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If you own an older home in Rapid City or anywhere in the Black Hills, there is a real chance your electrical panel is on a recall list, or should be. Outdated and defective panels are one of the leading causes of residential electrical fires, and a growing number of insurance carriers will refuse to write a policy on a home that still has one.
We have pulled panels out of homes in Robbinsdale, North Rapid, Canyon Lake, Sturgis, and Spearfish that were installed in the 1960s and 1970s and never touched again. A lot of those panels are still doing their job, technically, but they were not designed for the loads a modern home puts on them, and some of them have known defects that the manufacturer never fixed.
Here is the complete 2026 electrical panel recall list, what each brand looks like, why it matters, and what to do if you find one in your home.
Quick Reference: Recalled and Obsolete Panel Brands
| Brand | Years Made | Risk Level | Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal Pacific (FPE) Stab-Lok | 1950s to 1990s | Severe, fire risk | Replace |
| Zinsco / GTE-Sylvania | 1970s | Severe, fire risk | Replace |
| Challenger | 1988 and 2014 recalls | High, fire and shock | Replace if affected |
| Pushmatic | 1950 to 1980 | Moderate, outdated | Replace recommended |
| Wadsworth | Pre-1990 | Moderate, obsolete parts | Replace recommended |
| Cutler Hammer / Eaton | Various | Varies by model | Inspect and verify |
| Square D / Schneider Electric | Feb 2020 to Jan 2022 | High, overheating | Check date code |
| Siemens / Murray | 2015 to 2022 | High, fire risk | Check model number |
| Connecticut Electric / UBI replacement breakers | Various | High | Replace breakers |
Not sure what you have? Contact Wires R Us for a panel inspection.
Why This Matters in the Black Hills
A lot of housing stock in Rapid City was built between 1950 and 1980. Ellsworth Air Force Base brought rapid growth to the area in the post war years, and entire neighborhoods went up using the panel brands that were standard at the time. That timing lines up almost exactly with the years when Federal Pacific, Zinsco, Pushmatic, and Wadsworth panels were everywhere.
The result is that the Black Hills has more of these panels still in service than most parts of the country. Homes in West Boulevard, Robbinsdale, North Rapid, and older parts of Sturgis, Spearfish, and Deadwood are especially likely to have one. We see them every week.
The other thing that matters here is winter load. A panel that was technically adequate in 1972 for a home with one electric range and a furnace is not the same panel you want trying to carry electric heat, a hot tub, an EV charger, and a standby generator transfer switch in 2026. Older panels were not designed for this, and the defective ones fail faster under the load.[1]
Electrical Panel Recall List
1. Federal Pacific Panels
Federal Pacific Electric (FPE) panels were popular between the 1950s and 1990s. What most homeowners did not realize is that the company was knowingly putting their customers at risk.
When FPE Stab-Lok breakers were being manufactured between 1971 and 1980, the company cheated during the Underwriters Laboratories (UL) certification process by using a mechanical switch to artificially trip their breakers during testing. Independent testing later showed that FPE Stab-Lok breakers fail to trip during overloads at significantly higher rates than modern breakers.[2] This led to a class action lawsuit in New Jersey, but FPE never issued a formal recall.
The consensus among electricians, home inspectors, and fire investigators is that these panels should be replaced. We covered the specifics in detail in our Federal Pacific panels hazard overview and upgrade options guide.
Here is what to look for:
- A Federal Pacific Electric or FPE stamp on the metal cover
- An internal sticker that reads “Federal Pacific Electric”, “Federal Pioneer FPE”, or “Stab-Lok”
- Breakers with a red stripe on each switch
2. Zinsco and GTE-Sylvania
Zinsco panels are most common in homes that were built in the western half of the country in the 1970s. South Dakota got plenty of them. They have a list of known problems:
- Bus bars (the component that distributes power) corrode easily and often have insecure connections with their breakers
- Breakers can melt into the bus bar when the panel overheats
- Breakers may continue conducting electricity even when they are technically off
- Components made with aluminum that need to be replaced every 30 years
What to look for:
- Branding that reads Zinsco, Sylvania, GTE-Sylvania, or Sylvania-Zinsco
- Colored tabs on individual breakers (red, blue, green, and black)
3. Challenger
These panels have been recalled twice:
- 1988: Panels made between February and April of that year with 15 amp and 20 amp breakers were recalled because a mechanical component could detach, leading to overheating, melting, and fire.[3]
- 2014: Eaton recalled approximately 1,000 panels because accessible components created a shock risk.[3]
Challenger parts are also used in panels made by GTE and Zinsco. What to look for:
- Challenger’s name stamped on the handle, door, or manufacturer label inside the panel door
- Circuits with yellow buttons and the word “test” on one side
4. Pushmatic
Pushmatic panels were not hazardous when they were first manufactured between 1950 and 1980. They are outdated now and should be replaced if you find one. Parts are difficult to source and the design does not meet current load expectations.
What to look for:
- Rectangular buttons that activate and deactivate circuits, instead of side-to-side switches
5. Wadsworth
Like Pushmatic, Wadsworth panels were not defective when they were first installed. The company closed in 1990, the parts became obsolete, and they no longer meet modern safety standards.
What to look for:
- Wadsworth label on the panel cover or inside the door
6. Certain Square D and Schneider Electric Panels
The vast majority of Square D and Schneider Electric panels are safe. We install Square D regularly. But between February 2020 and January 2022, Schneider recalled specific load center panels because of loose neutral screw connections that could overheat and start a fire.[3]
What to look for:
- Square D or Schneider Electric label
- Date code that falls inside the affected range (verify the current code list at CPSC.gov)
7. Cutler Hammer and Eaton
Most Cutler Hammer (now owned by Eaton) panels are perfectly safe. Certain BR series and CH series breakers have been involved in recall actions over the years, including the 2014 Challenger related recall mentioned above. If your home has a Cutler Hammer or Eaton panel, it is worth having an electrician verify the model number and date code against current recall notices.
