Your Favorite FPE Stablok Breaker?

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markebenson

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Nobody has a favorite but if you do not have the option of replacing the panel is there a better model to use?

Red Handle
Black Handle
Grey Case Etc?

I personally have experienced a few single pole, thats right not double, single pole breakers that refused to trip whe shorted directly to ground.
 
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Forget the fact they are not making the panels anymore, or the listing issues that led to the demise of them - they were not a good product to begin with. Been in many panels where as soon as you take the cover off at least one breaker is trying to come unplugged from the bus. What was the reason to make the handle operate the opposite direction as everyone else? Leaves more room for error when turning things off.
 
jim dungar said:
Seriously
you are passing judgment a product design choice from 60 years ago? :roll:
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The need for the deadfront to secure the breakers and the tiny bus stabs are bigger flaws than which way the breakers face when on. that and the no trip 'feature'.

The black + sign shaped breakers are original. The red one are replacements. The pink label/white dot ones *may* be better.
 
jim dungar said:
Seriously
you are passing judgment a product design choice from 60 years ago? :roll:
Click to expand...
Most of what is currently available today in miniature type breakers had it's base design from around the same time frame. The Homeline breaker is the new one, but is based on older designs - similar frame as any other 1" wide breaker - uses same internal components as the QO line.
 
After the owner turns down my offer to replace the panel entirely, I use the UBI breakers made by Connecticut Electric. They are gray. Widely available on Amazon, but pretty spendy. If I have more than a couple to replace and they really don't want to change the panel for some reason, I'll put a sub panel in. That way I'm only buying one FPE breaker, and all the breakers in the sub are decent breakers.
 
MNSparky said:
After the owner turns down my offer to replace the panel entirely, I use the UBI breakers made by Connecticut Electric. They are gray. Widely available on Amazon, but pretty spendy. If I have more than a couple to replace and they really don't want to change the panel for some reason, I'll put a sub panel in. That way I'm only buying one FPE breaker, and all the breakers in the sub are decent breakers.
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Lets say you need to replace 25 single pole breakers and you can get them for $20. (that is about the lowest you may find them for), and 4 double pole @ $45 - you will have $680.00 in breakers, maybe an hour or two in labor. Entire job maybe $1000 or a little less.

Now replace same quantities with Homelines @ $5.00 and $15.00 (you may be able to do them for a little less) and maybe $150 for a panel (again maybe less depending on exactly what you need) and you have $335 in materials. Unless this panel is flush in a wall that you must return to similar condition finish wise, or there are other things that are unique to this one job that make panel change difficult, you maybe figure 4-5 hours of labor. You are still in same $1000 ball park and have something worth having when done.

With the replacement breakers only you still have an PFE panel - it will always be harder or more expensive to add circuits to in the future, and when considering that most future circuits will require AFCI - there should be no question which way is the better way to go.
 
kwired said:
Lets say you need to replace 25 single pole breakers and you can get them for $20. (that is about the lowest you may find them for), and 4 double pole @ $45 - you will have $680.00 in breakers, maybe an hour or two in labor. Entire job maybe $1000 or a little less.

Now replace same quantities with Homelines @ $5.00 and $15.00 (you may be able to do them for a little less) and maybe $150 for a panel (again maybe less depending on exactly what you need) and you have $335 in materials. Unless this panel is flush in a wall that you must return to similar condition finish wise, or there are other things that are unique to this one job that make panel change difficult, you maybe figure 4-5 hours of labor. You are still in same $1000 ball park and have something worth having when done.

With the replacement breakers only you still have an PFE panel - it will always be harder or more expensive to add circuits to in the future, and when considering that most future circuits will require AFCI - there should be no question which way is the better way to go.
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Yes, I agree and would never replace that many breakers in an FPE. Usually when I replace FPE breakers, it's like 3 or less. Typically, they are known to be bad due to some situation that brought me there in the first place. If I was looking at replacing that many breakers, I would sell the owner a panel changeout. I wouldn't even give them the option of replacing the breakers because it wouldn't make sense to do so. Recessed panel or not.

The sub panel situation comes up when remodeling typically, when we are adding circuits. Now that AFCI protection is required on most circuits, the sub panel or panel changeout are not usually optional.
 
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