Do you have a Challenger brand electric panel in your home? If so, it may be wise to replace it. Challenger brand panels were installed in many homes in the 1980’s and 1990’s, and have been the cause of some house fires across the country. Certainly, not all Challenger electric panels will cause a fire, but it is something that every homeowner with a Challenger brand electric panel should be aware of.
What is the purpose of a breaker panel?
Breaker panels are designed to do two things:
- to distribute and control electrical power throughout the home, and
- to protect a home by tripping to prevent an overloaded circuit in order to prevent a potential fire.
What is the problem with Challenger Brand Panels?
In short, studies have shown that defects in some Challenger brand panels can result in fires. The connection point where the breaker connects to the panel is called a busbar. In many Challenger panels, the connection at the busbar can become loose. A loose electrical connection often results in arcing and overheating. Overheating can result in a fire.
As a result of these studies showing that Challenger brand panels can cause fires, many insurance companies will NOT insure a home if it has a Challenger brand electric panel.
Also note that simply because of their age, these panels are outdated and in need of replacement.
Have Challenger Brand Electric Panels been recalled?
Some Challenger Brand breakers have been recalled. In 1988, Challenger issued a recall for their 15-amp and 20-amp single-pole type HAGF ground-fault circuit-interrupter circuit breakers (GFCI). While they successfully replaced many of the defective breakers throughout the country, it is believed that about 9000 panels containing the defective breakers were never located and corrected.
As a result, it is important for you to look and see if you have this type of breaker panel in your home.
How to determine if you have a Challenger Brand Panel in your home
There are several ways to determine if you home is equipped with a Challenger brand panel.
- Look for the word “Challenger” on the panel or on the breakers.
- Look for the peculiar font on the breakers as shown on the photo below.
- Look for “Zinsco”, “GTE-Sylvannia” on the panel, as these companies also manufactured the Challenger brand breakers and panels over the years.
What should you do if you have a Challenger Brand Panel?
If you find a panel in your home that matches the description above, you should contact an electrician immediately to have it inspected for the tale-tell signs of overheating and arcing. If the electrician finds any indications of this, he or she should tell you that it needs to be replaced immediately.
If it is identified as a Challenger brand panel, but there are no indications of overheating or other issues, then it may not be an emergency, but I still recommend that it be replaced as soon as possible.
© 2021 Mike Morgan
This article was written by Mike Morgan, the owner of Morgan Inspection Services. Morgan Inspection Services has been providing home, septic, and well inspection services throughout the central Texas area since 2002. He can be reached at 325-998-4663 or at mike@morganinspectionservices.com. No article, or portion thereof, may be reproduced or copied without prior written consent of Mike Morgan.
