This is the first time this has happened to me on anything other than an FPE panel. . .
It looked a bit fishy before I pulled the cover, and wouldn’t you know.
lol…popped right out on ya didn’t it Jeff…see…FPE and ZINSCO are not the only problematic panels out their…lol
If I remember correctly, I believe the early Sylvania panels (ca. 1980) are actually Zinsco panels under the new name. I think Sylvania bought/merged with Zinsco, or something like that. This is my recollection from a similar discussion on either the CREIA or ASHI message boards from back in 2001-2002 when I was a member of those two organizations. I write up early Sylvania panels just like I do Zinsco panels.
Hmmm…I believe Sylvania was a early GE product if not mistaken…I could be wrong but it will be fun to research it and see…thanks RR…you gave me something to do later tonight…thehehee…
Sylvania panels were used in US in 60’s and 70’s. They were Zinco panels, bought out by Sylvania, and the only major change in the panel was rhe Sylvania logo added…same problems as Zinco still exist.
That looks like almost the exact same post from 2001 over at CREIA and/or ASHI.
I thought I’d do a quick Google on Sylvania Electric Panels, and up popped this:
http://www.baybreakers.com/catalog/Federal-Pacific-FPE.html
They claim to be the source for Federal Pacific Electric stuff, including Stab-Lok breakers.
Interesting.
This was not one of those types. No blade type bus bars on this one.
The cross-over went from Zinsco to Zinsco/Sylvania to Sylvania to Sylvania/GTE then finally to GTE where someone decided that the design of the blade type bus bar didn’t work.
GTE was the final holder of the original Zinsco design.
Hey, Jeff.
Wasn’t that Zinsco/Sylvania period ca. 1980, like 1978-1984 or so?
Yes, mid 70’s to early 80’s. The GTE era was quite short in the mid 80’s as well.
I can’t recall ever seeing the design in anything newer than about '86 or '87.
Man…you guys are the BEST!!! 
Thanks for putting your knowledge where we can all benefit from it.
I inspected a home today that was built in 1980. I opened the Sylvania panel and immediately thought ZINSCO because of the vertical aluminum bus bars and the crowded space. I looked everywhere for the Zinsco markings but couldn’t find them. All I could think was that someone was trying to disguise this Zinsco as a Sylvania panel. But now I know the truth. I will put in my normal Zinsco warning but change the name to Sylvania for panels of this era.
Thanks a bunch guys.
Only the name was changed. Everything else is all Zinsco.
Thanks Jeff…
Just in case you missed it… you just hit 1,000 posts (on the new board)!
Congrats!
Kewl! 
Yea, but they did it to protect the guilty instead of the innocent. 