Replacement FPE Stab-Lok Circuit Breakers
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Advice about replacing FPE Stab-Lok circuit breakers
Why is replacement of the FPE Stab-Lok electrical panel recommended instead of just installing replacement circuit breakers?
Performance of replacement FPE Stab-Lok circuit breakers
Questions & answers about the purchase of replacement FPE Stab Lok circuit breakers: where thtey are obtained, where they are made, are they tested, how they may be expected to perform, whether or not you should use them

FPE Circuit Breaker Replacements: this article gives expert advice about replacing FPE Stab-Lok circuit breakers - Federal Pacific Electric Stab-Lok breakers and discusses how to repair FPE StabLok Panels and circuit breakers for actual improvements in electrical safety.

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.

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What is the Proper Repair for FPE Stab-Lok Panels and Circuit Breakers?

Homeowners and renovators who encounter these panels should replace the entire panel and circuit breaker set with new equipment. Panel replacement, can involve significant expense, typically $800 to $1800 depending on service size and other factors.

Do not simply replace individual FPE Stab-Lok circuit breakers:

1. No Evidence of Improved FPE Stag-Lok Replacement Circuit Breaker Performance

First of all, there is no data suggesting that new stock, replacement FPE breakers, or "new old stock" FPE breakers found in storage somewhere perform any better than the ones already in the FPE Stab-lok panel. In fact, limited testing of replacement FPE Stab-Lok circuit breakers also detected failures to trip in response to overcurrent conditions. In at least some cases, replacement circuit breakers are manufactured in Asia as copies of the original, problematic breaker design, as we discuss at #3 below.

2. Other FPE problems besides circuit breakers

FPE Second, there are other functional and safety concerns in the panel besides the breakers themselves. We've seen panel bus damage, panel bus meltdowns, and failure of breakers to remain secured in or onto the connecting bus itself.

See REPLACEMENT PANELS for some panel replacement alternatives that might reduce the repair cost.

3. Replacement Federal Pacific Electric FPE Stab-Lok Circuit Breakers

For several reasons We do not recommend attempting to "repair" an individual failed Stab-lok breaker by buying a replacement either from used stock, new stock, or "compatible" stock:

The replacement equipment has not been independently tested and demonstrated to perform any better than the original materials
Engineers involved in this research have explained that a good part of the source of product failure for FPE Stab-Loks was in the original design and its specifications.

It appears that while there were some "on the fly" (and unapproved) changes from time to time on the manufacturing line for this product, there was never a redesign suitable to attempt to "design out" the product failure.

One expert opined to us privately that he believed that the original product's price point in the electrical equipment market was at the low end, and that had Federal Pacific attempted a redesign they'd not have had a product they could sell at their price point.
There are other hazards in the equipment besides the breakers, including bus and bus insulation meltdowns and shorts.

4. A few other warnings about things people try to reduce the hazards of FPE Stab-Lok Breakers:

"Exercising" the circuit breakers by turning them on and off has not been shown to "un-stick" or in any other manner improve the probability of working properly, and conversely, such activity may in fact increase the chances of a future failure
"Testing" circuit breakers by applying a load may give an instantaneous picture of the performance of individual breakers but it does not predict their performance when a real safety problem occurs (overcurrent) later. More important, except if performed by a very expert person, in-place testing is very dangerous, risking fires in the building being tested.

In sum, if you could replace all the FPE Stab-Lok equipment with (somehow magically obtained) all "new" FPE Stab-Lok equipment (found in a used-or new-old-stock warehouse for example) the risk level for the building would not be sufficiently different from before the replacement and would remain high: there remains a latent risk of fire from failure of these breakers to trip in response to overcurrent.

5. Replacement Federal Pacific Electric FPE Stab-Lok Panels is Recommended

For some cost and method alternatives when replacing an Federal Pacific Electric Stab-Lok Panel or "load center" see REPLACEMENT PANELS which describes conventional Option#1 - "remove and replace" the electrical panel and Option#2 - FPE Load Center Replacement using Cutler Hammer (CH) Adjustable Retrofit Kit

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Questions & answers about the purchase of replacement FPE Stab Lok circuit breakers: where thtey are obtained, where they are made, are they tested, how they may be expected to perform, whether or not you should use them.

