FPE panels and Stab-Lok breakers: how bad are they?

[Jerry Peck - Codeman]

(From an e-mail question.)

Codeman,

I have an FPE Stab-Lok electrical panel in my house and have been told by my home inspector that I should replace it, but my electrician says there have never been any recalls on the FPE panels, which means there is nothing wrong with them.

Who is correct? My home inspector or my electrician?

John P.

[Jerry Peck - Codeman]

Hi John P.,

Let's start with: your electrician is partially correct.

There have not been any recalls on the FPE Stab-Lok panels, however, that does not mean there is nothing wrong with them.

There HAS BEEN a class action lawsuit regarding the Stab-Lok breakers, which is an indication that not all is well with them.

FPE Stab-Lok did lose it's UL listing for a short time, then was able to get the UL listing back, but that had to do with not manufacturing the panels and breakers are per the requirements and not related to failures of those panels and breakers.

FPE Stab-Lok breakers have been tested for their ability to trip as required and many of those tests have shown that those FPE Stab-Lok breakers did not trip when they should have, and many did not trip at all. Does this mean that all Stab-Lok breakers are defective and will not trip? No, it does not, however, does this mean that any Stab-Lok breaker could be defective and might not trip? Yes, that is what it means.

However, not tripping is only one of the issues with the FPE Stab-Lok panels and breakers, the other is the method of mounting into the bus bar and their frequency in not-staying-in-place when the dead front cover is removed. Many of those breakers have fallen out, jumped out might be a better description, toward the person removing the dead front cover to look inside the FPE panel, whether it be for performing work or simply inspecting. Having the breakers jump out at you is not a pleasant experience to participate in, changing your underwear afterward might not be a bad idea.

Now, to your home inspectors recommendation for replacing the FPE panel and its Stab-Lok breakers: That is an excellent recommendation and one which I wholeheartedly agree with.

Yes, there is a monetary cost involved, however, there is a safety factor to be gained by spending that money and getting a new panel which does not have those known problems. Better to spend that money and increase the safety of the home for its occupants, your family than to not spend the money as have a problem with your electrical system as a result of a non-functioning FPE Stab-Lok panel/breaker. Additionally, when you go to sell, if you have not replaced the FPE Stab-Lok panel/breakers, your buyer's home inspector will most likely make that recommendation - why spend the money then and not receive any benefit from it, with all of the benefit going to your buyer, replace it now and let you and your family enjoy the benefit of replacing the FPE Stab-Lok panel and breakers.

FPE panels with Stab-Lok breakers have many inherent built-in problems, they are also old, obsolete, have a known risk of breakers not tripping at their stated setting, and can be scary (meaning dangerous) when removing the dead front cover for any reason. Nothing lasts forever, and electrical systems are no exception. The difference with electrical panels, though, is that they are there for the safety of the occupants and the structure - a breaker which fails to trip when needed could lead to a circuit overheating, which could lead to a fire, which in turn could lead to injury to, or even death of, the occupants.

Codeman