This FPE failure report article page explains how, where, and why to report failures or problems with Federal Pacific Electric FPE Stab-Lok® electrical panels and circuit breakers. This website explains the fire and shock hazards associated with Federal Pacific Electric Stab-Lok® circuit breakers and service panels, provides a history of the issue, recounts research on FPE failures, and recommends replacement of the panels.

We recommend against replacing individual FPE Stab-Lok® circuit breakers, Bulldog Pushmatics, Challenger, Zinsco or UBI: there is no evidence that doing so will improve the safety of the electrical system. We recommend that the panel be replaced entirely. This web page explains the issues and recommends solutions for people looking for a replacement electrical panel or circuit breaker. InspectApedia.com offers impartial, unbiased advice without conflicts of interest. We do not sell any products nor services.

How & Where to Report Electrical Panel Failures & Fires

Report electrical panel malfunctions and unsafe conditions to the US CPSC & to InspectApedia.com: examples: Bulldog-Pusmatic Electrical Panel failures, Challenger electrical panel failures, FPE Stab-Lok® Failures & Fires: Federal Pacific and Federal Pioneer Equipment Problems, UBI & other replacement circuit breaker failures, Zinsco® Electrical Panel Failures & Fires

How to Report an Electrical Panel Incident to the US CPSC

In addition to informing us of an FPE Stab-Lok® or Federal Pioneer electrical panel or breaker event so that we can add this incident report to the data base we maintain, we encourage readers to report such events also to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission - it's easy: you can use a simple form at the CPSC's website.

Dangerous Product Reports to the US CPSC: To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury,

call CPSC's hotline at (800) 638-2772 or CPSC's teletypewriter at (800) 638-8270,

or visit CPSC's web site at SaferProducts.gov.

Or use this link https://www.saferproducts.gov/IncidentReporting to report an unsafe product or circuit breaker failure incident to the US CPSC

You can also send the CPSC email on incidents to: info@cpsc.gov

Please also report incidents to the InspectAPedia. com Editor

How to Report an Electrical Panel or Breaker Incident to this Website & Independent Research Experts

We invite voluntary field failure reports from readers who are aware of or who experience failures of Federal Pacific and Federal Pioneer equipment order to add to the existing data base. These reports are invaluable in analyzing types of electrical failures and in enabling us to provide an accurate summary of that information to the public and to concerned government agencies.

Am I Legally Required to Report an Electrical Problem or Fire?

There is no legal requirement that failures be reported to us for tabulation here. If you are willing to report an FPE incident, no costs are involved, and all personal data, property identification, etc. are kept strictly confidential. Only summary information and depersonalized incident descriptions are tabulated.

This website is not a government or other official document, nor does it receive nor request funding. CONTACT US.

What Information Should be Reported if I have an Electrical Panel or Breaker Failuire or Fire?

Any details (and photos) you can add about the problem you were experiencing, and the identity your electrician and what s/he told you about this incident, would be important additions to the failure data base.

These reports form important data which, after stripping personal data out of the report, we share with government agencies such as the CPSC and with independent researchers. Your privacy is protected.

How should the Bulldog, Challenger, FPE or FP, Pushmatic, or Zinsco Electrical Panel be Replaced? Replacement Options

At REPLACEMENT PANELS we describe panel replacement alternatives that include describing an approach that keeps the original steel panel enclosure in place, replacing the electrical components within it (the "bus assembly") which, if your electrician agrees, might save a portion of the labor costs when replacing the panel.

However in our OPINION most of these older panels and the total ampacity that they support is too small for the level of electricity usage and number of circuits required in modern homes and offices. Replacement with an entire new and larger panel may be a better option.

How to Contribute a failed Electrical Panel or Breaker for Research

If, when you replace your panel, you want to contribute your old one for testing by an independent lab (testing is at no cost to you other than shipping the panel), CONTACT US.

We will confirm that an independent expert researcher is still receiving, testing, and documenting these failures and if so and we will pass on shipping instructions - normally at no cost to you.

Even for cases in which the physical circuit breakere or panel are no longer sought for research, field failure reports, photos and details of these incidents are very important in informing the public, manufacturers, and government agencies such as the US CPSC of these conditions and events. That is particularly the case regarding electrical equipment failures: only a small percentage of such failures ever reach government attention, making those cases, representing a larger body of hazards, very important.

As with field reports, the test result data (not your personal information) is provided to the US CPSC and other appropriate agencies.

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Continue reading at FPE FIRES: FAILURE REPORTS or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.

Or see

• CIRCUIT BREAKER FAILURE RATES
• CHALLENGER ELECTRIC PANELS
• Classified CIRCUIT BREAKER WARNING
• FEDERAL PIONEER PANEL SAFETY
• FEDERAL PACIFIC FPE HAZARDS - home
• FPE FAILURE FIELD REPORTS
• MURRAY CIRCUIT BREAKER HAZARDS
• MURRAY SIEMENS Recall
• PUSHMATIC - BULLDOG PANELS
• SIEMENS MURRAY Recall
• SPLIT BUS ELECTRICAL PANEL HAZARDS
• SQUARE-D AFCI RECALL 2004
• SQUARE-D COUNTERFEIT BREAKER RECALL
• UBI FPE CIRCUIT BREAKER TEST RESULTS
• ZINSCO CIRCUIT BREAKER TEST REPORT
• ELECTRIC PANEL INSPECTION SAFETY

Suggested citation for this web page

ELECTRICAL PANEL / BREAKER INCIDENTS, HOW TO REPORT 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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Citations & References

In addition to any citations in the article above, a full list is available on request.

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