What to look for:
- “Cutler Hammer” or “Eaton” branding on the panel cover or door
- Black breakers with CH or BR series designation
- Date codes from the early to mid 2010s on affected models
8. Siemens and Murray
Siemens has issued recalls on certain QP and QPF circuit breakers used in both Siemens and Murray branded panels.[3] The affected breakers may not trip during an overload, which creates a fire hazard. Because Murray is a Siemens owned brand, the same breakers show up in both panel lines.
What to look for:
- Siemens or Murray label on the panel
- QP, QPF, or QPF2 series breakers
- Date codes from approximately 2015 onward
9. Connecticut Electric and UBI Replacement Breakers
Connecticut Electric and Universal Breaker Industries (UBI) market replacement breakers designed to fit older panels like Federal Pacific, Zinsco, and Pushmatic. The CPSC has flagged certain replacement breakers from these manufacturers for failure to trip under overload conditions.[3] If your panel has been “repaired” with aftermarket replacement breakers, those breakers themselves may be the problem.
What we tell every homeowner
If you have a Federal Pacific or Zinsco panel, you cannot fix it by replacing breakers. The bus bar and panel design are the problem, not just the breakers. The only real fix is a full panel replacement, and that is what we do through our electrical panel swap service. For brands with isolated breaker recalls (like specific Siemens or Square D models), swapping the affected breakers may be enough. The only way to know which situation you are in is to get the panel looked at.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if my electrical panel is recalled?
Open your panel cover and look for the brand label, usually inside the door or stamped on the metal cover. Compare the brand, date code, and breaker style against the list above. If you are not comfortable opening the panel, a licensed electrician should do this for you. We cover the basics in what homeowners should know about electrical panels and is my electrical panel safe.
Is a Federal Pacific panel actually dangerous?
Yes. Independent testing has shown FPE Stab-Lok breakers fail to trip during overloads at significantly higher rates than modern breakers.[2] While FPE never issued an official recall, the consensus among electricians and home inspectors is that these panels should be replaced.
Will my homeowners insurance cover a recalled panel?
Many insurance carriers will either refuse to write a new policy or cancel an existing one when they discover a Federal Pacific, Zinsco, or other known defective panel during inspection. Replacing the panel often makes a home insurable again and can lower premiums. This is one of the most common reasons we get calls in the Black Hills, a homeowner is going to refinance or sell, the inspector flags the panel, and now it has to be replaced before the deal closes.
This pattern is consistent across the country. Our colleagues at MAS Pro in Clark County, Washington see the same insurance flags on older homes in Vancouver and the surrounding Pacific Northwest, where the housing stock is from the same Federal Pacific and Zinsco era. The underlying problem is national, even if the inspector knocking on your door is local.
How much does it cost to replace a recalled panel in Rapid City?
Panel replacement costs in Pennington County typically range based on amperage, the panel location, and whether any service upgrades are needed at the same time. A simple panel swap is on the lower end. If we are also doing a full service upgrade to 200A or 400A (which is common when adding an EV charger or generator), the cost goes up accordingly. We provide written estimates before any work starts.
Can I just replace the breakers instead of the whole panel?
For Federal Pacific and Zinsco, no. The bus bar and panel design itself are the problem. For other brands with isolated breaker recalls like certain Siemens models, swapping just the affected breakers may be sufficient. We tell homeowners up front which situation theirs is, because the cost is very different. MAS Pro’s electrical panel recall list covers the same ground from a Clark County, Washington perspective and is worth a read if you want a second source on the same brands.
What about aluminum wiring in older Rapid City homes?
Panel issues and aluminum branch wiring often show up in the same era of homes. If your home was built between roughly 1965 and 1975, both are worth checking. We covered the wiring side in aluminum wiring in your home, what you need to know.
Final Thoughts
A panel is one of those things you do not think about until it fails or until somebody flags it on an inspection report. By that point, you are usually under pressure, either because you are trying to sell, because your insurance company is asking questions, or because something already went wrong.
The smarter move is to know what is in your house before any of that happens. Pop the cover, check the brand, compare it against the list above. If you have any of these panels and you have not had it looked at by an electrician in the last few years, it is worth getting that done.
A good panel replacement done right will outlast you. A bad one, or a recalled one that nobody touches, eventually catches up with the homeowner. We would rather get ahead of that.
Panel Inspections and Replacements in Rapid City and the Black Hills
Wires R Us handles panel swaps, service upgrades, and full residential electrical work across Rapid City, Sturgis, Spearfish, Piedmont, Black Hawk, and the rest of the Black Hills region. If you have spotted any of the panels on this recall list in your home, or you are not sure what you have, we can come take a look and walk you through the options.
Related reading: which electrical panels have been and still should be recalled, what types of electrical panels are found in homes, and the full electrical services blog.
Contact Wires R Us to schedule a panel inspection or replacement.
References
- National Fire Protection Association. Home Electrical Fires. nfpa.org
- U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and independent testing summaries regarding Federal Pacific Stab-Lok breaker performance. cpsc.gov
- U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Recall Database. Search by manufacturer for current recall notices, date codes, and remedy details. cpsc.gov/Recalls
- South Dakota Electrical Commission. Permitting and licensed contractor requirements. dlr.sd.gov/electrical
