Zinsco RC38-45N 2-Pole Circuit Breaker

The Zinsco RC38-45N is a 2-pole, 45 Amp molded-case circuit breaker engineered for 240 V residential and commercial electrical distribution panels. It provides overcurrent and short-circuit protection for 240 V circuits in legacy Zinsco and Sylvania load centers, and is commonly installed by maintenance electricians, contractors, and technicians during replacement, retrofit, or restoration of older panel systems. This plug-in breaker is designed for single-phase service, with an interrupt rating of approximately 10 kAIC at 240 V. The RC38-45N belongs to the RC38 series with a thin/tandem style design and is compatible with Zinsco load centers. Typical applications include protection of HVAC equipment, air conditioning units, water heaters, and other medium-load branch circuits in homes, commercial buildings, and light industrial facilities still using legacy panels. Status: obsolete/discontinued, typically available as surplus or refurbished. Common replacements in the RC38 family are RC38-40N and RC38-50N, with Connecticut Electric UBIZ245 also listed as an alternative.