RBM wrote:
You can find all kinds of negative information on blogs, as well as
plenty of law suits against them. When I started in the electrical
trade in the early seventies, most supply companies carried two
brands of panels. One would be the quality brand like Square D or
Murray, and the other would be the cheap brand which was almost
always FPE. We as installers generally hated them and all had stories
of how they don't trip, etc etc. The truth is the panel does carry a
U.L. label as do the breakers, and although FPE has been out of
business for many years, circuit breakers for their stab-lok panels
are still being made today. They were being made by the American
Circuit breaker co. which sold out to another company who's name
escapes me, and they too carry a U.L. label

The UL label simply means the stickered device won't cause a fire, it does
not speak otherwise to the quality, durability, or fitness for purpose. You
can get UL certification for a banana.