Originally Posted By: agarrett This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Recently, one of our inspectors in Texas found a FPE panel in a new house. It was a lighter gray, and Federal Pacific Stab-Lok was printed on the panel. Today one of our inspectors found a panel the same color with the same Federal Pacific Stab-Lok printed on the panel in an older house. The inspection slip dated the panel being installed in February of 2000. I know of American, Federal Pioneer, Challenger, Federal Pacific Reliance Electric, and Federal Pioneer Limited, but the panels found by our inspectors, said ?Federal Pacific Stab-Lok?. Can anyone help me on this one?
Thanks in advance, you guys always have an answer.
Originally Posted By: jpope This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
FPE has been out of business for many years. These panels are no longer in production. That doesn’t mean that you won’t find them in newer homes.
It's quite possible that there is surplus that was purchased by some companies and was never installed until recently. This doesn't change how we should report on them.
-- Jeff Pope
JPI Home Inspection Service
"At JPI, we'll help you look better"
(661) 212-0738
Originally Posted By: aslimack This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
I’ve seen several of the panels agarret speaks of. They are light grey and have the raised letters due to the panel cover being stamped. Newer looking panels but appear to be the same breaker design. Until i know differently, i call them the same way as the old ones.
Originally Posted By: jpope This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Quote:
The home is equipped with a Federal Pacific Electric (FPE) Stab-Lok brand service panel. FPE components are considered problematic by industry professionals due to their high failure rate as documented by the Consumer Products Safety Commission. Failure of any component within the electrical system can result in fire and/or electrocution. Replacement of the service equipment is advised for safety.
-- Jeff Pope
JPI Home Inspection Service
"At JPI, we'll help you look better"
(661) 212-0738
Originally Posted By: Joey D’Adamo This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
FPE is VERY alive here in Canada but it goes under the name Federal Pioneer. The parts are manufacturered by Schneider Electric, which also manfuactures Square D.
There was a small epidemic of bad breakers around 1997, but ones dated 2000 should be fine. My parents home has an FPE panel from 1999 and it trips properly (the breakers have tripped before).
The problematic FPE breakers from the 90s were ones that had a grey body with blue handles and NO hole in the handle. If the breaker is blue with a hole in the handle (just a small pinhole), or a flat blue handle (for 15A), then they are fine. 20A is red, 30A is green, and 40A is grey. The flat handled or square handled with a hole in it is fine. The other ones are problematic.
There were ones that had a grey breaker body and black handles for all capacities and I believe these were OK.
My father-in-law is a sparky and he just put a brand new FPE in his home last month. If I am not mistaken, in any era (including today) FPE is the most popular panel in Canada. Close second is probably Westinghouse and all of its derivatives (Cutler-Hammer, CEB, etc)
Originally Posted By: roconnor This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
dnewby wrote:
How do you report on a FPE panel?
Recommend evaluation by a licensed electrician ... or installation of fire extinguishers throughout ... 
-- Robert O'Connor, PE
Eagle Engineering ?
Eagle Eye Inspections ?
NACHI Education Committee
I am absolutely amazed sometimes by how much thought goes into doing things wrong
Originally Posted By: jpope This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
load centers is only part of the problem, although possibly the most significant.
The Stab-Lok design is also an issue with these load centers. The contacts are poor and easily damaged when inserting the breakers.
I have had breakers (literally) fall out of the panel when I removed the dead front cover. I have seen active arcing at the stamped bus bars where the breaker contacts have been damaged.
Regardless of how "new" the load center is, there are potentially serious issues if it's the Stab-Lok design.
I frequently see FPE fuse blocks and/or disconnects. These are a totally different matter.
Stab-Lok load centers should be replaced.
-- Jeff Pope
JPI Home Inspection Service
"At JPI, we'll help you look better"
(661) 212-0738
You are 100% right about the breakers falling out, even on the newest panels. Walk up to any of them and even with the cover on I guarantee over half of the breakers will wiggle.
And that inspect.ny link about the Schneider breakers talks about the 1996-1997 defect that I mentioned.