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Federal Pacific Panel Replacement in Visalia & Tulare County

We replace Federal Pacific Stab-Lok and Zinsco (and Sylvania-rebrand) panels on homes around Visalia and Tulare County. Inspectors and insurers flag them. We identify the can, pull the permit, coordinate the utility disconnect, and install a modern panel.

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Written by Cen Cal Electricians, Visalia, CA. Updated . How we write these pages

What we do

  • Federal Pacific Stab-Lok panel replacement
  • Zinsco and Sylvania panel replacement
  • Same-amperage swap or a 100A to 200A upgrade when the load needs it
  • Meter-main replacement to SCE or PG&E specs
  • Circuit labeling and a directory you can actually use
  • Grounding and bonding brought up to the current code cycle
  • Permit, inspection, and utility disconnect and reconnect

How to identify the panel

You can often read the brand on the deadfront or the directory. Do not pull the cover off a live panel to hunt for a label.

  • Federal Pacific / Stab-Lok

    Look for "Federal Pacific", "FPE", or "Stab-Lok" on the door or the directory. Breakers are typically a narrow, dark plastic body that pushes into the bus. Red and black handles are common. The name Stab-Lok is the giveaway.

  • Zinsco / Sylvania

    Look for "Zinsco" or, on later rebrands, "Sylvania". Breakers often have colored handles (red, blue, green) and a different bus style than modern panels. Some covers say GTE or Sylvania over an older Zinsco interior.

If the name is painted over, look at the breaker body. Stab-Lok breakers are a narrow dark plastic that pushes onto the bus. Zinsco breakers often have colored handles. Send a photo of the closed door and the directory with Get help now. Do not pull the cover off a live panel.

Signs you have one of these panels

  • The door or directory says Federal Pacific, FPE, Stab-Lok, Zinsco, or Sylvania.
  • Breakers have colored handles (common on Zinsco) or a narrow Stab-Lok body.
  • A home inspector or an insurer asked you to replace the panel.
  • Replacement breakers are discontinued or sold as used-only.
  • The panel is rusted, the deadfront is warped, or breakers feel loose on the bus.

How the job goes

  1. Identify the panel

    A photo of the closed door and the directory is enough to start. Do not pull the cover off a live panel. Tap Get help now and attach the photo.

  2. Load calculation

    We decide whether a same-size swap is enough or whether the house needs 200A for AC, EV, or solar. Replacement of an obsolete panel is a good moment to size the service once.

  3. Permit and utility disconnect

    We pull the electrical permit and book the SCE or PG&E meter pull. The replacement can must be a utility-approved meter-main when the meter sits in the same enclosure.

  4. Swap, inspect, reconnect

    The utility cuts power. We land every circuit in the new panel, drive grounding as required, and label the directory. After the inspector passes, the utility reconnects.

What changes the price

Every bid starts with a look at the site. These are the things that move the number.

  • Same-size swap vs a 100A to 200A upgrade.
  • Outdoor meter-main vs a recessed indoor panel that needs wall work.
  • Circuit tails that are too short or too brittle to land in the new can.
  • Grounding and bonding that was never installed to current rules.
  • Utility equipment requirements that differ between SCE and PG&E.

Notes for the Central Valley

  1. Federal Pacific and Zinsco show up in mid-century Valley houses and in some later remodels that reused an old can. Identification starts with the name on the door, not a guess from the decade.

  2. Insurers writing policies in California often ask about these brands the same way they ask about knob-and-tube and aluminum branch wiring. If you have a letter, send it with the request.

  3. Used Stab-Lok or Zinsco breakers are not a repair we offer. The listed path is a new panel with breakers made for that panel.

What CPSC actually said, and what inspectors do

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission investigated Federal Pacific Stab-Lok breakers, then closed the investigation in 1983 (opens in a new tab). CPSC testing found that some two-pole Stab-Lok breakers failed UL calibration tests. In 2011 CPSC staff added a note: the Commission closed the matter without making a determination as to the safety of the breakers. There was no CPSC recall.

That is the official record. Home inspectors and many insurers still flag Federal Pacific and Zinsco panels because replacement breakers are hard to find, because the design is decades old, and because a breaker that does not trip is a fire risk. If your insurer or inspector asked for replacement, share the letter. Replacement of the panel is the usual repair. We do not keep feeding an obsolete panel with used breakers.

Where we do this work

We take this work within about 60 miles of Visalia, in towns such as Visalia, Farmersville, Tulare, Dinuba, Woodlake, and Lindsay. Each town page names the permit office and the utility, and lists other local shops. See every town.

Questions people ask

Are Federal Pacific panels dangerous?

CPSC investigated Federal Pacific Stab-Lok breakers, found that some two-pole breakers failed UL calibration tests, and closed the investigation in 1983 without a recall and without a safety determination. That is the official record. Inspectors and insurers still flag the brand because a breaker that does not trip is a fire risk and because listed replacement breakers are not a normal parts-counter item. Replacement is the usual fix.

Are Zinsco panels dangerous?

Zinsco and later Sylvania-rebrand interiors have a long record of overheating at the bus in the inspection and insurance world. There is no CPSC recall to cite. Replacement of the panel is still the repair we recommend, and the one most insurers want.

How much does Federal Pacific panel replacement cost?

It depends on whether we stay at the same amperage or move to 200A, on the wall the panel sits in, and on the utility side. You get a written price after we see the can and run a load calculation.

Can I just replace the breakers?

We do not keep an obsolete panel alive with used breakers. A breaker has to be listed for that panel. For Federal Pacific and Zinsco, the listed path is a new panel.

Do I need a permit to replace a Federal Pacific or Zinsco panel?

Yes. Panel replacement needs an electrical permit and a final inspection, plus a utility disconnect and reconnect. We handle those steps.

Replace the obsolete panel

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