Are you worried that your home has a Federal Pacific electrical panel? Unfortunately, you’re not alone. The company created electrical panels for many years. They were first created by Reliance Electric n the middle of the 50s. at the time, they were installed in millions of residences across the country. Homes that are more than 20 years old may have a Federal Pacific electrical panel.
After these panels were installed in countless homes, it was discovered that they posed numerous risks. the electrical panel is an incredibly important component of your electrical system. It helps distribute electricity throughout your home. A high-quality panel will ensure that the power is safely sent across each circuit.
Plus, it will protect you and your home by tripping a breaker during a power surge. Ultimately, this is done to protect your home from circuit overloads, power surges, and short circuits. Federal Pacific panels may not do this. As a result, they’re unsafe.
Why FPE Panels Could Be Dangerous
Reports produced by the US Consumer Product Safety Commission indicate that these breakers may not trip when they experience a short-circuit or overload. In fact, it has been found that Federal Pacific electrical breakers have a record of not properly tripping when it is necessary. Unfortunately, they do not offer adequate protection. These breakers tend to experience lockups regularly. When this happens, a breaker has tripped once. Then, it is never going to trip again. Some studies claim that more than 2,800 fires are directly related to these breakers that didn’t trip properly. It is believed that the problem is primarily caused by cheaper materials used during the manufacturing process. Regardless, it is wise to get rid of your FPE panel because it is dangerous. Some of the risks and problems associated with these breakers can be found below.- The wires are sometimes overcrowded in the electric box.
- In some cases, breakers cannot be switched off. Even when they’re in the off position, they won’t turn off.
- Arcing may occur around the bus.
- These breakers sometimes trip randomly when the dead front cover has been removed.
- There is a risk that the breakers have not been tightly connected to the panel’s bus bar.