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We recommend that residential FPE Stab-Lok electrical panels be replaced entirely or the entire panel bus assembly be replaced entirely, regardless of model number or year of manufacture. We recommend against replacing individual FPE Stab-lok circuit breakers. We do not sell circuit breakers nor any other products. For more information see FPE REPLACEMENT PANELS and FPE REPLACEMENT BREAKERS. This page assists in identifying Federal Pacific Electric Stab-Lok electrical panels and circuit breakers. More FPE information is in the links at page left.

This document describes how to identify Federal Pacific Stab-Lok Electric Panels in buildings. It is information for building inspectors, home buyers, home owners, electricians exploring the background of possible hazards associated with Federal Pacific Electric Stab-lok circuit breakers and service panels. © Copyright 2010 Daniel Friedman, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left. Use links at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.

OTHER DEFECTS - Federal Pacific Electric Equipment issues extend beyond basic design of the Stab Lok Circuit Breaker

But it's more complicated than that. The company actually changed the design from time to time (without necessarily telling anyone). On the other hand, No one has provided any technical or even anecdotal data suggesting that any of these changes corrected basic design flaws. In addition, there was the problem of equipment UL-listing label swapping and therefore mislabeling individual pieces of equipment, therefore incorrectly stating the use to which individual pieces of equipment could be applied.

FPE USA stopped making equipment quite a while ago, but Stab-Lok (TM) panels and circuit breakers continued to be produced in Canada, under the name Federal Pioneer, a Canadian "FPE" company which was later bought by Schneider Electric, also in Canada.

Federal Pioneer Stab-Lok circuit breakers and panels continue to be available even still as new today. Some of my Canadian contacts claim that the Canadian product was better than the U.S.-made version but my own first-hand view of some of it in the home of a Canadian Home inspector was that it was just as bad. (The circuit breakers had to be held into the panel using adhesive tape!)

Several years ago I called Schneider Electric and was able to speak with a Schneider engineer about this product. I asked if they had changed the design to fix any of the inherent problems with the product series over the U.S. version. I was promised an answer to this question - the engineer was quite polite. But in follow-up calls no one at the company wanted to provide any information about this product.

If a manufacturer cannot, or will not provide their supporting test or other data for a product I'm forced to err on the safe side by refusing to endorse it. "Trust me" just doesn't cut it where electrical safety is concerned.

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Use links just below or at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.

FPE Stab Lok IDENTIFICATION
FPE STAB-LOK PANEL COVERS
FEDERAL NOARK PANELS
FEDERAL ELECTRIC PANELS
FEDERAL PIONEER PANELS
FPE PANEL DOOR LABELS
FPE TOGGLE SWITCH
FPE BREAKER LABELS
HOW TO ID FPE IF NO LABELS
FPE PANEL BUS DESIGNS
FPE PANEL AGE MATTERS?
FPE HISTORIC DATES
OTHER FPE DEFECTS

• Timothy Hemm, Yucala, CA, contributed the photographs of FPE equipment installed in California buildings. Mr. Hemm can be contacted at TimHemm@yahoo.com
• Arlene Puentes, an ASHI home inspector in Kingston, NY, contributed the page top and example photograph of a bank of FPE adjacent electrical panels. Ms. Puentes can be contacted at ap@octoberhome.com
• Jon Bolton, a home inspector, the Inspectigator, FL, contributed the "camouflage" breaker. Mr. Bolton can be contacted at teamattitude@hotmail.com
• Mary DeMuth, a property owner, contributed the Texas Federal Pacific Electric Load Center photos, May 2006.
• Thomas M. Pino, a professional home inspector, contributed photos of the 100A Texas FPE panel used in a condo. www.sweetwaterhomeinspection.com. Mr. Pino can be contacted at sweetinspect@houston.rr.com or at sweetwaterhomeinspection@yahoo.com
• The remaining photographs on this page were made by the web author

More Information on Building Diagnostic Inspections and Repairs

• The Federal Pacific Stab-Lok Electric Panel Hazard Website Safety Information for Consumers. 2009
• Home Inspection Reporting Language for FPE Stab-Lok electric panels and circuit breakers
• Schneider Canada Federal Pioneer circuit breaker recall
• How to Identify Federal Pacific Electric Panels Stab Lok Breakers & History of the Federal Pacific Electric Stab Lok Hazard
• FPE FIRES: Failures continue: FPE breaker fails, results in fires: field reports
• Replacement Electric Panels: Federal Pacific Electric Panel Replacements two cost and method options for FPE panel replacement.
• Federal Pacific Electric Fires Waiting to Happen, Debate Waiting to Be Ended, detailed article
• 1983 CPSC Investigation of FPE Circuit Breakers Safety Information for Consumers
• 1982 Reliance Electric Co. SEC Quarterly Report: Note C. reports litigation between Reliance and UV Liquidating Trust and contends that "... improper and deceptive practices were employed for many years to secure UL listings for Federal Pacific's circuit protective products..."
• 1980 Reliance Electric Co. Press Release: improper practices improper practices used to obtain UL Listing for most of FPE's circuit breakers and notes testing which indicates "possible defects." 1980, Reliance Electric Co.
• 1980 FPE - Exxon Buys A Scandal Along With A Company improper practices improper practices used to obtain UL Listing for most of FPE's circuit breakers and notes testing which indicates "possible defects." 1980, Reliance Electric Co.
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