FPE Panel

[xguard]

A contractor is recommending replacing this panel because it's an FPE, I'm not opposed to it. Just curious if it's one of the "burny" ones or not.

 

[jim dungar]

This looks like a commercial/industrial panel, which means it is not one of the suspect residential ones.

But many people are anti-FPE of any style.

 

[Jraef]

Yeah, the dangerous ones were the Stab-Lok variety plug-in panels, this I think was the commercial bolt-on breaker panels. The Stab-Lok bus connections were notoriously bad. But really the bigger problem with FPE was that the breakers failed to trip when they should have, then it was discovered that they had been faking their test reports to UL, who promptly pulled their listing. Most likely the bolt-on breakers would have used the same internal trip mechanisms, so I wouldn't trust it...

 

[hillbilly1]

Yeah, the dangerous ones were the Stab-Lok variety plug-in panels, this I think was the commercial bolt-on breaker panels. The Stab-Lok bus connections were notoriously bad. But really the bigger problem with FPE was that the breakers failed to trip when they should have, then it was discovered that they had been faking their test reports to UL, who promptly pulled their listing. Most likely the bolt-on breakers would have used the same internal trip mechanisms, so I wouldn't trust it...

Yeah, I’ve had them not trip even with the bolt on ones. I think they only have thermal trip, and no magnetic trip. Should have cut one open before I threw them all away.

 

[kwired]

Still has the bass ackwards handles from nearly everything else ever . Off is toward the center instead of to the outsides.

 

[Electromatic]

Still has the bass ackwards handles...

...that love to flip OFF when you remove the cover.

 

[norcal]

Being obsolete is a good reason to replace.

 

[Jraef]

Yeah, I’ve had them not trip even with the bolt on ones. I think they only have thermal trip, and no magnetic trip. Should have cut one open before I threw them all away.

Pushmatic (Bulldog vintage) were the ones that were thermal only. FPE were thermal-mag, just not well made…

 

[CoolWill]

That is the cleanest panel of that vintage I have seen. Probably a good idea to replace it anyway.

 

[ezliving]

Being obsolete is a good reason to replace.

Norcal, I had seen that you had previously posted about referencing an old 1970's GE Catalog and am wondering if I could post/Send photo's of my 1977 vintage GE Meter Base to try to verify what the model is so that I may be able to find a replacement Dead Front for the Breakers?
Thanks for your help.