For many decades, it has been widely acknowledged that FPE Stab-Lok® breakers are problematic, despite being CSA (Canadian Safety Standards) approved. These breakers have a tendency to fail to trip when overloaded, presenting a significant safety hazard.
On May 9th, 2018, The Washington Post wrote a column about this topic.
Federal Pioneer Breakers are Unsafe
When overloaded, FPE Stab-Lok® breakers allow a high current of electricity to flow in the circuit, leading to overheating in the wiring inside the walls of the house. This overheating can result in fires under certain conditions.
We’ve had orders from many clients for the replacement of old FPE Stab-Lok® breakers, but there have not been any new breakers available since November 2020. Since the pandemic, companies that manufacture electrical parts, are closing with no reopening dates in sight. This means there is a lack of parts like breakers and electrical panels.
The U.S. is concerned about all FPE breakers, not just the old black ones. They recommend that the complete Federal panel be upgraded to a new manufacturer with new breakers. In our opinion, this is a good idea. Unfortunately, in some cases, it is highly unrealistic to change a complete panel. Federal and municipal city bylaws make changing a panel very costly.
Robart Electrical Services has been working for years with home buyers and sellers to overcome these problems. We now have ways of correcting these problems economically and efficiently. Contact us at 780-238-8195.
Originally published Nov 1, 2018, updated Dec 7, 2022
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