Yes, the panel is fine. Trilliant was a trendy-looking new electric panel design that Square D, one of the largest producers of panels and breakers, introduced in the early 1990s. The equipment looks like what Apple Computer might create if they went into the electrical equipment business.

   Most European service panels are plastic and it is probably the way all panels will be in years to come, but they were not well accepted in the American marketplace back then, and the line was discontinued after a few years.

   We know of only one safety issue with the Trilliant panels: the surge protectors designed for installation in the panels were recalled in September, 1995. Otherwise, the single other problem we encounter is at the dead front screws. They are also plastic, and are removed by rotating the heads 90” and then pulling; which is different than most dead front screws that have threading and unscrew counterclockwise in a normal fashion. The dead front of an older Trilliant panel can be a struggle to remove unless the screw is positioned just right. Plus, they break easily as they get older.

   Trilliant’s only other downside is that, like any discontinued product line, replacement breakers and other panel components are hard to find, and expensive when you can find them.

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Here’s links to a collection of our other blog posts about ELECTRIC PANELS:

• What causes copper wires to turn green or black in an electric panel?  

• What is the maximum number of circuit breakers allowed in an electric panel?

• When should a corroded or damaged electric panel cabinet or disconnect box be replaced? 

• What is a tandem circuit breaker? 

• When did arc fault circuit interrupter (AFCI) breakers first become required?

• Can an electric panel be located in a closet? 

• Can an electric panel be located in a bathroom? 

• Can you add circuit breakers by different manufacturers to an electric panel if they fit?

• My circuit breaker won't reset. What's wrong?  

• What is a split bus electric panel?

• How do I identify a combination AFCI (CAFCI) circuit breaker? 

• What does a circuit breaker with a yellow or white test button indicate? 

• What is the maximum gap allowed between the front of a recessed electric panel box and the wall surface surrounding it? 

• What are the requirements for NM-cables entering an electric panel box?

• Why is a fuse box/panel an insurance problem for homebuyers? 

• Why is bundled wiring in an electric panel a defect?

• What is the difference between GFCI and AFCI circuit breakers? 

• Why are old electrical components not always "grandfathered" as acceptable by home inspectors?

• What happens when you press the "TEST" button on a circuit breaker in an electric panel?

• What is a Dual Function Circuit Interrupter (DFCI)? 

• What is the difference between a Combination Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter (CAFCI) and an Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter (AFCI) circuit breaker?  

• What is the difference between "grounded" and "grounding" electrical conductors? 

• What does it mean when a wire is "overstripped" at a circuit breaker?

• Why is an old fuse panel dangerous?  

• Who is the manufacturer of those "bad" electric panels?

• Why is the circuit breaker stuck in the middle? 

• What is a double tap at a circuit breaker?

• What is the right electric wire size for a circuit breaker in an electric panel?

• What is the life expectancy of a circuit breaker? 

• My circuit breaker won't reset. What's wrong? 

• Why do some breakers in my electric panel have a "TEST" button on them?

• What is the right size electric panel for a house? 

• What do I need to know about buying a whole house surge protector? 

• What is the maximum allowed height of a circuit breaker (OCPD) above the floor?

• What is the maximum height you can mount an electric panel above the floor? 

• What is the code required clearance in front of an electric panel?

• What is the main bonding jumper and where do it find it in an electric panel? 

   Visit our ELECTRIC PANELS page for other related blog posts on this subject, or go to the INDEX for a complete listing of all our articles.