[R-390] Some progress

[Michael Young]

Yeap....here a mile back from the Atlantic Ocean in Satellite Beach, FL we
have had that problem with the outside service entrance/meter box.  Heard a
frying noise one day coming from the meter box, called the power company who
came and cut the service wires....with big choppers.  Then I had to call an
electrician and our code enforcement official (who lives across the street).
Electrician came and put a new entrance box (Aluminum!) and conduit
(Aluminum!).  Power company came back and hooked power back up using
Aluminum(!) sleeves to crimp the wires back.  I asked about the black goop
they used (De-ox or whatever) and he said the company no longer used it (!).
He thought the policy was a bunch of BS so he had some and used it anyway.
As it was, that entrance cable and box lasted close to 30 yrs before trouble
showed up.  Everything from the service panel inside the house is copper
(yay!).

Mike
----- Original Message -----
From: "Joe Foley" <redmenaced@yahoo.com>
To: <r-390@mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Sunday, January 05, 2003 1:38 PM
Subject: Re: [R-390] Some progress


>
> --- 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
>
>
>
>
>
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