FPE reliability issues

[SparkyRules]

there was a certain manufacturer of a type of stab in breaker who seems to have a reputation with many "questions" among electricians. I know I have seen these panels with very lose beakers falling out and lots of scorch marks on the bussbars. So is it only this model of said brand(stab lck) or is anything other model of CB/Panel made by said manufacture that is also questionable?? I have even heard rumors of their UL listing being obtained thru "creative processes" Anyone??? we are looking at an old machine shop all with FP equipment and have no idea what to tell the potential buyer about this??? Anyone???:?

 

[kwired]

Their method of connecting the breaker to the bus was somewhat always questionable, but the real issue that put them out of business was what they did near the end of their existence (or at least existence of that particular product line) and violated listing requirements and still passed their breakers off as being listed.

Their earlier products of same line did meet listing requirements they just decided to cut corners on the product and try to pass it off as the same thing.

 

[cpinetree]

Starting on pg 7 of the linked pdf is some info -
https://www.cpsc.gov/PageFiles/87419/alumwire3_18.pdf

Our company will not work in any FPE panels. To much possible liability for way too little profit.
Now that is not to say in a commercial building using molded case breakers we won't work in them, only the branch circuits that have stab lok breakers.

2 years ago we redid a 400amp service in a body shop that was mostly all fpe equipment. Multiple sub panels etc.

Ultimately it is a decision you must make, weighing profit and liability.

 

[Jraef]

FPE had a lot of problems with the residential "Stab-Lok" panels and breakers, culminating in an investigation by UL that turned up falsified documents regarding testing. UL pulled their listing and FPE basically went out of business, being purchased by a succession of other companies who wanted access to the huge installed base. Other people have made and sold "fixed" versions of the breakers to serve this installed base, but the bad reputation has made many users (understandably) leery of them. Many inspectors will not allow them to be repaired or added to, effectively forcing people to replace them.

But all along, FPE also made industrial switchgear, panelboards, transformers and molded case breakers. There was never an issue with any of that equipment, other than guilt by association. After the residential unit went defunct, the industrial grade stuff was still made in Canada and sold here, but they altered the name to Federal Pioneer to try to distance themselves. That group is now owned by the French company Groupe Schneider (who owns Square D), but it is still sold as Federal Pioneer, or maybe now just Pioneer (I can't remember). So if your equipment is not the Stab-Lok residential grade products, there's no reason to be suspicious of it.

 

[zog]

Actually for the industrial stuff Federal Pioneer and Federal Pacific are very different animals with completely different designs for switchgear and LV air breakers. They did both make a very similar MV air breaker line called DST2 and their MV switches while different, share some internal parts. The Federal Pacific switchgear was made in NJ and was purchased and operated by Westinghouse for a short period of time, they then sold off some of the product lines to Challenger.

Sparky, what are the details of the gear in the machine shop? Have photos?

 

[SparkyRules]

Sparkyrules

Sparkyrules

So from WATT I read here the existing FPE equipment (which is NOT stab lock FPE) was not suspect but guilt by association makes anyone wonder about anything FPE. So I will let the buyer read these thread and make their own choice then do the honorable thing.. blame it all on others if it goes south!!!