FP Stab-lok panel: updated breakers?

[Kenton H. Shepard, CMI]

House was built in 1985. Federal Pacific Stab-lok main panel, no signs of overheating and warmest breaker was 70 degrees (same as the home interior).
I could not read these tiny labels. Are upgraded breakers available for these panels? If so, might these be examples?

Just noticed too, that looks like a 12 g. wire in a 30 amp breaker.

[rcooke]

Originally Posted by kshepard

House was built in 1985. Federal Pacific Stab-lok main panel, no signs of overheating and warmest breaker was 70 degrees (same as the home interior).
I could not read these tiny labels. Are upgraded breakers available for these panels? If so, might these be examples?

Just noticed too, that looks like a 12 g. wire in a 30 amp breaker.

Stab-lok is still manufactured in Canada and I guess about 40 % of new homes are stab-lok .
Do not know if they are any different then what you have in the USA
but they do not seem to be a concern here or a problem.
It is the same company who makes SQ. D.
http://www.schneider-electric.ca/www...-lok/index.htm

Roy Cooke sr ... Royshomeinspection.com

[Jeffrey R. Pope]

There are breakers manufactured as "replacement" breakers for FPE Stab-lok load centers - they are specifically listed as replacement breakers and cannot be used (according to the listing) for new installations.

In any event, there are more issues with Stab-lok load centers than just the breakers. The design is inherently flawed and the contacts are easily damaged during installation.

If the FPE panels in Canada are the same Stab-lok design, they would be subject to the same potential issues although the breakers may be better than the originals (with regard to their failure rate).

[William Warner]

Canadian FPE Stab-Lok panels

FPE Stab-Lok panels in general

Appears there are still problems regardless of where and when they are manufactured...

[Joey D'Adamo]

Originally Posted by jpope

If the FPE panels in Canada are the same Stab-lok design, they would be subject to the same potential issues although the breakers may be better than the originals (with regard to their failure rate).

The bus design appears to be the same. However, I think the problem with the bus stems from the popularity of the half-size (0.5" sp/1" dp) breakers that are/were available for these panels. In my eyes the problem is that a lot of the half-size breakers wiggle a lot even with the cover on. I think the "stab" part of the breaker connection on the half-inch breakers is pretty poor. I think it gets even worse when you have high amperage 240V circuits using the 1" double pole breakers. In fact it is possible to install those breakers to the same phase because of how the bus is designed...kinda funny. I will note, however, that the bus stab mechanism for the full size breakers (1" single pole/2" double pole) is SIGNIFICANTLY better.

Aside from a recall of some 1996 FPE breakers, the FPE stuff isn't exactly generating much press up here.

My favorite breaker panel design of all time is the Sylvania/GTE panels. The breakers actually screw into the busbar. No concern of them ever falling out when taking the cover off, and as long as the screws are tight, the connection is good. Those were very popular here in homes built in the late 70s-early 80s. These were also branded up here as "Commander" and a few others.

[smcarthur]

Originally Posted by Joey D'Adamo

T

My favorite breaker panel design of all time is the Sylvania/GTE panels. The breakers actually screw into the busbar. No concern of them ever falling out when taking the cover off, and as long as the screws are tight, the connection is good. Those were very popular here in homes built in the late 70s-early 80s. These were also branded up here as "Commander" and a few others.

Most companies manufacture bolt in style panels. Because of the higher cost they are not often used in residential applications. But they are pretty much the standard in commercial/industrial installations.

[Jeffrey R. Pope]

Originally Posted by Joey D'Adamo

Aside from a recall of some 1996 FPE breakers, the FPE stuff isn't exactly generating much press up here.

I know of no recalls with regard to FPE breakers or panels.

I looked at the link provided by Roy, and I can see that there have been some changes, at least to the "stabs" on the breakers.

These used to be split so that there was a "spring" effect when snapping them in. It appears that these contacts are solid now, which would be a better design.

The split contacts were easily damaged during installation which was one of the big problems with their design.