Since these panels have a known potential fire safety issue, I ALWAYS recommend full replacement when found during an inspection.
Federal Pacific panels, also known as FPE panels were a popular residential electrical panel choice in the mid to late 20th century. The panel was well known in the building community as a cheaper alternative to some of the more recognizable panel companies such as General Electric/I-T-E and Square D.
Because of the cost and ease of installation, the FPE panel was widely adopted in suburban developments. Millions of homes throughout North America had this panel installed.
The main panel Federal Pacific sold was the “Stab-Lok” named after its breaker functionality. The breakers would “stab” into slots in the bus bar and “lock” into place.
Problems started when the panels were suspected of causing house fires. An investigation ensued by the Consumer Product Safety Commission with no firm verdict. Because of this independent companies started testing the panels. The findings were largely that the breakers had a high rate of failure.
When a breaker is overloaded, the breaker should trip to prevent any electrical hazards. Unfortunately, FPE breakers just were not tripping when electrical issues occurred.
An overloaded circuit that does not trip means that power is not cut off to the breaker and this leads to over heated wiring. When the wires heat past a certain point the covering on the wire can melt and/or the surrounding areas get too hot – all of this can lead to a house fire.
While there is no law that says these panels should be removed from homes, because of all the of my experience and education with FPE, when I see the Stab Lok logo, I call for immediate panel replacement during my home inspections.
Replacing a main electrical panel can be a difficult job depending on the home. It is a lot of work and the panel itself can be costly, making this one of the more expensive issues found during a home inspection.
If the wiring is in good condition, and is compatible with newer panels, then an electrician can typically swap the panels without many complications.
However, Federal Pacific panels overlapped the aluminum wiring years. Aluminum electrical wiring was used from the mid 60s and early 70s as a cheaper alternative to copper. Later, aluminum was found to cause fires due to the material expanding. So, aluminum wiring causes you extra frustration when trying to connect to newer panels.
Although I can point out the issues with these panels, no two situations are the same, so we cannot say how difficult it may or may not be to replace.
Consult with a qualified electrician when a FPE panel is installed in your home. Keep yourself and your family safe by removing and upgrading potentially dangerous electrical equipment in your home.
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