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Federal Pacific Electric (FPE) Panels

For a long time (1950s-1980s) Federal Pacific Electric was one of the most popular manufacturers of electrical panels in the Canada and the United States. Millions of FPE panels are still present in homes to this day. You may not realize that these panels are extremely unsafe and have been known to even cause fires.

It has been proven that the circuit breakers in Federal Pacific Electric panels may not trip under short circuit or circuit overload condition. This causes the circuit breakers to heat up until combustion causing house fires.

FPE circuit breakers may also still send power to the circuit when in the “OFF” position. This can lead to electrocution to those not trained as an electrician.

How do I know if I have a Federal Pacific Electric power panel?: FPE panels are most common in homes built between 1950 and 1980. Federal Pacific Electric will likely be written on the cover of your power panel. When looking at the circuit breakers, “Stab-Loc” is often written on the side or front.

 

In a 2017 independent report by consulting engineer Jess Aronstein titled “HAZARDOUS FPE CIRCUIT BREAKERS AND PANELS”

“FPE and replacement brands of Stab-Lok® circuit breakers have a high defect rate. They do not provide the level of circuit protection required by the NEC (National Electrical Code). Homeowners should be alerted to this safety defect and advised to have it corrected. FPE Stab-Lok® circuit breaker panels should be replaced unless the occupants are informed and willing to live with the resulting increased risk of fire and injury.”

 

https://inspectapedia.com/fpe/FPE-Hazards-Aronstein-2017-11-10.pdf

https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/home/despite-previous-safety-concerns-this-circuit-breaker-is-still-in-homes/2018/05/08/8927af86-4ef9-11e8-b725-92c89fe3ca4c_story.html

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