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Federal Pacific Electric Panel Tests Indicate Failures
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• Results of Tests performed on a Homeowner's Federal Pacific Electric FPE Breaker Panel

Federal Pacific Electric Test Performed on Homeowner's FPE Breaker Panel

The breakers in this Federal Pacific Stab-Lok panel were tested according to the Underwriters Laboratories UL Standard UL 489 calibration test. This test, a subset of the entire UL 489 Standard, is intended to determine proper electrical circuit breaker function in response to overcurrent. 40-Amp breakers were tested at 135% of rated load and should trip within an hour. 20-Amp and 15-Amp breakers were tested at 200% of rated load and should trip within 2 minutes.

Federal Pacific Electric (FPE Panel) Test Results

The panel contains 19 circuit breakers.

• 4 breakers (green tabs in various photos) performed properly: the breaker opened the circuit within the prescribed time and the toggle switch moved to the "tripped" position.
• 13 breakers (yellow tabs in various photos) did not work properly, demonstrating mechanical irregularities within the product: while all "opened" the circuit, some moved to the full-off position and others stayed in the full-on position.
• 2 breakers (red tabs in various photos), nominally "tripped" in that there was partial or full toggle movement. However, they failed to open the circuit on at least one pole.

10% (2 out of 19) of the Federal Pacific Electric stab-lok breakers in the panel tested failed to perform properly. In the electrical industry, the failure rate for non-trip breakers is virtually zero.

Photographs of Federal Pacific Electric Panel Tested

• FPE panel after testing - oblique view - note variations in toggles after every breaker was subjected to overcurrent
• FPE breaker failure - did not open the circuit in response to overcurrent
• FPE breaker mechanical variations - this breaker moved to full "off" position after tripping - mechanically inconsistent with breakers which usually move to a "tripped" position
• FPE breaker - proper function - tripped properly after testing as described above
• FPE panel after testing - front view
• FPE panel identification label - from panel tested

More expert information on this topic

More Information on FPE Federal Pacific Electric Panels and Circuit Breaker Failures and Hazards

• Federal Pacific Electric FPE Panel/Breaker Hazard Home Page
• CPSC Calibration and Condition Tests of Molded Case Circuit Breakers, Final Report December 30, 1982, summary pages, indicating failure rates found for FPE Stab-Lok circuit breakers
• 1999 Home Inspection Reporting Language and discussion for FPE panels
• 1997 Schneider Canada Federal Pioneer circuit breaker recall
• 1995 Federal Pacific Electric Panels: Fires Waiting to Happen, Debate Waiting to Be Ended - original text article from which this summary was extracted.
• 1983 CPSC Investigation of FPE Circuit Breakers Safety Information for Consumers
• 1982 Reliance Electric Co. SEC Quarterly Report: Note C. reports litigation between Reliance and UV Liquidating Trust and contends that "... improper and deceptive practices were employed for many years to secure UL listings for Federal Pacific's circuit protective products..."
• 1980 Reliance Electric Co. Press Release: improper practices improper practices used to obtain UL Listing for most of FPE's circuit breakers and notes testing which indicates "possible defects." 1980, Reliance Electric Co.
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