FPE Stab-Lok® circuit breaker label guide: this article includes a table and photographs of the different labels used on Federal Pacific Electric, Federal Pioneer, and Federal Noark circuit breakers - to aid in their identification.

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.

Photo Guide to Federal Pacific Stab-Lok® Circuit Breakers by Their Labels

Below we provide a photographic library of various types of Federal Pacific (FPE) Stab Lok equipment, including FPE and Federal Pioneer, or Federal Electric labels which permit a consumer to identify the equipment from its exterior as well as circuit breaker labels and other details.

[Click to enlarge any image]

You usually won't see these FPE Stablok circuit breaker labels unless the breaker has been removed from th electrical panel for inspection.

Watch out: Since there is risk of dangerous or even fatal electric shock, only an expert such as a licensed electrician, electrical engineer, or home inspector should physically remove the front cover to permit inspection of the panel bus and other interior features.

Does the Label or FPE or FP or Federal Pioneer or Federal Noark breaker model or number make a difference in circuit breaker safety?

No.

While this article series includes FPE Stab-Lok® circuit breaker description and labels, (seelinks listed at the ARTICLE INDEX the bottom of this article ), those examples are provided to assist in the identification of this equipment - tests and field reports indicate that all of the FPE Stab-Lok® equipment, electrical panels and circuit breakers sold and installed in the U.S. suffers the no-trip breaker and other problems across all residential equipment models and ages.

This includes various FPE Stab-Lok® circuit breaker and bus designs including the "NA" (push-in connection) "E" bus, the "F" bus-connected breakers and the Type "NB" circuit breakers that are screw-fastened to the bus.

The Type NB Stab-Lock breakers are screw-fastened to the busbar, but are identical to the NA (push-in) types in all other respects and came out of the same production lines.  There is no reason to consider that they have any different defect profile. - thanks to reader Paul Knor for requesting this clarification.

Table of & Photo guide to FPE and FP circuit breaker labels

Shown (from left to right) are the following FPE circuit breaker labels in five common colors and various text and circuit breaker catalog numbers:

The FPE Stab-Lok® circuit breaker labels shown just above were provided courtesy of electrical panel researcher David Carrier, and discussed at FPE Pre-1970 STAB-LOKS OK?. At least some of these circuit breaker were typically affixed directly by FPE under UL supervision and form part of the fraudulent labeling history.

Photo of a typical FPE Stab-Lok® CU-AL double pole breaker UL Label.

One of the publicly documented complaints against FPE was that in some cases these labels were affixed to unqualified devices.

Photo of another Type 2B CU-AL FPE Stab-Lok® circuit breaker UL Label In some cases labels were affixed illegally and rating labels were affixed to breakers on which they did not belong.

Photo of Stab-Lok® Breaker Labels in situ in a small Stab-Lok® electrical panel, Green, White, Yellow - California

Here is John Spencer's photo of FE Stab-Lok® Catalog No. 20 circuit breaker labels for the breakers used in a Federal Electric panel.

Between the breakers at lower center in the photo you can see a glint of the copper bus to which these circuit breakers are attached.

FPE Stab-Lok® Circuit Breaker Patent Numbers & Labels - Pre 1970

Below from left: Federal Pacific Electric Co. circuit breaker patent numbers, label on a pre-1970 FPE Stab-Lok® 40-Amp circuit breaker, courtesy of electrical panel researcher David Carrier, and discussed at FPE Pre-1970 STAB-LOKS OK?.

Below: Federal Electric UK Stab-lok circuit breaker molded case text. Details are at FEDERAL ELECTRIC PANELS UK Stab-Lok.

...

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

Suggested citation for this web page

FPE BREAKER LABELS 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

Or use the SEARCH BOX found below to Ask a Question or Search InspectApedia

Ask a Question or Search InspectApedia

Try the search box just below, or if you prefer, post a question or comment in the Comments box below and we will respond promptly.

Note: appearance of your Comment below may be delayed: if your comment contains an image, photograph, web link, or text that looks to the software as if it might be a web link, your posting will appear after it has been approved by a moderator. Apologies for the delay.

Only one image can be added per comment but you can post as many comments, and therefore images, as you like.
You will not receive a notification when a response to your question has been posted.
Please bookmark this page to make it easy for you to check back for our response.
Our Comment Box is provided by Countable Web Productions countable.ca

Citations & References

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

---

ADVERTISEMENT

---