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FPE Stab-Lok HAZARDS & REPAIRS WEBSITE - See detailed links at page left

Note: as we didn't add this reviewers list until 2007, this list of technical reviewers is incomplete; we have received comments and suggestions regarding this topic, edits and remarks included, from engineers and management from the US CPSC, electricians (many listed at our page on field reports of FPE failures), home inspectors, licensed electricians, and electrical engineers, and even a few attorneys and real estate agents, since 1986. Technical review, critique, content suggestions, questions, or clarifications are invited and where a contributor wishes, credit and links will be provided to that source. Contact us to provide feedback.
Dr. Jess Aronstein, electrical engineer, Poughkeepsie, NY, forensic engineering services, independent laboratory testing for various agencies protune@aol.com (independent electrical panel testing, including FPE Stab-Lok panels, to April 2010)
David Carrier, electrical engineer, 53 Henmond Blvd., Poughkeepsie, NY 12603 845-430-7527 davidwcarrier@earthlink.net (independent electrical panel testing, including FPE Stab-Lok panels, beginning 2010)
Alan Carson, Carson Dunlop, Associates, Toronto, Ontario. Mr. Carson is a home inspection professional, educator, researcher, writer, and a principal of Carson Dunlop Associates, a Toronto home inspection and education firm. Mr. Carson is a past president of ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors
Mark Cramer Inspection Services Mark Cramer, Tampa Florida, Mr. Cramer is a past president of ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors and is a Florida home inspector and home inspection educator. (727) 595-4211 mark@BestTampaInspector.com 11/06
Carl Grasso, Esq., Herzfeld & Rubin, New York, NY. Mr. Grasso is an attorney who managed a plaintiff's class action litigation against Federal Pacific Electric in New Jersey.
Licensed Electricians: FPE Fire and Failure Reports includes electricians who have provided cases and photographs of field failures of FPE equipment at this website.
Private opinion: from an electrical engineer involved in government testing of FPE Stab-Lok equipment, speaking anonymously because he was not authorized to speak for the agency with whom he was employed.
Homeowners, Home Inspectors, Electricians: Federal Pacific Electric (FPE) Panel Fires and other Failures includes anecdotal field reports provided by a range of contributors including electricians (and some home owners or home inspectors) who have provided cases and photographs of field failures of FPE equipment at this website
William King, US CPSC Director of Electrical Engineering (Ret).

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Aluminum Wiring Information Website Aluminum Electrical Wiring Hazards and Repairs: in-depth authoritative info, photos, documents including selection of proper vs. ineffective repair methods. E.g.: Ideal 65 "Twister" purple connector fails in field and lab testing with aluminum wire.
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Electrical Panels, How to Inspect in buildings, safety for electrical inspectors, electrical panel, fusing, wiring defects, defective products. Inspection Class Presentation

The Federal Pacific Stab-Lok Electric Panel Hazard Website Safety Information for Consumers.
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).
FPE FIRES: Failures continue: FPE breaker fails, results in fires: field reports
Federal Pacific Electric Fires Waiting to Happen, Debate Waiting to Be Ended, detailed article
Home Inspection Reporting Language and discussion for FPE panels
Home Inspection Reporting Language and discussion for FPE panels
How to Identify FPE Federal Pacific Stab-Lok Electric Panels - is yours one of these? ALSO: A History of the FPE Stab-Lok Issue.
Federal Pacific Electric Panels: Fires Waiting to Happen, Debate Waiting to Be Ended
How to Identify Federal Pacific Electric Panels Stab Lok Breakers & History of the Federal Pacific Electric Stab Lok Hazard
Replacement Circuit Breakers for FPE Stab-Lok Electric Panels? are not recommended
Replacement Panels for FPE Stab-Lok load centers - options include conventional complete panel replacement and a less costly replacement of the panel interior load center/bus assembly
Schneider Canada Federal Pioneer circuit breaker recall
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 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 used to obtain UL Listing for most of FPE's circuit breakers and notes testing which indicates "possible defects." 1980, Reliance Electric Co.
Safety Hazards and Safe Inspection Procedures for Electrical and Home Inspectors at Residential Electric Panels
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What is the Proper Repair for FPE Stab-Lok Panels and Circuit Breakers?

1. No Evidence of Improved FPE Stag-Lok Replacement Circuit Breaker Performance

2. Other FPE problems besides circuit breakers

3. Replacement Federal Pacific Electric FPE Stab-Lok Circuit Breakers

4. A few other warnings about things people try to reduce the hazards of FPE Stab-Lok Breakers:

5. Replacement Federal Pacific Electric FPE Stab-Lok Panels is Recommended

Questions & Answers regarding this article

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Technical Reviewers & References

Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair