Federal Pacific Electric FPE Stab Lok Circuit Breaker Identification Photos

This document provides photographs and descriptions of FPE Stab-Lok® circuit breakers of various types and ages in order to assist in their identification. Page top photo of an FPE Stab-Lok® circuit breaker is provided courtesy of electrical panel researcher David Carrier.

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. 

Identification Photos for FPE Stab-Lok® Circuit Breakers

Watch out: Safety warning - while opening the hinged door provided for consumer use to access and reset the breakers is permitted, because there is risk of dangerous or even fatal electric shock in any electrical panel interior, only an expert should actually remove the front cover.

See our complete list of Federal Pacific Electric (and its various name forms) electrical panels and circuit breakers found

at FPE Stab Lok IDENTIFICATION. The molded-case FPE Stab-Lok® patent numbers seen on the FEP circuit breaker sides and FPE Stab-Lok® circuit breaker label close ups are

at FPE BREAKER LABELS.

Stab-Lok® Circuit Breaker Photographs: gray, black, mixed colors

Jeff Weissman contributed the photo above of a gray FPE Stab-Lok® circuit breaker. While the most common molded case circuit breaker is black in color, FPE Stab-Lok® breakers have been obseved in this gray color, an odd camoflage color mix that may have been a "one-off" fooling around on the production line.

Mixed Plastic Mulitcolored FP FPE Stab-Lok breaker photos

On occasion a Federal Pacific Stab-Lok® Electrical Panel or Breaker manufacturing factory worker might experiment with a mix of plastics in the circuit breaker case molding machine, photo courtesy of J. Bolton. Older FPE Stab-loks may have a brown molded case (see photos further below).

Below we show another "camouflage" multi-colored plastic case FPE Stab-Lok® circuit breaker provided by researcher David Carrier (May 2010). Notice that the two sides of the case were produced in different processes and most likely at different times.

This mix-and-match product might be an indicator of frequent adjustments and experiments on the FPE Stab-Lok® equipment production line.

and a non-camo version of FPE breaker molded case in solid black and labeled "Use Only in a Listed Enclosure"

Below: a 20-Amp GFCI Stab-Lok circuit breaker

and below a Stab Lok breaker found on eBay:

The FPE Stab-Lok® GFCI breaker at above left was for sale on eBay. FPE NB type breakers (above right) use a screw connection at the bus.

Below are photographs of a 40-Amp FPE Stab-Lok® breaker that help identify FPE Stab-Lok® equipment. Provided courtesy of electrical panel researcher David Carrier .

again labeled "use only in listed enclosures" to which we add that even in a "listed" FPE or FP panel this circuit breaker is unreliable.

Pre-1970 FPE Stab-Lok® Circuit Breakers

Below are photographs, courtesy of electrical panel researcher David Carrier, that help identify older pre-1970 FPE Stab-Lok® circuit breakers that have the properties we have described at FPE Pre-1970 STAB-LOKS OK?

Below, two views of a 50-Amp double pole pre-1970 FPE Stab-Lok® circuit breaker. Below-left, the breaker bus-bar connectors; Below right, the FPE Stab-Lok® breaker wire connectors.

You'll notice that these older FPE Stab-Lok® models have copper parts and a hexagonal toggle switch.

and

and

At left our photo provides a side view of a similar-vintage 15-Amp single pole FPE Stab-Lok® circuit breaker discussed at FPE Pre-1970 STAB-LOKS OK?

The molded-case FPE Stab-Lok® patent numbers seen on the breaker sides and FPE Stab-Lok® circuit breaker label close ups are at FPE BREAKER LABELS.

...

At left: internal parts of an older, hexagonal toggle-switch FPE Stab-Lok® circuit breaker, courtesy of researcher David Carrier.

Below lare two photos of a pre-1970 FPE Stab-Lok® 40-Amp double pole circuit breaker.

and

...

Continue reading at FPE BREAKER LABELS or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.

Or see these

Recommended Articles

• FPE & FP IDENTIFICATION, HOW TO
• FPE HAZARD SUMMARY

Suggested citation for this web page

FPE BREAKER ID PHOTOS at InspectApedia.com - online encyclopedia of building & environmental inspection, testing, diagnosis, repair, & problem prevention advice.

Or see this

INDEX to RELATED ARTICLES: ARTICLE INDEX to FPE STAB-LOK BREAKERS & PANELS

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Questions & answers on how to identify Federal Pacific Electric Stab Lok or FPE Stab Lok circuit breakers.

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