


Federal Pacific breakers fail to trip over 25% of the time when a 135% electrical surge is detected.However, there are still over 25 million FPE panels in residential homes and commercial businesses in the United States. The Consumer Products Safety Commission identified Federal Pacific circuit breaker panels as a latent safety hazard over 40 years ago.The common stance among home inspectors and home inspection certification organizations, like NACHI and ASHI, is that Federal Pacific panels need replacement.įederal Pacific Electric Stab-Lok breaker panels are dangerous and a latent fire risk. These breakers have high failure rates linked to about 2800 house fires annually thus, they are considered defective and unsafe by most inspectors, electricians, and property insurance companies. Therefore, it is important to be aware of the risks posed by these panels and consider replacing them with a modern alternative.įederal Pacific panel breakers have a high risk for unexpected circuit breaker failure. However, a number of serious problems have since been uncovered with these panels, including their potential to cause electric shock and fire hazards.

Manufactured by Federal Pacific Electric (FPE), these panels were known for their low cost and reliability. Federal Pacific panels were widely used in residential and commercial buildings throughout the United States from the mid-1950s to the late 1980s. I’ve come across a lot of electrical issues during home inspections.
