Replacing Hazardous Stab-Lok Circuit Breaker Panel in Condo

[YouCan'tGoHomeAgain]

Just this week, I walked away from a condo in St. Petersburg, Florida, with a Stab Lok panel and aluminum wiring. The real estate agent tried and tried to make me think that I was just a worrywart because after all, I can get the panel and wiring in THAT UNIT fixed. Yes, but I said to him, what about the other units that are attached to me? He basically told me that I was being ridiculous for walking away from the deal (of course, real estate agents are out for ONE THING: the COMMISSION), but I AGREE WITH BARKING SPIDER. A condo is ATTACHED to other condos, and their problems are YOUR PROBLEMS. Personally, I don't want to die in a fire because someone next door to me or above me or below me didn't get the Stab Lok panel and aluminum wiring replaced.

Originally Posted by Barking Spider

Someone needs to get better information about FPE, or Federal Pacific Stab Lok panels and breakers.
Very few of the offending breakers have been replaced. There are tons of them out there, waiting.

1971, you probably don't have to worry about solid conductor aluminum wiring (mostly later in the 70's). If I had a FPE AND aluminum wiring, I would run away - but thats me. Some have a different threshold for electrical fires than I do.

If you replace your panel and no one else does, you have the same risk as you would have if another condo in your building has a fire. Will it affect your unit? I've inspected several hundred homes with FPE panels. The results have ranged from no visible problems, to panels with burned and melted components.

My two cents? Because of what I have seen, and what I know about FPE panels and breakers, I probably would not buy a condo with one in it. A house? Yes, because I could change out the panel with no worries. A condo where I have neighbors next to me, above and below me with FPE time bombs (sorry, panels) - no thanks. But again, that's just me.

[YouCan'tGoHomeAgain]

Yes, the other units will still pose a fire hazard to your unit even if you get your unit fixed. Unless you want to worry every night you put your head on the pillow that you might die in a condo fire, WALK AWAY from that condo. I faced a similar situation, and I JUST SAID NO to the deal and to the condo. And no, the HOA is NOT LIKELY to require that 400 panels be replaced. Obviously you know little to nothing about the workings of an HOA or living in a condo. PLEASE listen to Barking Spider and me!

Originally Posted by farmerjoan

We are purchasing a condo in a 400+ unit building. Our inspector found the unit has a hazardous Stab-Lok circuit breaker panel and must be replaced. We will replace ours, but wouldn't the presence of such defective Stab-Lok panels in other units still pose a electrical/fire hazard? Is the HOA responsible for seeing that all such panels be replaced? Thanks, Farmerjoan