When this wire insulation started melting, this breaker should have tripped
There has been a lot of hype about the safety of Federal Pacific "Stab-Lok" circuit breakers and the fact that they may have inherent defects. The result of the defect has linked them to numerous electrical fires in the past. There is no supporting evidence from any government agency or regulatory authority stating that FPE panels are unsafe and should be replaced and there has never been a recall by the consumer product safety commission. If you have one of these FPE breaker panels or intend to purchase a home that has these FPE beaker panels, I suggest that you talk with your Electrician and decide what is right for you and your family.
These panels are very easy to identify. Simply look at the image above. All FPE breaker panel covers will display the FPE and/or the "Stab-Lok" logos / insignia. Some breaker handles are orange in color while others are black. Typically a knowledgeable Electrician will recommend replacing these FPE panels. A typical replacement of an FPE breaker panel will cost you approximately 12-15 hundred dollars.
As a Massachusetts Home Inspector, this information puts me in a very difficult situation when I perform a whole house Home Inspection. These FPE breaker panels do seem to "perform their intended function" when I'm performing my visual inspection. The panel does not "initiate" an unsafe condition, which leaves me in the precarious position of knowing that a latent problem may exist in an FPE breaker panel that I check off as "performing its intended function".
The following has been said about Federal Pacific Electric "Stab-Lok" panels:
Published reports of tests conducted on FPE two pole 220volt circuit breakers indicate that under certain conditions one leg/pole may attempt to trip the breaker. The result is a circuit that stays live, and a circuit breaker that has been compromised and when reset will not trip again under any excessive load. In some instances the breakers have been known to fall out when the cover is removed. Loose contacts can also cause arcing which would result in a fire. These panels appear to work perfectly during normal operation allowing electricity to flow without any problems or symptoms. The real question is, what will your panel do if it has an overload?
The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) did conduct product testing of these FPE breakers and found that their failure rates were significant. The CPSC's advice concerning these panels is for consumers to avoid overloading circuits as well as to turn off and have examined any devices that are causing the circuit breakers to trip. (This is easier said than done and defeats the whole point for having the breaker.) Federal Pacific's statement in response to this problem is cautious in tone:"FPE breakers will trip reliably at most overload levels." The clue word here is "most". Note that they will not state "all"
It should be noted that Federal Pacific is no longer in business. Aftermarket breakers are widely available for FPE panels. Most of these panels are large and contained a lot of circuits and the cost of replacing every breaker is often more than the cost of installing a new panel.
The best solution is to replace the panel. Recently some companies have started making replacement breakers for FPE panels. In many cases these are manufactured with the same problematic design of the original, and there is no data that they are more reliable. Also, replacing the breakers does not address problems with the buss bars in FPE panels that are not as well documented as the circuit breaker problem. In closing, remember that any repair work should be performed only by a licensed Electrician.
Here are some interesting sites relating to this FPE issue...
FEDERAL PACIFIC ELECTRIC PANELS
FPE PANEL TESTS INDICATE FAILURES
GENERAL INFORMATION ON THE FPE PROBLEM
CPSC TEST DATA SHOWING THAT UP TO 2/3 OF FPE BREAKERS FAIL
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Dear David,
I just wanted to write a quick thank-you for the professional and informative job that you did at my home inspection on Monday. As a first time home buyer I was incredibly nervous going into the inspection not knowing what to expect - what should I be asking? What should I be looking for? it was all very overwhelming. However, after the first 15 minutes of the inspection, you quickly put all of my fears to rest!
The way that you took the time to point out and explain to me everything that you were looking for, as well as all of the helpful suggestions that you so freely gave out instantly, had put my mind at ease. I was able to feel that I was in good hands and knew that I had a “Professional” doing the job. This was solidified for me at the end of the inspection when you went over your extensive report with me, item by item ensuring that I fully understood what was there.
Your professionalism and expertise was so greatly appreciated. If ever anyone asks for a recommendation please feel free to give them my name, it would be my pleasure to help put another home buyer’s worried mind to ease by letting them know that with Massachusetts Home Inspections, they can count on a professional job well done.
With Kind Regards,
Karen S.