FPE Stab Lock Breakers

[Judas Maccabeus]

My wife and I are looking for a condominium, to replace our split level house, which is full of steps and, at this point, way too much of a challenge.

So I was looking at one, open the main breaker panel in the unit, and low and behold, federal, pacific, stab lock breakers!

I am running from this unit, not walking, running. Do you think I am overreacting?

[R7ehr]

I am running from this unit, not walking, running. Do you think I am overreacting?

Yes. Walking is more than enough. Probably safer too. No need to run.

[JohnH]

My wife and I are looking for a condominium, to replace our split level house, which is full of steps and, at this point, way too much of a challenge.

So I was looking at one, open the main breaker panel in the unit, and low and behold, federal, pacific, stab lock breakers!

I am running from this unit, not walking, running. Do you think I am overreacting?

Yes. Replacing a breaker box is not a big deal at all.

Yesterday I bought a 200A 40 position breaker box at Lowe’s for $80.
Saw it on sale, normally $136. By 2 AM this morning I had moved 3 circuits downstairs (I set it up as a sub panel as eventually I don’t want my main breaker box on the main floor anymore). A box of 10 15A breakers is $70. The $80 panel came with 3 20A breakers and 2 30A 2 pole breakers as a bonus.

Then I rang up our deacon who is an electrician who told me to just come over and pick through his rather extensive selection of breakers. We found a genuine NOS Murray breaker for the sub panel feed - quite a find since they haven’t been made in years and my main panel is an ancient design, either listed breakers ($$) or Murrays.

I would, however, get a quote from a competent electrician and allow that to enter your negotiations with the seller. It’s really hard for a place with FPE’s to pass an inspection for a mortgage. Great opportunity for a cash sale.

[ohio jones]

If the unit is otherwise what you want, consider making an offer with the contingency that a licensed electrician replace the panel. Or make the offer low enough to cover the cost of getting it replaced. It's not nearly as difficult to remediate as aluminum wiring, which would entail running new circuits throughout the entire ohm.

[barnhart]

Ahem... OJ...

[Ken]

I'm not sure if replacing the panel in one unit solve the problem if it is a condo with adjoining neighbors. A single family house, sure. But if your neighbor's unit through a common wall catches on fire then you are at risk too.

Sounds like something that the condo board should have budgeted for to have all the units upgraded all at one time. And if they aren't interested in doing that then that is a red flag in and of itself. What else are they neglecting?

[ohio jones]

Ahem... OJ...

Watt?

[Neto]

The house we've been working on had GE panel boxes (one main and two subpanels), and the main box had previously had a fire in it. On top of that, there was a lot of rust in there, which I thought was from the fire, but the electrician showed me that the outer insulation on the main feed cable outside below the meter base (power comes in overhead) was badly deteriorated, and so rain water could wick in through the ground wires that surround the main (additionally insulated) cables, and this water then follows down right into the panel box, and into the main breaker.

We got him to replace everything from the entry point (overhead mast) on down, new meter box with breakers for out buildings, whole house surge protector module, and a Square D commercial grade panel box. All of that was a bit over three grand.

Another thing I would check is grounding. Most of the wires in this house (built in 1965, so it should have had all grounded wiring) did not have a ground. I have already used almost 500 feet of 12-2 (plus ground) electrical cable, and will likely need more. Copper is not cheap. I should have just bought a 1,000' roll to start with, but I had no idea it wasn't grounded wire. (My parent's home was built in 64, and all circuits were properly grounded, with no shared neutrals or other skimping tactics.)

[JohnH]

Statistically, FPE breakers don’t cause that many fires; I would not lose sleep over them. They’re approximately as safe as (for example) using public transportation: generally safe, but very unfortunate if you become the statistic.

I would not want to mess with a condo with alum wiring.

[Ken]

Statistically, FPE breakers don’t cause that many fires; I would not lose sleep over them. They’re approximately as safe as (for example) using public transportation: generally safe, but very unfortunate if you become the statistic.

I would not want to mess with a condo with alum wiring.

So if you are in a single family home the risk of a fire from an FPE panel would be x
On the other hand, if you live in a condo with 50 units your risk of a fire would be 50x

As I understand it, the risk isn't that the breaker will cause a short and catch on fire in the service panel. But that it won't function properly and then a short somewhere else in your home can start a fire rather than tripping the breaker.