Here are some interesting excerts…( man electricians feel vendicated when stuff like this is posted, this is why electricians evaluate panels…for other latent issues not just because they are FPE )
Direct QUOTES from the IAEI newsletter* ( International Association of Electrical Inspectors )
Notice: Since some people like to start crap…I just want to make clear these are excerts from the full copyright protected article to which I posted the actual LINK to first…just wanted to clear that up…
lol…JOE…I said it had been around…lol…just found it interesting in regards to the IAEI’s stance is all…lol…
ie
and no I know of no additional updates so that means that actually and more probably no reports have been logged againsts FPE systems to be deemed unsafe anymore so than Cutler Hammer, Square D and others in the eyes of the IAEI…
Hey…it might be old but I found it interesting as I was just going back over old issues…
hmmm…interesting Roy…I was not aware they still had anyone manufacturing the loadcenters for new construction in regards to the stablok style…hmmm…see I dont know Canada very well at all…down here in the lower 48…the loadcenters were done back in the middle 80’s…they only manufacture the breakers now.
So, where does that leave a HI who recommends eval by an electrician? If the “official” literature denies a problem, how long before a client gets PO’d and calls us on it? I know everyone says the FPE equipment is questionable at best, but is there backup documentation to support it?
lol…Clarrification… DONE = no longer make the loadcenters
THEY = the company that purchased the rights to market the stablok style in the replacement market…lol
Have to watch it…someone will in and say now PAUL federal pacific co. no longer is in business…ahhhh…DUH…figured I would stive off those remarks…
Actually for years I have said EVALUATE them the same way you would any electrical panel…I do not like blanket statements personally…
The online symantics that started the FPE thing was more so to blame of the groups that do the training like ITA and other training venues that took the online information as the authority and honestly do not have any REAL experts on the board of directors making the choices…and then it probably steam rolled from their…
Usually the issue is they are undersized anyway…so that has ya covered their…and to be honest with you I have had many issues with Cutler Hammer and Square D heating up and melting down…so it becomes an interesting arguement…would you say…
I am most certainly NOT the person to MAKE a new direction in the industry…lol…but I found it quite interesting of an article to say the least…
well…hmmm…I guess the people who post things online of pictures of melted down breakers and so can confirm it…plus I am one of the guys who things breakers 30 years old should be replaced anyway…lol…yeah I am old fashion…
problem is as the article says…ANYONE can post their opinion online I guess…but when the final documents came out they said it was not a safety concern…because while even if they did have a problem with tripping…it would most certainly do so in order to protect the conductors…and we know that is the primary function of the OCPD anyway…
so it is quite interesting and I would love greg, speedy and Joe T take on it…
Press Release Archives 2004 Press Releases 2003 Press Releases 2002 Press Releases 2001 Press Releases 2000 Press Releases 1999 Press Releases 1998 Press Releases
[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,Univers,Zurich BT,sans-serif]**Schneider Electric Canada and CSA Announce Voluntary Recovery of Square D and Federal Pioneer AFI Circuit Breakers New Breakers Being Shipped to Distributors **[size=]TORONTO, ONTARIO - October 12, 2004 - Schneider Electric Canada today announced that it is working in conjunction with the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) on a voluntary recovery for its Square D and Federal Pioneer Arc Fault Interrupter (AFI) circuit breakers. The products may not provide arc detection capability due to the failure of a third-party supplied internal component in the electronic detection circuit.
The recovery pertains to Square D QO® and Homeline ® (Canada and the USA) and Federal Pioneer Stab-lok® (Canada) 15- and 20-amp AFI circuit breakers manufactured this year between March 1 and September 23, 2004. While the breakers will continue to function like a regular circuit breaker, providing short circuit and overload protection, they may not detect a high resistance, low current arcing fault. These products are typically sold through electrical distributors and retail home improvement stores and installed in residential and light commercial applications. AFI circuit breakers are required by the Canadian Electrical Code in the bedroom circuits of new residential construction.
“The safety of our people, our customers and our products is our organization’s number one priority,” said Gary Abrams, president of Schneider Electric Canada. “We accept nothing less than excellence when it comes to safety, and we are voluntarily recalling all breakers that may be affected to help ensure our customers’ safety. We are working with the CSA and provincial regulatory agencies on a corrective action plan and have sent this information to our distributors and customers. Our distributors and customers have associated our Square D and Federal Pioneer brands with industry leadership, safety, quality, reliability and innovation for over 50 years and we will act quickly and appropriately to ensure they receive the quality products and services they expect from us.”
Schneider Electric has sent detailed instructions to its network of distributors, customers and retailers on how to identify and return these products. This potential arc fault issue has been corrected and the company has significantly increased the manufacturing capacity of its AFI breakers. New breakers have already begun shipping to its distributors and customers. If distributors or customers have any immediate questions, they can call toll-free 1-800-565-6699 for any additional information available.
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*Schneider Electric is the world’s power and control specialist, with leading brands such as Federal Pioneer, Merlin Gerin, Square D and Telemecanique. We have proven power distribution, industrial control, automation and energy management products and systems installed in utilities and industrial, commercial and residential facilities worldwide. Schneider Electric generated sales of approximately $14.2 billion in 2003 in 130 countries.
Schneider Electric Canada is part of the North American Operating Division of Schneider Electric, which markets products to customers in the United States, Canada and Mexico. In North America, we are a leader in all our key market segments – residential construction, commercial and industrial construction, process automation and control, and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). * In Canada, Schneider Electric has 1,000 employees, four manufacturing facilities, 23 sales and service offices and 300 electrical distributor branches across the country. Visit us on the internet at www.schneider-electric.ca. Schneider Electric: Give the best of the New Electric World to everyone, everywhere, at any time
BUT I can tell you this much…I do not have big enough GONAD’s to shake up any industry…lol…just found it interesting is all…
I am again still one of those old school guys who say well if you are not going to do anything…atleast replace all the OCPD’s for the branch circuits with newer models…as I said I like replacing breakers that are over 30 years old…like anything…reliablility on anything that old I sometimes question…but hey…I dont make em…I just install em…
besides…what the hell does a hick from VA know…they probably know MUCH more up a few states north of me…
