Replacement FPE Stab-Lok Electrical Panels - What if I Can't Afford a New Panel? InspectAPedia® -
What to do if you cannot afford to replace an FPE Stab-Lok electrical panel
Steps to increase electrical safety in the home
Planning for electrical panel replacement
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.
Our site offers impartial, unbiased advice without conflicts of interest.
We will block advertisements which we discover or readers inform us are associated with bad business practices,
false-advertising, or junk science. Our contact info is at
InspectAPedia.com/appointment.htm.
This document describes steps to take if you are unable to promptly replace an Federal Pacific Stab-Lok Electric Panel. Here we address the question raised by some readers about what to do if you can't afford to replace an FPE Stab-Lok electrical panel right away. Readers should see THE FPE Stab-Lok WEBSITE and also see ADVICE TO HOME BUYERS w/ FPE PANELS .
This is information for home owners, home sellers, building inspectors, home buyers, home owners, and electricians regarding steps to reduce the hazards associated with Federal Pacific Electric Stab-lok circuit breakers and service panels.
Safety warning: as with any electrical installation or repair, these steps must be performed by a licensed and qualified electrician and must comply with appropriate building codes and regulations. Good workmanship and
an accurate assessment of the condition of the electrical panel enclosure which is to be re-used are important for FPE Electric Panel .
What to Do if You Cannot Replace an FPE Stab-Lok Electrical Panel
What if Up to Now the FPE Panel Has Seemed Just Fine?
Our breakers have already tripped: One reader reported that some of her FPE Stab-Lok circuit breakers have tripped correctly in the past. That was good to hear; we don't assert that the failure rate on these circuit breakers is 100% of the time, but in fact the failure-to-trip rate occurs enormously more often than on other non-problem electrical panels and circuit breakers.
A problem is that we can't predict when an overcurrent or unsafe electrical condition is going to occur in a building, and we cannot predict exactly when an individual circuit breaker is going to fail to protect the circuit and thus the building from an overcurrent or electrical short.
But reporting that "up to now the panel has been fine" or "up to now we've never had a problem" or even "up to now the circuit breakers in our FPE panel have tripped off", is not any assurance that such a system is safe. We've seen that if you do trip an FPE Stab-Lok breaker, that event can actually increase the chances that it will jam and not trip next time.
Our inspector said the panel looked ok to him: visual inspections of the electrical panel or even in-place electrical "tests" of the panel are either unreliable or downright dangerous. You cannot rely on such superficial or inexpert tests, and the very fact that they are offered by some is evidence of a lack of expertise on this topic.
Here's what you can do while waiting to replace your FPE Stab-Lok electrical panel:
Don't panic - panic leads to getting over charged by the electrician. But get bids from at least two electricians experienced in electrical panel replacement. Plan to replace the panel; do not rely on visual inspections or "tests" that might claim that the panel is safe.
Make certain you have working smoke detectors in the home and that they are installed in the locations and in the manner recommended by their manufacturers or in local fire safety codes.
Read up and become accurately informed about FPE Stab-Lok equipment: see FPE Stab-Lok HAZARDS & REPAIRS WEBSITE. Don't be fooled by some of the nonsense articles posted online in which a few folks claim FPE Stab-Lok circuit breakers & panels are not a problem - there is ample court record as well as soundly researched evidence about this equipment and its failure rates.
Obtain electrical panel replacement bids from at least two electricians in your area. Once you have an accurate idea of what panel replacement is likely to cost you will know how much you'll need to save or borrow. See FPE REPAIR ELECTRICIANS
Start saving up to replace your FPE Stab-Lok electrical panel as soon as you can. There is no meaningful financial relief available from the company; there has been some limited financial relief for original homeowners in New Jersey where FPE Stab-lok equipment was installed.
Save on electrical panel replacement cost: See http://InspectAPedia.com/fpe/fpereplace.htm which for some installations can cut the electric panel installation cost in half. Depending on your financial situation, the condition of the home and its electrical wiring, and the existence of other risk factors such as elderly or otherwise immobile occupants who might have trouble escaping a fire, it may be appropriate to borrow the cost to replace an unsafe electrical panel, or local community welfare agencies may be able to help offset that cost, or an electrician may agree to perform the work at a reduced rate.
Do your best to avoid overloading electrical circuits - overloading a circuit means plugging in too many high-energy devices like heaters. That will reduce the chances of a circuit overload and breaker failure. It won't prevent a dangerous circuit breaker failure should there be an "event" like a short circuit in an electrical appliance however.
Turn off or replace unsafe electrical circuits or equipment: If there are any circuits that are behaving funny - flickering lights, turn off that circuit. But beware: one of the FPE Stab-Lok defects is that while you might turn off the breaker by flipping the toggle switch, the breaker may not really be "off" - its internal parts may be stuck in the "on" position. An electrician trained in how to use a multimeter or a simple neon tester can check to be sure that the questionable circuit is really "off" by testing for power at an outlet or light fixture on the circuit that is supposedly turned "off".
Check for and repair or replace any unsafe electrical devices such as lights or appliances that themselves are in poor condition and are at extra risk of causing a short circuit.
Assess the general level of safety & fire-risk in the building: first there may be other more immediate fire or safety hazards in a home, such as unsafe heating equipment or chimneys, gas leaks, or even tripping and falling hazards that produce injuries at a high rate of occurrence. The condition of the home and its electrical wiring, the existence of other risk factors such as elderly or otherwise immobile occupants who might have trouble escaping a fire, are examples of factors that increase the level of risk in a home. Where the risk of an electrical problem is greater (old wiring in poor condition for example), or where the risk to occupants is greater (elderly or immobile occupants), the urgency of correcting these unsafe conditions should also be considered greater.
Check to assure that your building is properly insured and that your insurance company will not exclude a loss related to the presence of an FPE Stab-Lok electrical panel in building. Some insurance companies or their individual branch offices may exclude coverage for buildings with this equipment installed. Don't play "dumb" and fail to tell your insurance company - doing so could void your insurance coverage.
If I can think of more suggestions, or if you find any others, let us know. Luckily it's not the case that every single failure of a circuit breaker to trip off when it should burns down the house. But the $1000 or so to replace an electrical panel is probably much cheaper than the cost of a fire should one occur.
Critique, contributions wanted: Contact Us to suggest corrections or additions to articles at this website, and if you wish, to receive online listing and credit as a contributor. Particular thanks are due to the many experts and also consumers who read and critique technical articles at InspectAPedia.com.
Additional technical contributors & reference sources for this article are listed below.
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.
Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair
Our recommended books about building design, inspection, and repair, and about indoor environment testing, diagnosis, and cleanup are at the InspectAPedia Bookstore.
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.
More Information on Building Diagnostic Inspections and Repairs
...
InspectAPedia® Home & Site Map - Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, Repair, & Problem Prevention Advice: In-depth research & advice on diagnosing, testing, correcting, & preventing building defects & indoor environmental hazards. Unbiased information, no conflicts of interest.
The Mold Information Center: What to Do About Mold in Buildings, When and How to Inspect for Mold, Clean Up Mold, or Avoid Mold Problems
Environmental Inspection, Testing, & Diagnosis On-Site IAQ, Gas, Air Testing, Mold Investigation, Sick Building Diagnosis, Lab Services, & Remediation Plan Preparation - indoor air quality testing, problem source determination, supporting lab work, written remediation plan addressing removal of environmental and other hazards and prevention of their recurrence.
InspectAPedia ® Home & Site Map 
InspectAPedia® Home & Site Map
