Replacement FPE

[Jerry Simon]

Saw a 1986 Federal Pacific panelboard with replacement Challenger Stab-Lok breakers installed, save the main disco being an FPE. Your sage thoughts? (FWIW, from what I googled, I still called for panelboard replacement.)

[kurt]

It's still the same crappy interface between breaker and bus, isn't it?

[Garet]

Are the Challenger breakers made with a different design than the original Stab-Loks?

[AHI in AR]

Are the Challenger breakers made with a different design than the original Stab-Loks?

The guts might be different (I don't know) but as Kurt alluded, the physical interface between the breaker and bus bar is still problematic due to poor contact issues. That can't be different IF the original bus bars are in place, and I'd bet my last dollar that they are. That would be more trouble to change than it would be worth. And there are definitely other companies making replacement breakers. I found some that were made in China.

Personally, I can't imagine too many things worse than a Chinese knockoff of an already defective product.

[Norcal]

Saw a 1986 Federal Pacific panelboard with replacement Challenger Stab-Lok breakers installed, save the main disco being an FPE. Your sage thoughts? (FWIW, from what I googled, I still called for panelboard replacement.)

Challenger Electrical Equipment Corp. did buy Federal Pacific Electric, but what did happen later I dunno. It is rather strange that the two most reviled names in electrical equipment were joined, Challenger was a successor to Zinsco. There are not too many who have good things to say about Zinsco or FPE.