I live in a condo that has a Federal Pacific circuit breaker box with no main cut off. I was installing a new exhaust fan which accidentally short circuited.
After this happened I went to the box to see if the circuit breaker had tripped. It did not and I then realized all the power was off in the apartment. I shut off all the circuit breakers and then turned them on and still no electricity. Any theories as to what the problem may be??????? Thanks for your help! Vic
If all the electricity is off at the panel, you've tripped the main, which should be located where the electric meters are
There is a main cut off somewhere. In your case usually near where your meter is. I find it hard to believe that you tripped a main with such a small short but it is possible.
Hint: Find your last electric bill and then find the meters on the outside of the building. The bill is to help you find the right meter and box if they are not labeled by unit number. There will be a meter number on the bill. There should also be a main breaker at this location.
For some of the newer condos you may have to call building support as both the meters and the breakers are in a utility room.
FP breakers have a known problem of not tripping when they should (CPSC has a report on it) The other posters are probably right. The first breaker to trip is the one protecting your feeder at the service panel.
You looked in the wrong box?
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