Get To Know Your Electrical Panel
Electrical Panels, also called "Breaker Boxes", are the electrical heart of your home. It's an electrical panel's job to provide exactly the right amount of power to every part of your home and help prevent electrical fires from occurring.
1. Enclosure
A metal body to house all of the panel's internals. Can be mounted inside or outside your home and features a hinged door.
2. Main Electrical Service
This is the electrical wire that comes from the meter outside your home and delivers your electricity.
3. Home Wiring
Each of these go to various parts of your home supplying electricity to outlets and switches.
4. Main Grounding System
A connection in the panel that grounds your home's electrical system to earth.
5. Main Breaker
Similar to individual circuit breakers, this can disconnect power to the entire home and is designed to "flip" in the event of an overload.
6. Breakers / Fuses
Connects the main power coming into the panel to designated circuits in your home. In the event of an overload, a breaker will automatically terminate the electrical connection to that circuit.
7. Surge Protector
Required by national code, this protects your home's electrical system from overloads coming into the house via lightning for example.
Long Term Safety & Peace of Mind
Modern electrical panels & breakers aren't just designed to deliver optimal power to each part of your home, but also to protect your home and appliances from surges and electrical fires.
Every panel manufacturer we work with guarantees their products for up to $100,000 in damages through exclusive manufacturer warranty programs.
Berkeys' licensed electricians ensure code-compliant installation of every panel, validating the warranties. Plus we offer our Lifetime Warranties on all newly installed electrical panels.
Know When To Replace Your Panel
You may not know that the electrical panel in your home could be dangerous due to manufacturer defects or poor installation. Berkeys is here to help you identify these issues before they become a problem:
Hazardous and Outdated Fuses:
Fuse/Breaker manufacturers that are known through testing to not trip correctly causing fire danger.
Outdated and Potentially Dangerous Electrical Panel Brands:
- Federal Pacific
- Zinsco
- Challenger
- Crouse-Hinds
- Murray
- Thomas & Betts
- Push-O-Matic
Federal Pacific Electric (FPE)
Due to FPE's fraudulent testing and falsified UL labeling, defective FPE Stab-Loc circuit breakers were installed in millions of residences throughout the United States.
Recent tests on more than 500 Stab-Lok® breakers from homes in the U.S. showed defective performance for about 33% of the two-pole FPE Stab-Loc circuit breakers and about 20% of the single-pole FPE Stab-Loc circuit breakers. This failure to trip occurs up to 80% of the depending on the breaker type and amperage.
No other breakers fail at this rate.
Zinsco / Sylvania
Nearly 25% of the Zinsco circuit breakers tested to date failed to trip as required by the UL testing standard. Certain components of the panel contain aluminum and the connection between the breakers and the bus bar is often not solid.
The bus bar (main power) appears to corrode easily and breakers may appear to be off, yet internally the panel is still conducting power, which is extremely dangerous.
Faulty Installation
In many cases, unlicensed electricians were used to install panels in order to save costs. Additionally, code compliance may not have been observed at the time.
This can often occur in new construction. If breakers are not installed correctly, or the wrong type of breaker is used, the connection between the breaker and the bus bar (main power) can result in arcing and electrical fires.
What You Can Do
Hire Licensed Electricians
Berkeys Electricians are fully licensed & trained to ensure all installations meet local code and manufacturer specifications.
Check Your Panel Brand
Using the information from this guide, check what brand of panel and breaker you have. If you're unsure, call Berkeys at 877-746-6855!
Check Your Electrical
Flickering Lights? Breakers trip often? This could be a sign of an electrical issue, or an outdated electrical panel.
We're Here To Help!
Berkeys' expert team of licensed electricians can inspect your home's electrical system for safety issues and install a new panel for you. Check our website for available discounts on electrical panel installations. We also offer financing to suit your budget. (Financing available with approved credit)