During this service call, an old Pushmatic 6-meter center was found with panel door missing, and loose cover that exposed it to weather & corrosion.

When the main breakers failed to reset the fraternity boys hammered on them until shorting bus to panel. Contractors insisted on new equipment, quoting $5000 for rough & finish of new Uni-pak with larger dimensions.

My relatively simple repair was under $500, and might make it thru 40-more years of hammering.

Avoiding Upsell Scams
Contractors prefer panel upgrades, since there’s less revenue & more effort working with existing equipment.

Without systemic defect, existing equipment remains safe with modern circuit breakers listed with magnetic trip functions, and it passed an inspection. Consumers who buy contractor-upsell scams are never told about less expensive options.

If extra power is justified, electrical-service upgrades require proper load calculations for wire, underground raceways / roof risers, and electrode systems. Some Building Departments waive load calculations for Solar-array installers who sufficiently oversize the service, but these have burned up with errors in bonding, conduit fill, ampacity calcs, material listings, or wiring methods. Omitting Permits or Electrical Service Requirements (ESR) may not always cause fires, but will void insurance claims after a fire.