Reliance Electric Co. Press Release cites Product Defects, Improper Practices by Federal Pacific Electric Co.

Press Release cites improper practices used by FPE to obtain UL Listing for most of FPE's circuit breakers and notes testing which indicates "possible defects."
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Replacement FPE Stab-Lok® circuit breakers are unlikely to reduce the failure risk of this equipment. We recommend that residential FPE Stab-Lok® electrical panels be replaced entirely or the entire panel bus assembly be replaced, regardless of FPE model number or FPE year of manufacture. We do not sell circuit breakers nor any other products.

This web page explains the issues and recommends solutions for people looking for a replacement FPE Stab-Lok® circuit breaker. We do not sell circuit breakers nor any other products.

Reliance Electric Company Press Release Letter on FPE FPE Defects

From Reliance Electric Company
Date-Stamped July 7, 1980 Division of Product
Def....Compliance and Enforcement, CPSC [United States Consumer Product Safety Commission]

For more information contact:
Ricard B. Ainsworth, Jr.
(216) 266-5834

For release: Saturday, July 5, after 4 p.m.

Cleveland, Ohio -- Reliance Electric Company has notified the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) that it is investigating a possible defect in the past production of the Stab-Lok® line of two-pole, 220 volt circuit breakers made by its recently acquired subsidiary, Federal Pacific Electric Company, headquartered in Newark, New Jersey.

It appears that Underwriters Laboratories labels for most of FPE's circuit breakers were obtained through improper practices, a Reliance spokesperson said. Reliance emphasized that current production of these breakers meets the requirements of Underwriters Laboratories tests.

An in-house test by Reliance indicated the possible defect. Reliance has retained Southwest Research Institute, an independent testing laboratory, to conduct further tests.

Reliance has also identified similar problems with some three- pole Stab-Lok® and molded case circuit breakers. Further testing on these breakers is being conducted. These type circuit breakers are used predominantly in commercial and industrial applications.

Reliance and Federal Pacific Electric will work with the CPSC in determining whether further action is required.

Although Reliance has not determined whether a significant hazard exists with regard to these devices, the company has stopped its shipments of the product in question and has requested that distributors stop further sales until tests are completed and evaluated.

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2007 FPE Stab-Lok® TECHNICAL REPORT - an updated test report of independent testing (a large 1.2MB PDF file) using a larger pool of FPE Stab-Lok® circuit breakers than the older CPSC and Wright Malta tests found significantly higher failure rates of FPE Stab-Lok® circuit breakers, including a look at critical safety failures (breaker failed to trip at 200% of rated current or jammed) which found up to 80% failure rate for FPE Stab-Lok® GFCI circuit breakers (n=4), 12% failure rate for double pole FPE Stab-Lok® circuit breakers (n=120), and a 1% failure rate for FPE Stab-Lok® single pole circuit breakers (n=345).
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Reliance Electric Company Press Release Letter on FPE FPE Defects

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