This page
contains a statement regarding FPE
Circuit
Breakers and
additional safety information for
consumers.
NOTE: This document
has been entered verbatim from the original document and is
straight ASCII
text.
FOR RELEASE: MARCH 3,
1983
COMMISSION
CLOSES INVESTIGATION OF
FPE CIRCUIT
BREAKERS AND PROVIDES
SAFETY
INFORMATION FOR CONSUMERS
WASHINGTON,
D.C. --
The Consumer
Product Safety Commission
announced
today that it is closing its two year investigation into
Federal
Pacific Electric Stab-lok type residential circuit
breakers.
This action
was taken because the data currently available to the
Commission
does not establish that the circuit breakers present a
serious risk
of injury to consumers. The Commission investigation into Federal
Pacific Electric (FPE) circuit breakers began in June, 1980, when
Reliance Electric Co., a subsidiary of Exxon Corporation and the parent
to FPE, reported to
the Commission
that many FPE circuit breakers did not fully comply
with
Underwriters Laboratories, Inc. (UL) requirements. Commission
testing
confirmed that these breakers fail under certain UL
calibration
test
requirements.
The Commission
investigation focused primarily
on 2-pole
residential circuit breakers manufactured before Reliance
acquired FPE
in 1979. To
meet UL standards, residential circuit breakers must
pass
a number of
so-called "calibration tests." The purpose of these
tests is to
determine whether the circuit breakers will hold the
current for
which they are rated and also automatically open or
"trip" (shut
off the current) within the specified time limits if
over-loading
of the circuit breakers causes current levels in excess of
the
breaker's
amperage rating.(Overloading can occur because a
consumer
plugs too many products into a circuit or due to the failure
of a product
or component connected to that circuit.)
While the
Commission
is concerned about the failure of these FPE breakers to
meet UL
calibration requirements, the Commission is unable at
this
time to link
these failures to the development of a hazardous
situation.
According to
Reliance, failure of these FPE breakers to
An ASHI Home
Inspection and Constr comply with certain UL calibration requirements
do not create a hazard in the household environment. It is
Reliance's position that FPE breakers will trip reliably at most
overload levels unless the breakers have been operated in a
repetitive, abusive manner that should not occur during residential use.
Reliance maintains that, at those few overload levels where FPE
breakers may fail to trip under realistic use conditions, currents
will be too low to generate hazardous temperatures in household
wiring. Reliance believes that its position in this regard is
supported by test data that is provided to the
Commission.
The Commission
staff believes that it currently has insufficient
data to
accept or refute Reliance's position. The Commission staff estimates
that it would cost several million dollars to gather the data necessary to
assess fully whether those circuit breakers which are installed in
homes but which may
fail UL
calibration tests present a risk to the public.
Based on
the
Commission's limited budget ($34 million for fiscal year
1983), the
known hazards the Commission has identified and must address
(involving
products of other manufacturers) and the uncertainty of
the results
of such a costly investigation, the Commission has
decided not
to commit further resources to its investigation
of
FPE's circuit
breakers. However, despite its decision to close
this
particular investigation, the Commission will continue its
investigation of circuit breakers generally.
The Commission can reopen its investigation of FPE breakers if
further information
warrants.
The Commission
advises consumers to take certain safety precautions with all circuit
breakers and fuses. Consumers should:
-Know your
electrical circuit. Know which outlets and products
are
connected to each circuit.
-Never
overload any electrical circuit by connecting too
many
products to the circuit. Be particularly careful not
to connect
several products that demand high current (such
as heating
appliances) to a low amperage circuit.
-Comply with
local building codes in wiring or adding electrical
circuits.
Make sure the wiring and devices used in the
circuit are
connected to a circuit breaker or fuse of
the
-Immediately
disconnect any electrical product if problems
develop.
Have the
product examined by a competent repair
person.
-Investigate
to determine why a fuse blows or circuit breaker
trips. Do
not simply replace the fuse or reset the breaker.
If a fuse
blows or breaker trips, it is often a warning that
the circuit
is overloaded. Check the circuit for causes of
overloading
(for example, too many appliances plugged in, a
malfunctioning product, a short circuit).
When in doubt,
consult a
licensed electrician. Consumers who have questions concerning circuit
breakers, or who wish to report information relating to
their safety, may call the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission's
toll-free safety hotline at 800-638-CPSC, teletypewriter for the
hearing impaired at
800-638-8270.
