Federal Pioneer, otherwise known as Stab-Lok, has a history of high failure rate in their circuit breakers. These breakers when tested, often don't open or trip when in overload, or short circuit conditions. This can lead to overheating inside the breaker causing damage not only to itself but the wiring connected to it. These high temperatures can cause insulation on wires to melt, and may start a fire. In 2002, Federal pioneer was involved in a class action lawsuit, ruling that they had not been testing their products to meet UL standards as specified on their labels. According to inspectapedia, "Independent testing found a 38% no-trip rate (n=24) on the Canadian-sold FP product" - This is an alarmingly high fail rate among Stab-Lok and its other competitors.
To avoid the risk of fire and injury, if you, or someone you know has this brand of panel and breaker in their home, consider replacing these panels.
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