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Are
Federal Pacific Electric (FPE) Circuit Breaker Panels Safe?
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It
is our opinion and that of most electricians that using an FPE circuit breaker panel is unsafe and may contribute to a fire
if an overload or short-circuit occurs.
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How do I know if I have an FPE panel
in my home or office? Design names associated
with these panels include: Federal Pacific Electric, FPE, Stab-Lok, Federal Electric, Federal NOARC, and Federal Pioneer.
All of these panels contain the faulty technology. These panels starting coming into use around 1950.
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What
exactly is the problem with using these panels? There
is a possibility that these circuit breakers may fail to trip under overload or short-circuit conditions. In some independent
studies, it was reported that these circuit breakers failed to trip more than 50% of the time. The accepted industry standard
is less than 1%.
What happens if a circuit breaker doesn’t
trip? When a short-circuit or an overloaded circuit
condition occurs, a circuit breaker is supposed to detect the fault and ‘cut off’ the power to the circuit by
tripping, thereby preventing further damage. If a breaker fails to trip under these conditions, it could lead to a fire, property
damage, electrocution, or even loss of life.
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What
do I do if I have a FPE circuit breaker panel in my home? The best course of action would be to replace it right away. There is no repair solution available for these panels
to make them safe. For the small cost of a panel upgrade (usually between $900 - $2,000.00 in many cases), it’s not
worth the risk to continue using this unsafe panel.
 I’ve
had a FPE panel installed in my house for more than 40 years and I never had a problem. Why the urgency for me to take care
of it now? Under normal conditions (that is, no
overloads or short circuits occurring) an FPE panel will deliver electricity to all the circuits in your home or business
without any noticeable issues. The problem only occurs in the instance of an overload. If you’ve never had an overloaded
circuit, you would have never seen the problem. However, even if you have had tripped breakers in the past, it only increases
the probability that the next time might be the one where the circuit breaker does not trip. Those are odds not worth gambling
with.
 Who
pays for the cost of the panel replacement? Unfortunately, the cost must be borne by the property owner. Federal Pacific Electric
is no longer in business and there is no recourse you can take with them. Our experience has also shown that most insurance
companies will not cover the cost to replace the panel, although it doesn’t hurt to ask! One other thing to keep in mind: if you are planning to sell your house, you may not get away with
passing the headache on to the buyer. Many home inspectors are trained to look for these panels during their walkthrough and
it is usually a red-flag item on the report they give to the prospective buyer. You might want to invest in a panel upgrade
before listing your home to keep this problem from becoming a deal-breaker.
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Licensed electricians serving Orange
county, Sullivan county, and Ulster county in New York (845) 888-8000
_________________________________________________________________________________________________ All information contained within this site ©2004-2016, Wurtsboro Electric Service, Inc. All rights
reserved.
Reproducing or duplicating any information contained herein is prohibited by law.
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