Federal Pacific service panels, like the one pictured here; were a popular brand of service equipment utilized in homes and businesses from the 1950’s to the 1980’s. Thousands of these panels noted for their highly visible red switches, and known as the “Stab-Lok” series are still being used in services today. There are many instances where an electrical item designed and tested to maintain safety and continuity, in fact itself can cause arcing and fires. Many inspections have shown that after reaching the 10-20 year maximum life expectancy of these breakers their functionality deteriorates and tensile strength of internal parts may result in poor contact. This poor connection can create tiny un-visible sparks or arcing that fluctuates the voltage and operating temperature; leading to energy loss and heating that can melt components and result in a panel fire. If you have a panel that looks like this we strongly urge you to have it replaced by a certified electrician. Years of research is available online to sustain these claims about their faults and dangers. Check your panel and have it replaced by a Lighthouse Electrical electrician today!