Federal Pacific Electric

[Inspector1]

I was inspecting a condo unit. I came across a Federal Pacific Electric with "Stab-Lok" circuit breakers. The panel was clean as a whistle. The condo was 34 years old. Are all Federal Pacific Electric recalled. I'm sure this unit has been inspected before. Would the condo association ever have all the panels changed out?

I recommended that it be evaluated by a electrician.

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[kurt]

There's never been a recall that I'm aware of.

The company was charged with falsifying test data on their breakers. The company (sort of) vanished into a blizzard of corporate proxies and owners, so there wasn't a company to charge with an official recall.

I think that's about right.....there may be more details I'm not aware of.

[Inspector1]

Maybe not recalled but other evidence of "safety issues", The electricians that I have spoke to almost always change them out.

[Jim Katen]

. . I recommended that it be evaluated by a electrician.

. . .

I suggest that you learn enough about these panels so that you can confidently recommend that people have them replaced instead of recommending evaluation by others.

[Les]

. . I recommended that it be evaluated by a electrician.

. . .

I suggest that you learn enough about these panels so that you can confidently recommend that people have them replaced instead of recommending evaluation by others.

nice response.

kurt's response is a good one for the public and genteel conversation. As inspectors we should be able to give the client our opinion (based on knowledge and experience). Nothing wrong with your experience or opinion. That is what they should have hired you for - an opinion.

[kurt]

kurt's response is a good one for the public and genteel conversation.

I must be slipping......

Was it the wrong response? Should one lay out the litany of just plain crappy design and manufacture issues?

Most of my customers don't get technical explanations, so I don't use them too much unless they seem interested. I had a couple of these the other day, tried to explain all the technical elements, saw the clients glaze over, went with the falsified test results commentary, and got a response. So, I go with that most often.

[Les]

relax. your response is good for____________(fill in the blank). I am saying my response to a young inspector would be a different line of thought. Why are they dangerous, why are they called stab lok, etc? He should know - the public has no particular need to know. Jim's response addresses that.

"There's never been a recall that I'm aware of.

The company was charged with falsifying test data on their breakers. The company (sort of) vanished into a blizzard of corporate proxies and owners, so there wasn't a company to charge with an official recall.

I think that's about right.....there may be more details I'm not aware of."

This seems like a good response.

Remember when an heir of the company (or something like that) posted here what happened to the company or was that on another board?

[Nolan Kienitz]

Maybe not recalled but other evidence of "safety issues", The electricians that I have spoke to almost always change them out.

Does that information from electricians you have spoken with not speak volumes to you?

Use a version of that in your report comments and tell your client your opinion ... don't keep kicking it down the road.

[Robert Jones]

While you are educating yourself about the issues with FPE panel's, learn about Zinsco/Sylvania panel's as well. Both should always be recommended for replacement.

[kurt]

While you are educating yourself about the issues with FPE panel's, learn about Zinsco/Sylvania panel's as well. Both should always be recommended for replacement.

Yep.

[John Dirks Jr]

There are good web based articles which you can link in your report to back up recommendation to replace Stablok panels.

https://www.inspectorsjournal.com/forum ... aten_R.doc