If you have a Federal Pacific Electric (FPE) in your Clearwater Florida home, it is important to contact a trustworthy local electrician to replace the panel. Although these panels were among the most popular on the market in their day, these breakers are known to not trip properly, putting you and your home at risk. So what are FPE panels, and what are the risks with having one in your home?Federal Pacific Electric made their Stab-Lok brand electrical panels since the 1950s with matching electric circuit breakers. The electrical panel and breakers are used to safely distribute power to your devices in your home.
Your home’s breaker panel should trip when a circuit has a short circuit or overload. The FPE breakers in the panel may not trip the way they should. This can cause a fire in your home. FPE panel and breakers lost their UL listing due to not complying with UL testing requirements. According to the National Electric Code (NEC), all electrical panels are required to be UL listed (or accredited by another registered testing agency) before they can be installed and used.
Most insurance agencies are now no longer insuring homes with FPE panels due to the high rate of failure to trip in faulty conditions. In tests conducted, in up to 80% of fault conditions requiring a trip, the breakers failed. This is much higher than comparable breakers from other manufacturers and UL specifications
These breakers and panels put you at risk of fire or injury, so, if you have an FPE panel in your home, you should replace it as soon as possible. If you are unsure if the panel in your home is an FPE panel, an electrician can help you identify and replace the panel. An FPE Stab-Lok® Electrical Panel Should Be Replaced, not “Inspected by an Electrician” and not “Tested” The cost of the replacement panel will vary on the size of the panel needed for your home. It will also vary if you need more than one panel replaced. Although this may be somewhat costly, it is an important precaution to ensure your safety. Your electrician can give you a good sense of the cost of replacing the FPE panel in your Clearwater Florida home. They will also ensure your new panel meets required code and safety standards.
Positricity is your Clearwater, FL electrician that strives to address your electrical needs in a professional and timely manner. We offer rapid, quality service. We guarantee our work. Our phone support staff are ready for your call. Why not call us right now?