is the bar to which your circuit breakers are attached. Over time simply due to age, or because of consistent overload, your electrical panel needs to be replaced and often upgraded to handle the additional electrical loads that have happened over the years. With this in mind, if you have a Zinsco or Federal Pacific panel and circuit breakers, please be sure to read our warning below concerning these.

Federal Pacific (FPE) Warning:

FPE was one of the most common manufacturers of circuit breaker panels in North America from the 1950’s to the 1980’s. These panels potentially could fail to provide proper safety andprotection for homes. This Company was found by a State Court ruling during a class action suit to have violated the Consumer Fraud Act by knowingly and purposefully distributing circuit breakers which were not tested to meet UL standards. The breakers failed to trip causing the panel to overheat and catch fire. Many Federal Pacific Electric panels can and have operated properly for years, but if and when they malfunction, a serious event can occur.

Zinsco Panel Warning

Zinsco was once also extremely popular and installed in rriany housing tracts throughout North America. It was later discovered by electricians andhome inspectors that certain Zinsco panelsoften fail to operate properly, leaving homeowners at risk to both fire and electrical shock. These panels can work fine for years, but as homes have increased energy demands, these panels may overheat and circuit breakers melt to the bus bar. When this happens, the circuit breaker nolonger functions properly as protection against overcurrent or short, shutting off the current. This causes a fire hazard.

Why should I consider LED lighting?

According to the US Department of Energy, Americans saved 270 million last year by switching to LED lighting, and the potential for more savings is huge. Not only will it help with the utility bill, LED recessed lights will help with the resale value of your home. Delta Electric would be happy to talk with you about the advantages of LED’s, we have all made the change in our own homes.