This document describes how to identify Federal Electric Panels in buildings. An examination of this brand of electrical equipment shows that it is similar to but not identical to a version of what is better known as the FPE Stab-Lok® or Federal Pacific Stab-Lok® electrical panel which is a serious latent electrical safety hazard in buildings. We have no performance data on this product. Field reports of readers' experience with Federal Electric panels are invited.

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.

Photographic Guide to Federal Electric Electrical Panels

In some cases of very early product such as the Federal Electric panels shown on this page, the words "Stab-Lok® " or "Federal Pacific Electric" may not be present on the panel labeling.

Fortunately it is still easy to identify this product series by the actual circuit breaker or bus connectors or by the bus sketch on the Federal Electric Panel label if that information is still on the panel cover.

Here we provide a photographic library of various types of Federal Electric, Federal Pacific Electric, FPE Stab-Lok® , and Federal Pioneer electrical panel covers and labels which permit a consumer to identify the equipment from its exterior as well as circuit breaker labels and other details.

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.

Here is the interior of a Federal Electric panel, Federal Electric Catalong No. 116, showing that this early model electrical panel used a copper bus (nice).

However the circuit breakers and bus design are early versions of the problematic FPE Stab-Lok® design and should be handled as with any other FPE Stab-Lok® equipment - replace the panel.

Photographs of the copper-bus Federal Electric (FPE Stab-Lok® ) electrical panel and Stab-Lok® circuit breaker closeups just below are courtesy of Michigan home inspector John Spencer.

 

Below we show the interior label of a Federal Electric panel catalog No. 116 showing that this early model electrical panel used the "Stab-Lok® " "E" bus and "F" bus designs in this product.

Look at the bottom of the label just above our red (C) notice and you will see that the "F" and "E" Stab-Lok® bus layout was used.

This is a definitive identification of this electrical panel as a "Stab-Lok® " design even without having to physically remove the circuit breaker to inspect the panel bus directly.

Until the electrical panel is replace we recommend that you do not disturb its circuit breakers as doing so might increase the risk of a future failure to trip.

Here is John Spencer's photo of the FPE Stab-Lok® circuit breaker labels for the breakers used in this Federal Electric panel.

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

The following additional photographs depict a different bus design found in other Federal Electric electrical panels.

This is the interior of the Federal Electric panel shown at the top of this page. Note the bus design.

This is a close up of the Federal Electric triple pole circuit breaker used as the mains in this Federal Electric panel.

You can see that the bus design is similar but not identical to the classic FPE Stab-Lok® panels discussed elsewhere at this website.

We have no field data nor independent test data on the performance of this particular design.

However it is similar in appearance to the Stab-Lok® equipment which we have discussed; caution would be appropriate.

Our Photo Guides to Identification of Federal Pioneer and Federal Pacific Stab-Lok® Electrical Panels and Circuit Breakers Are Presented in the Topics Listed Below

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Reader Q&A - also see RECOMMENDED ARTICLES & FAQs

Question: what year was this Federal Electric Panel Box Made?

2021/09/26 Will

I am trying to figure out what year this box was made. (See image) Federal Electric Parts Company, Catalog No. 108,

[Click to enlarge any image]

Moderator reply: Guessing the age of an old Federal Electric Products Company Stab-Lok breaker panel

Will, that Federal Electric panel box was probably made in the 1950s or at latest, the early 1960s.

The last date I've found in patent research using the Federal Electric Products Co. name was

Christensen, Paul M. "Circuit breakers." U.S. Patent 2,876,308, issued March 3, 1959. Filed by Federal Electric Products Co. 1953-08-19, Assigned to Federal Electric Prod. Co., Federal Electric Products Co.,

though in the U.K. we had

George James Charles Williams, "Circuit Breakers." U.K. Patent GB2109163, Filed by Federal Electric Ltd., published 1983-05-25, Withdrawn.

Note that the correct name, as you'll see on the FE label, is Federal Electric Products Company.

At FPE STAB-LOK HISTORY you'll see that I have added a lot of patent records and other details that give us the use of the various names under which Stab-lok circuit breakers and panels were manufactured and sold.

Start at the oldest years and scroll up to read the use of Federal Electric to get a reasonable range of dates.

You should please comment on this page yourself, adding the country and city of the buildling where your Federal Electric Parts Co. Panel is or was installed, and tell us the age of the building, as that contextual information will be helpful in setting the panel's own age.

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Continue reading at FEDERAL PIONEER ELECTRIC PANELS 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 STAB-LOK HISTORY
• FEDERAL ELECTRIC PANELS UK Stab-Lok

Suggested citation for this web page

FEDERAL ELECTRIC PANELS 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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