Federal Pacific breakers

My son bought my father-in-law's house three years ago. During a remodeling job, I did some minor electrical work for him and found out that he has a Federal Pacific breaker box. Now I know that they have problems especially with double pole breakers. My question is when did this proble arise? This house was built in the early 1950's and all I can find out about the problem seems to stem from around the middle sixties.

Reply to
rile
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I'm not sure when, I thought all FP breakers were all bad. Do a search and you will see that FP breakers are a known problem. Regardless you should have the panel changed.

Reply to
Mikepier

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Reply to
buffalobill

I think the problem started the day they were designed.

Reply to
Bob

You can find all kinds of negative information on blogs, as well as plenty of law suits against them. When I started in the electrical trade in the early seventies, most supply companies carried two brands of panels. One would be the quality brand like Square D or Murray, and the other would be the cheap brand which was almost always FPE. We as installers generally hated them and all had stories of how they don't trip, etc etc. The truth is the panel does carry a U.L. label as do the breakers, and although FPE has been out of business for many years, circuit breakers for their stab-lok panels are still being made today. They were being made by the American Circuit breaker co. which sold out to another company who's name escapes me, and they too carry a U.L. label

Reply to
RBM

I have a FP panel installed about 1979 and I recently found breakers dont trip under full short:(

New panel is a definite must!

Reply to
hallerb

They were cheaply built panels and breakers designed to meet a price point (much like the "all this for $399 dell computers") so that when customers demanded a cheap price that is what was installed. They are well known for issues such as not tripping during a fault.

Reply to
George

What rumors I'd heard: The "UL" label was not awarded to FPE during testing. FPE just slapped a UL label on after the fact, and started selling. So the problem was at the beginning. I changed mine out long ago during an upgrade, and have a bunch of FPE breakers sitting in a box in the shop. They're for sale! Tom

Reply to
tom

Reliance Electric bought FPE and discovered that FPE fraudulently supplied test information to UL. UL then delisted most of the FPE line. Reliance Electric sued the seller of FPE and setteled for about 43 million dollars to cover liability. I believe there is currently a class action law suit in New Jersey. The problem probably covers the 1965

-1980 time period although the current Canadian manufacturer won't say what changes have been made to the line. The problem covers more than 2 pole breakers - some others being not tripping ever at 135% of rating and buss failures.

As indicated in another post the link at

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a lot of information of FPE, much of it derived from an investigation by the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

bud--

Reply to
Bud--

I have one of these panels in my house. I believe it was installed in

1962. I've load tested all of the breakers to see if they trip on overload. They all do. Some newer breakers made in the 1980's do trip faster though, but that would be the case for any brand (the newer ones had white marking instead of red on the handle). The only one I had that failed was a two pole breaker that was really two single pole breakers ganged togather. I separated them and they tested and work fine as single pole breakers (and I would trust two single pole breakers ganged togather with a piece of metal anyway). Having said all of this, I would be highly suspicious of any old FPE 2 pole breakers. No real need to replace the whole panel if you can get new breakers cheap enough. They charge an arm and a leg around here for a new panel install (they don't allow DIY). The new breakers from Canada are perfectly fine. Not sure where you can find those (I got one off eBay).
Reply to
scott21230

Why?

bud--

Reply to
Bud--

Why would anyone believe anything posted to a BLOG? You get more misinformation on them things than you do on these newsgroups.... If you want solid facts, read articles on ftc.gov (federal trade commission) and others that have substance.

Reply to
maradcliff

The UL label simply means the stickered device won't cause a fire, it does not speak otherwise to the quality, durability, or fitness for purpose. You can get UL certification for a banana.

Reply to
HeyBub

Really? Where do I send the banana? I want to do this.

Reply to
reformaster

Once a FPE breaker trips ONCE its 33% less likely to EVER TRIP AGAIN!

Reply to
hallerb

Once a FPE breaker trips ONCE its 33% less likely to EVER TRIP AGAIN!

Reply to
hallerb

posted for all of us... I don't top post - see either inline or at bottom.

Exactly how did you do this?

Reply to
Tekkie®

Momentarily short the wires?

Reply to
Tony Hwang

I'd like to know too......

Reply to
Anonymous

no doubt intental short, I must admit I have done this myself.

Anytime I am doing electrical work I turn off the breaker, but intentially short the box just in case I didnt turn off the proper one. like screwdriver between screw and box.

have saved myself some nasty surprises....

Reply to
hallerb

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