ASL
If your home has a Federal Pacific Electric (FPE) Stab-Lok panel or a Zinsco panel, it is one of the most important electrical upgrades you can make. Both brands were installed in thousands of Orange County homes built in the 1960s and 1970s, and both are widely recommended for replacement because their breakers may not trip when they should. ASL Electric replaces Federal Pacific and Zinsco panels across Orange County with a modern panel, a new set of breakers and a permit and inspection, so you know the job was done right.
We start by confirming what you have. Many homeowners find out from a home inspection report, an insurance company or a neighbor who just had theirs replaced. We open the panel, check the breakers, bus and wiring, and give you a clear, written replacement plan with an upfront price. If your home also needs more capacity for an EV charger, a remodel or new appliances, we plan the panel size for the next 20 years, not just for today.
Panel replacement work we handle
⚡Federal Pacific Stab-Lok panels
Full replacement of FPE main panels and subpanels, including the breakers, bus and any damaged conductors, with a new listed panel and breakers.
⚡Zinsco and Sylvania-Zinsco panels
Replacement of Zinsco panels, whose breakers are known to loosen and can fuse to the bus bar, leaving a circuit unprotected.
⚡Same-size or upsized replacement
A like-for-like swap when capacity is fine, or a 200 amp service upgrade when you are adding an EV charger, ADU or remodel.
⚡Subpanels and garage panels
Many homes have a second FPE or Zinsco panel in the garage or an addition. We replace those as part of the same project.
⚡Condo and HOA buildings
Planned replacements for complexes with original FPE or Zinsco panels, coordinated with the board, residents and the utility.
⚡Inspection and documentation
Permit, city or County inspection and a final invoice you can give your insurer, buyer or HOA as proof of the upgrade.
How to tell if you have one of these panels
Open the panel door (do not remove the cover) and look for:
- "Federal Pacific Electric" or "FPE" on the label or door
- "Stab-Lok" printed on the label or the breakers
- Breakers with red or black handles and a narrow, stacked look
- "Zinsco" or "Sylvania" on the panel label
- Zinsco breakers in multiple colors (blue, red, green, tan)
- A panel that is warm, buzzing or has a burnt smell
- Breakers that never seem to trip, even when something shorts out
- A home inspector or insurer flagging the panel
Why these panels are a concern
A breaker has one job: shut off a circuit when it is overloaded or shorted, before the wire overheats. Independent testing of Federal Pacific Stab-Lok breakers found a high share that failed to trip under overload, about one third of two-pole and one fifth of single-pole units in one series of tests. A New Jersey class action in 2002 found that breakers labeled as UL compliant had not been tested to UL standards. Zinsco breakers have a different problem: they can loosen on the bus and the contacts can fuse together, so the breaker stays on no matter what. Replacing individual breakers does not fix either problem, because the risk is in the design of the panel. The safe fix is a full panel replacement.
Recent work by our electricians
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Real ASL Electric jobs in Orange County homes and businesses.
How we replace an FPE or Zinsco panel
Inspect and plan
We check the panel, service size, grounding and the condition of the wiring entering the panel, and confirm whether a same-size swap or an upgrade makes sense.
Permit and utility coordination
We pull the permit and, when the service must be disconnected, coordinate with SCE or SDG&E for the disconnect and reconnect.
Clean, labeled installation
We install a new listed panel and breakers, add AFCI and GFCI protection where code requires it, correct grounding and bonding, and label every circuit.
Inspection and power restore
The work is inspected, power is restored, and we walk you through the new panel and give you the paperwork.
Your options
Replace the panel (recommended)
A new panel and breakers remove the underlying risk and usually satisfy insurers and buyers.
Replace and upgrade the service
Best when you are adding major electric loads now or soon.
Replace breakers only
Not recommended for FPE or Zinsco. Replacement breakers do not fix the panel design concerns.
Leave it
Not something we advise. If you wait, have the panel inspected and avoid overloading circuits.
Will my insurance company or buyer care?
Some insurance companies ask about Federal Pacific and Zinsco panels when writing or renewing a policy, and home inspectors routinely flag them during a sale. Buyers often ask for a credit or a replacement before closing.
Replacing the panel before you sell or renew removes the question. We provide a permit, a final inspection and an itemized invoice, which is the documentation your insurer, agent or buyer will want to see.
Same size or upgrade?
If you are not adding major loads, a same-size replacement keeps the project simpler. If an EV charger, induction range, ADU or remodel is in your plans, this is the best time to move to a larger panel or a 200 amp service, because the utility disconnect, permit and much of the labor are already part of the job.
We run a load calculation and show you both options, so you can decide with real numbers instead of guesses.
How long does it take?
Most single-family panel replacements are completed in a day, with power off for part of that day. Service upgrades that need utility work or a new meter socket can take longer, depending on the utility's schedule. We tell you the plan and the expected power-off window before we start.
“Walter was prompt and able to check our breaker that we wanted him to look at. Upon returning with the new information I gave him he was able to find the root of a different problem that needed to be fixed.”
What affects the cost of replacing an FPE or Zinsco panel
The main factors are the panel size, whether the service is being upgraded, the condition of the meter socket and service conductors, the number of circuits and whether AFCI or GFCI breakers are required, any subpanels that also need replacement, grounding and bonding corrections, wall or stucco patching, and permit and utility requirements. We give you a free, written estimate after inspecting the panel.
How it works with ASL Electric
We confirm the brand, check the wiring and service, and recommend same-size or upgraded replacement.
You get a written price and a clear power-off plan before we start.
We install the new panel, pass inspection, restore power and hand you the paperwork.
Federal Pacific & Zinsco Panel Replacement across Orange County
Federal Pacific and Zinsco panels are common in the Orange County neighborhoods that were built out in the 1960s and 1970s. We find them regularly in Laguna Hills, Mission Viejo, the El Toro area of Lake Forest, Laguna Woods, Laguna Niguel, Costa Mesa, Huntington Beach, Tustin and the early villages of Irvine, such as Turtle Rock, Westpark and Northwood. Condo and townhome complexes from the same era often have them in every unit.
Because our shop is in Lake Forest, we reach most of South and Central Orange County quickly. We handle the permit with your city or with Orange County for unincorporated areas, and coordinate with SCE or SDG&E when the service has to be disconnected.