[woodnthings]

I've read a few posts regarding these breakers here, and they are not good. I have to add a sump pump on it's own circuit in an older house, Mt Clemens Michigan. The panel is A Stab-lok and I found an online source for them. Are they just a fire hazard waiting to happen? And are the ones available as good/bad as the originals? I'm thinking a sinle pole 15 amp should do the trick. 1/3 hp motor. This is just a favor to a friend, but I don't want to be sued later for any "faults" that I might have made. IYKWIM. heh...heh Any thought other than replace the whole panel, not in the budget. Add to the homeowner's insurance limit? :laughing: They will pull the permits. I am a certified NRA Range Safety Officer and was in the safety patrol in grammer school...that's it. I did stay at a Motel 6 on route 66, once.:laughing: bill

 

[220/221]

I will still occaisionall add a circuit to an FPE panel.

It's legal.

 

[woodnthings]

The Inspector wants it on a separate circuit

And there are no remaining or extra breakers left. So I'm trying to locate a couple of sparess 15 and 20 amps. I found this place online.
http://www.circuitbreakerservice.com/Federal-Pacific-FPE/search.html?types=NC
$ 29.00 each, seems a little high,but maybe that's not bad considering they might be hard to find nowadays. Thanks, bill

 

[joed]

They make and sell FPE panels in Canada. Breakers are around $10. Probably not certified to use in USA though.

 

[darren]

Hey joed do you know if federal pacific in canada had the same problems as the US. Also was it the breakers that had the issues or was it the panel itself. If it was the breakers could you not just change out all the old stab lok breakers with the new stab lok breakers and be alot safer.

 

[joed]

It is Federal Pioneer in Canada. They did not have the same issues as the US. They are still produced and sold by Schneider
Electric.

http://www.schneider-electric.ca/

 

[woodnthings]

Found some locally

Just up the road, my favorite electrical supply house had some. ReallY? YUP. $15.00 each. I had never heard of them, so I was suprised. Problem solved for now, or until the next "inspection". Thanks, bill

 

[spark plug]

issue of legality install "Stab-Lok" breaker!

[I will still occaisionall add a circuit to an FPE panel.

It's legal].

It's legal, alright. But would give me sleepless nights. And every time I'd hear the sirens of a Fire engine, I would think, maybe they're going to "My Job"!
The problem with those breakers is, that they're a "passive danger". When the protection needs to be there, it isn't!:no::yes::drink:don't Drink and Drive!!!

 

[220/221]

There are a lot of stablocks here and all the Home Depots carry replacements. I have hundreds of them in my warehouse from panels I pull out.

 

[spark plug]

Distinction bet. US and Canadian FPE

They make and sell FPE panels in Canada. Breakers are around $10. Probably not certified to use in USA though.

I've done extensive research on this subject. (beside encountering that brand in my work) I know that the Canadian "Federal" breakers were of a higher quality than those manufactured in the USA. But I don't know if the CSA (Canadian Standards Association) de- listed them along with the panels, which were defective also, and a major contributor to the fires that they caused. Today, the company doesn't exist. The successor corporation is a Lawyer's office, where all the lawsuits (not against the installers, but against the manufacturing co.) are directed!!!:furious::yes::drinkon't Drink and Drive!!!

 

[spark plug]

Candian breakers are of a higher quality

Hey joed do you know if federal pacific in canada had the same problems as the US. Also was it the breakers that had the issues or was it the panel itself. If it was the breakers could you not just change out all the old stab lok breakers with the new stab lok breakers and be alot safer.

In the USA it was established that both, the breaker and panel were at fault. The contact bet. breaker and panel was of such poor quality that it caused the panel to overheat and the breaker itself (the material) was of such poor quality that the part that would "pull" the breaker down was corroded!!!

 

[InPhase277]

It was only a certain generation of FPE panels and breakers that had problems. FPE had a very good reputation as a quality product until the 70s and 80s. Panels and breakers older than that are generally OK, and I wouldn't hesitate to install a breaker in such a panel. The breakers with the red handles are the ones that are notorious.

 

[Thurman]

Well, I'll be damned, check this out. www.allbreakers.com/Circuit-Breakers/Siemens-ITE/B/B160-spc-jppmdrmqi.html
It appears that they are still available, a single-pole, 120v, 60 amp, breaker.

 

[woodnthings]

Thurman!

I don't think those Siemens are the same as this:
Federal Pacific FPE NC015Our Price: $28.00View Details >Type: NC
Poles: 1
Amps: 15
Voltage: 120/240

 

[darren]

Inphase thanks for the info you answered my question. I have a friend who has a federal pacific and was wondering if he should change it out but he doesn't have the red handles so he should be alright.

There is a panel in canada called federal pioneer that use stab lok breakers so i think here in canada they changed names and probably the technology as well.

 

[spark plug]

distinction bet. older FPE products and ltr. prod.

[It was only a certain generation of FPE panels and breakers that had problems. FPE had a very good reputation as a quality product until the 70s and 80s. Panels and breakers older than that are generally OK, and I wouldn't hesitate to install a breaker in such a panel. The breakers with the red handles are the ones that are notorious.]

I agree with you 100% on that distinction. I myself installed scores of them in Apartment Buildings in Brooklyn and Queens, NY. When you walked in to an Electrical supply store, the (residential) panels they featured were mostly FPE!:laughing: That's why it's so painful (in a way) to see their reputation (excuse the expression) flushed down in a relatively short time, due to the fact that they took shortcuts in the manufacturing process. I myself had eight service calls about those breakers that caused (relatively small) fires because the breaker did not "trip"!:yes::no::drink:don't Drink and Drive!!!