While there is no federal mandate that these panels should be removed from homes, there has been quite a bit of evidence that the original breakers can be a hazard. This document summarizes the FPE class action lawsuit settlement procedure for affected homeowners. The court found that the FPE company “…knowingly and purposefully distributed circuit breakers which were not tested to meet UL standards”. If the wiring heats past a certain point, it can melt the sheathing off the wire or overheat the surrounding areas, all of which can lead to house fires.Īlthough FPE and its parent company still deny that their panels have a higher rate of failure if used under normal conditions, in 2005 a New Jersey court ruled that the company was guilty of fraud in a class action lawsuit settlement. Some reports even found that over half of the breakers tested did not trip when overloaded, including brand new units.Īn overloaded circuit that does not have its power cut off will lead to overheated wiring. However, FPE breakers simply failed to trip when these electrical issues occurred. When a breaker is overloaded, the unit should trip on its own to prevent electrical hazards. The breakers themselves had a high rate of failure. From this testing, it was found that the breakers themselves had a dangerous and potentially life-threatening flaw. This triggered an investigation by the CPSC (Consumer Product Safety Commission) which was ultimately closed without a full verdict of panel problems.įrom these investigations, independent companies began testing the panels to determine their safety. However, although the panel had benefits, issues began to emerge as some officials suspected that the panel was causing house fires. The breakers would “stab” into slots in the bus bar and “lock” into place. The main panel Federal Pacific sold was the “Stab-Lok” named after its breaker functionality. Millions of homes throughout the United States and Canada had this particular panel installed. The panel was well known in the building community as a cheaper alternative to some of the more recognizable panel companies such as General Electric/I-T-E and Square D.īecause of the cost and ease of installation, the FPE panel was widely adopted in suburban developments. The story behind Federal Pacific electrical panels.įederal Pacific panels, also known as FPE panels were a popular residential electrical panel choice in the mid to late 20th century.

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