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I’ve inherited my parents’ home after their passing. We begin moving this week. Searched for and found the breaker panel. It is a Federal Pacific breaker panel. I’ve heard bad things about these. Should I have an electrical inspection or just go ahead and have this breaker panel replaced? Which option is the most expensive and which would you best recommend for home fire safety?
Later on we plan on hiring an electrician to run and install two GFIC outlets, one in the bathroom and one under the covered parking (for vacuuming the cars and pressure washing home and driveway). If we’re going to do this, would it be a good idea to go ahead and replace the breaker panel anyway?
I would get at least 2 bids from 2 licensed and insured electrical contractors to be sure you are getting treated fairly. Let them inspect the breaker box, and bid the new GFCI circuit installs. They should look at the condition of the whole electrical service outside, including the meter base wiring/ grounding etc for any issues. Whenever one gets their old FPE BB changed out, they sometimes find their electrical service amperage size is inadequate for their new home to be= new upgraded service needed and more $$$ spent,
Review their bids well, to see if they are all doing the same scope of work and installing the same amount of materials. I prefer Square D distribution equipment. Nothing at all wrong with the Sq D Homeline BB's if you find the better Square D QO series/breakers too expensive. Be sure they pull permits and get the required inspections done.as required. Good Luck
Last edited by greglovesoldtrucks; 05-19-2019 at 12:16 PM..
Problematic? Yes.
End of the world; run for the hills? No.
The biggest actual issue that I seen personally is overloaded circuits that melted components inside the panel. So, as long as the contacts are good and the circuit isn't being overloaded issues are minimal. But, it would be in good interest to consider replacement in the near future.
What's awrful about Federal Pacific boxes? I don't think I've ever seen or used anything except good old Square D.
when i first started out in the electrical business in the 1970's federal pacific was very very popular here in new york as the factory was located in long island city and was local .
reliance bought them in the 1970's and found that their breakers had faulty tripping mechanisms .. they would not trip under load ..further investigation showed they were paying off ul.
there was a big lawsuit and federal closed up and went away ...
through the years various small manufacturers bought the rights to make the breakers , with the issue resolved and fully compliant but on a limited scale ... a 3 pole breaker can run 500 dollars today , with one and 2 pole costing a few hundred.
the problem is the sticker is the only way to tell good from bad breaker so most if not all insurers force you to change the panel ... my son had to rip the federal panel out and replace it to get insurance .
unlike other manufacturers where many plug in breakers are interchangeable , federal is its own design .
What's awrful about Federal Pacific boxes? I don't think I've ever seen or used anything except good old Square D.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Quietude
...photo I took in some abandoned institutional buildings:
He who speaks with forked tongue...
I take it you were implying that that was a F/P panel?
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