On 12/24/2011 11:25 PM, bob haller wrote:
On Dec 24, 9:18 pm, "Stormin Mormon"
wrote:
Today I discovered that a friend (who I value) lives in a trailer, with a
Federal Pacific Electric Stabloc breaker panel. Who can spot why this might
be a concern? What is the reccomended course of action?

Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
.

nicknamed the fire starter federal pacific falsified test data to get
UL approval and ultimately went out of business.

FPE was sold to Reliance Electric and is still being made (and
apparently reliable) in Canada.
FPE falsified data to continue UL listing before it was sold to Reliance.


the panels were poor quality and tended to catch on fire, worse the
breakers often dont trip on a overload, or once a breaker trips once
is like 30% less likely to EVER trip again.

There were problems with some of the breakers FPE made. The CPSC started
an investigation which turned up problems but the investigation was
dropped (probably not based on merit). Specific problems were some
breakers not tripping at 130% of rated load and some 2-pole breakers
jamming where the overload was not equal on both legs. Far as I know the
problem covered breakers produced in a particular time span - which you
can't identify.

There were also problems with screwed together busses.


That panel is a severe fire hazard, and should be replaced
immediately.

The usual overstatement. Panels may or may not be OK (other than being
"crappy"). If I had one I would replace it. I believe Cutler Hammer used
to make replacement 'guts'.

--
bud--