I inspected a house with a Challenger Panel Box. I know there have been issues with these panels. How do I know the age of the panel and whether or not the panel is one that has had issues?
What part of country do you live in? Only reason I ask is because if in Florida, it is a problem for insurance. May be where you live too.
For that reason, I always recommend it be replaced (I’m in Florida)
They are second on the list after Federal Pacific panels, because they also had problems with overheating. I would call it out as outdated, and should be evaluated/replaced.
Upstate New York. I did recommend a qualified electrician evaluate and replace as needed.
So, the real question you should be asking is, is it the ‘panel box’ or the ‘breakers’ that are the problem??
The panel box does have some Challenger breakers installed along with Bryant. I did not see any indication of arcing, but I did not pull any breakers either. Really would like a website that I could enter the model number and see if this panel was recalled.
Obsolete panels should be recommended for replacement. May not be insureable.