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FPE Panels
Safety Alert - Circuit Breakers that don't trip
Federal Pacific Electrical Panels are UNSAFE!Federal Pacific Electric (FPE, aka Stab-Lok) Electric Panels have a long history of Circuit Breakers not tripping when they should.
THE PROBLEMCircuit breakers are supposed to shut off when current reaches levels that could start a fire or damage equipment. Due to design and/or quality control problems, the FPE Stab-Lok circuit breakers do not always work reliably. Testing has shown that roughly 30% of the 2-pole circuit breakers fail to trip when they should. Virtually 100% of some lots of these breakers are defective. [1]
Fuses served the same safety function before we had circuit breakers. The situation with the FPE circuit breakers is the same as...
"...the old unsafe (but common) practice of over fusing or putting a penny in the fuse socket behind the fuse itself to deal with the nuisance of fuses frequently blowing... There isn't an inspector or electrical contractor (or even a realtor) who would not agree that these conditions should be corrected. And fast!" [1]
The difference is that over fusing is easy to see, but there is usually no visual clue if the breaker is working correctly or not. "... the homeowner's perception is that 'the breakers work fine'." [1] There is no way for an electrician to look at a panel and know if the breakers will trip when they should.
THE SOLUTIONSome companies make and sell replacement breakers for FPE panels. In most cases these are manufactured with the same problematic design of the original, and there is no data that they are more reliable. Also, replacing the breakers does not address problems with the buss bars in FPE panels that are not as well documented as the circuit breaker problem. The only solution that addresses all of these problems is to replace the entire panel. Satisfy yourself about this risk. Do an internet search of FPE Stab Lok and read case study after case study!
In closing, remember that any repair work should be performed by a licensed electrician.
REFERENCES[1] "The Nature of the FPE Circuit Breaker Problem"; Jesse Aronstein, Ph.D., PE; presented at Issues of Health and Safety, Great Plains Chapter of the American Society of Home Inspectors; 9/14/00.
Hazardous FPE Circuit Breakers and Panels: Information for Inspectors and HomeownersDr. Aronstein's latest article on FPE breakers and panels
FPE Panels - Hazard or Hype?
by Douglas Hansen
CPSC test data showing that up to 2/3 of FPE breakers fail
Serving: Brevard County Florida, Barefoot Bay, Cape Canaveral, Cocoa, Cocoa Beach, Grant, Indialantic, Indian Harbor Beach, Malabar, Melbourne, Melbourne Beach, Melbourne Village, Mims, Merritt Island, Palm Bay, Palm Shores, Port St. John, Rockledge, Satellite Beach, Suntree, Titusville, Viera, West Melbourne
