[R-390] Some progress

[Joe Foley]

--- polaraligned <polaraligned@earthlink.net> wrote:
> Well, maybe Joe can expand on this, but I believe
> aluminum wiring
> is OK if done right.  That means using devices
> designed for aluminum wiring
> and
> using the right compound on the connections.  I
> think most electrical
> services use
> an aluminum feed from the pole to the panel.  The
> busses in the panels on
> many
> services are aluminum.  And the electrical inspector
> will want to see a
> proper
> compound on the service connections.
++++++++
Yes, all the way through.

Still aluminum isn't as good as copper, mostly because
of the connections.  Aluminum is softer than copper
and the connections should be tightened regularly as
they come loose due to vibration, even in a house,
also from heat cycling, whether from using the circuit
or just winter/summer variations.  The outlet nearest
the main entrance is the one most prone to having the
screws come loose because of the wall being vibrated
by slamming the door!  The kitchen counter will be the
next worst, repeated plugging and un-plugging and high
current draws from the appliances.

Then this for owners of BIG radios, or lots of radio
equipment:

I posted this to the T-368/BC-610 list:

House service neutral?

 
Happy New Year everyone!

During the discussions of the size circuit needed to
run a 
transmitter such as a T-368/BC-610 one important item
was 
overlooked. That is the condition of the neutral wire
going from the 
panel out to the pole. Many times this is allowed to
deteriorate to 
the point where it is no longer safe to carry such a
large 120 volt 
load. In an overhead service the neutral is the group
of wires 
wrapped around the two hot wires inside the service
entrance cable. 
If the covering of this cable has disappeared, for
whatever reason, 
those wires are open to corrosion damage which may not
take long to 
cause them to disappear altogether! This is often not
considered by 
the average homeowner.

What will happen if this fails is that 240 volts will
be acrossed all 
of the 120 volt circuits with the appliances making a
voltage 
divider. What voltage each appliance sees will be
determined by its 
impedance. Some will go POOF, some will just get hot
enough to burn 
the house down.

A 21 amp load being cycled on and off repeatedly will
certainly 
stress an already weak neutral.

ALL newer houses, I mean 30 years old, have aluminum
service entrance 
cables! They haven't made copper service entrance
cable in 40 
years! How long has it been since the bolts in your
panel and meter 
socket were tightened? Are they tight enough to pass
enough current 
to trip the breaker? Got any "blue" terminals? Melted
plastic?
Smoke trails up the siding?

If its not moving, GROUND IT!!,.......... does your
service actually 
HAVE a ground?

Joe
 




__________________________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now.
http://mailplus.yahoo.com