Federal Pacific Electrical Panel Fire Hazard
Federal pacific electric panels are a fire hazard from the 1950s to the 1980s one of the most popular brands of circuit breaker was stab lok manufactured by federal pacific electric fpe.
Federal pacific electrical panel fire hazard. In 1983 the consumer product safety commission closed its two year investigation and felt it impossible to create a product recall at the time because of budget issues even as federal pacific panels and breakers continued to be installed in millions of homes that to this day still run the risk of an electrical fire. But experts warn that if a federal pacific electric panel experiences an overcurrent or short circuit it may not keep the electrical circuits from overheating and could possibly pose a fire hazard. An estimated 2 800 fires. Fpe panels may not meet today s updated safety codes.
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. Safety standards that were. Experts say that fpe panels produced during that time frame would not conform to today s updated safety codes and would no longer be allowed to be sold to the general public. A federal pacific electric fpe circuit breaker panel can appear to be working properly for years.
Federal pacific electric stab lok service panels and breakers are dangerous and can fail leading to electrical fires. Federal pacific electric panels were produced from the mid 1950s well into the 1980s.