FPE breakers are famous for that. Remove the cover without a few extra hands to help and guaranteed 5 breakers will pop out.
- Vote on answer
- posted
12 years ago
Need to replace my electric panel
Loading thread data ...
- Vote on answer
- posted
12 years ago
That's an odd thing to say that all breakers snap in to place because a few moths ago I installed 20 amp "bolt in" breakers in am electrical panel to power two new 120 vac circuits for a couple of 42" monitors.
TDD
- Vote on answer
- posted
12 years ago
And don't associate "square D" necessarily with quality. The Square D Homeline? panel is the replacement for the FPE. Both made by the same company, by the way. Schneider Electric builds both Square D and FPE.
- Vote on answer
- posted
12 years ago
OK -- Where "R" U Wok, Work - it's only one stupid little letter ;}
- Vote on answer
- posted
12 years ago
No problem getting insurance with an FPE panel if it is in good shape .
- Vote on answer
- posted
12 years ago
I still say the green hairy hunchback lives under a bridge.
- Vote on answer
- posted
12 years ago
Never had it happen.
- Vote on answer
- posted
12 years ago
Square D was known for their high quality, and Federal Pacific was known for their low quality long before Schneider had anything to do with them.
- Vote on answer
- posted
12 years ago
I'm sorry, I couldn't help it. ^_^
TDD
- Vote on answer
- posted
12 years ago
ANd all I'm saying is THINGS HAVE CHANGED. The high end Square D is still good stuff - but they are putting the Sqare D name on the FPE quality product now as well. Just because it says Square D on it does not mean it is the quality product you have come to associate with Square D.
- Vote on answer
- posted
12 years ago
I work for an insurance company half time. THEY do not inspect. They may require an inspection. They will not fail a house for having FPE breaker panels. They will fail it for having an unsafe panel.
The FPE problem is basically limitted to several years production 30 or so years ago. Their current product (well - up untill they changed it to Square D - and the FPE is still available at Home Despot in Canada, for instance) the product was actually pretty fair quality - with virtually no higher incidence of problems than with any other major manufacturer. As an electrician, my dad said he saw as many Square D and other panel failures as he did FPE.
- Vote on answer
- posted
12 years ago
Typos provide some of the best entertainment on USENET.
- Vote on answer
- posted
12 years ago
Ok, I was not aware of that, but if those breakers are or were so bad, how come another company dont just make a better breaker for the same panels?
- Vote on answer
- posted
12 years ago
Since FPE went out of business, other companies have and continue to make replacement U.L. approved breakers for those panels.
- Vote on answer
- posted
12 years ago
To correct another of haller's mistakes - FPE did not go out of business. It was sold to Reliance Electric. It is still being made in Canada (clare says by Schneider - I have no idea).
One of the oddities of FPE is that you turn breakers on by switching them away from the center, which tends to unplug them.
- Vote on answer
- posted
12 years ago
Simple answer? Same company does. The old (dangerous?) breakers have been "superceded" for over 20 years.
- Vote on answer
- posted
12 years ago
Then the solution would be to simply replace the breakers with all the new ones. Of course I recall earlier in this thread there was mention they cost $30 each. In that case, replacing the whole panel could be cheaper for a DIY guy, but to hire an electrician, it would likely still be cheaper just to replace the breakers.
I'm glad I dont have one of them!!!