I inspected a house today. It had Federal Pacific Panel 200 amp. How do you report this?
Start here: http://www.inspectapedia.com/fpe/fpepanel.htm
Report any issues you find, Possibly add wording to warn that some lenders may have issues with the Federal Pacific Panel and direct them to the many information sites on the internet in regards to Federal Pacific Equipment.
I provide a link to the website Chris provided and I recommend that, should they decide not to change out the panel, to at least place a smoke detector in the immediate area.
There are areas of St. Louis County where you will find these in virtually every home. You have two ways of looking at them. They have been in place for 50 years without incident…or…these notorious devices are becoming older and, thus, more likely to fail.
Since you will find contractors who fear them as well as laugh at the idea of changing them out, you’re best to simply advise your client of the history and let him make the call.
Best way to check is put on goggles,wear thick gloves.unscrew the panel and see if anything fly’s out at you.
If the home is occupied and especially if I’m inspecting a Stab Lok panel, I usually make sure that their computers or other electronic devices are turned off before hand.
Quite frankly, the breakers will fall out of these things many times when you inspect them. Be careful.
It is pretty amazing that the cover quite often used as a breaker retention device.
DON"T OPEN IT! Write that your too scared to do it because of all you “Heard” about this thing. Just because they have never been re-called, means nothing!
That’s a good start!
I wonder why Canada has no concirns with FP panels .
About 40% of the homes I inspect and my home Have a FP panel
They are sold by most suppliers and Box stores .
http://www.homedepot.ca/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CatalogSearchResultView?D=908111&Ntt=908111&catalogId=10051&langId=-15&storeId=10051&Dx=mode+matchallpartial&Ntx=mode+matchall&N=0&Ntk=P_PartNumber
– Open it with caution. Expect breakers to trip or simply pop out. They are in there very loose.
– Notepad any issues as normal with any panel
– Pray before putting the panel cover back on.
– Transfer notepad findings to your report.
– Place this link in your report http://ismypanelsafe.com/fpe.aspx and takes Jimes advice about the smoke detectors. Also read what Chris posted. David is right. No known recalls. Just alot of chatter.
I do not automatically call our FPE or Zinsco panels as a defect. Like all things in life this panel is a potential risk which my client has the right to assess for themselves. I provide the links and let them decide on how they should proceed. It appears in many cases the dangers uncovered 30 odd years ago regarding these manufacturers did not correlate well with increased fires or loss of life as once suspected.
Still the risk appears to be higher than Square D, but I’m not the one who gets to make the call on a panel which does not display defects other than it’s name.