FPE panel

[keith gigabyte]

I recently visited a real estate house slated for rehab. Original call to add/ replace outlets boxes and circuits to kitchen. Found federal pacific panel. Told customer needed replaced. He argued its fine. back and forth back and forth. finally agreed to have it replaced. My question is...I just looked from the outside; with door open they appear to be stabloks...it is a federal pacific challenger. The handles are all black; not the red ones im used to seeing on FPE equipment. Can anyone shed some light on this situation? age? relaibilty? same issues as FPE?
Thanks

 

[al hildenbrand]

Without a picture, my computer screen doesn't contain enough information to comment on what you actually saw. Sorry.

 

[Jraef]

Once the "hit fit the shan" with FPE, they were bought / dumped off onto several other companies, the first of which being Challenger. IIRC, Challenger made an effort to re-list the Stab-Loks. but Challenger was bought by Eaton, who dumped it off again.

 

[kwired]

If you are adding new circuits, good luck finding AFCI breakers for the existing panel.

 

[norcal]

If you are adding new circuits, good luck finding AFCI breakers for the existing panel.

Besides FPE StabLok being reviled as garbage, the above is the #1 reason to remove a FPE, or other obsolete make, is the fact that AFCI's being required in many residential circuits.

 

[kwired]

Besides FPE StabLok being reviled as garbage, the above is the #1 reason to remove a FPE, or other obsolete make, is the fact that AFCI's being required in many residential circuits.

Even before AFCI was required, it got pretty expensive to replace/add very many breakers and was still worth considering replacing the panel, especially if it wasn't going to be all that difficult to replace.