Mobile Home connections... after a fire.

[powerplay]

I am hooking up a used double wide trailer in a trailer park after a fire destroyed the old one. The aluminum connection box appears in great shape, but the bonding lug connection is corroded. Looks like oxidized set screws on the splitter inside... assuming the fire/smoke hasn't been an issue.

1) What is the best way to clean it? ..I will get the wire brush out, but I had heard hydracloric acid is a by product of a fire that can be neutralized with water. It seems pretty straight forward...good thing the fire didn't get to the Gas Meter.

2) The existing cable for the new trailer had the bare copper "bond" wire in the armoured cable connected to the common (white) in the panel, and a large bare copper wire drilled through the bottom of the panel connected to the bonding bushing of the entrance pipe in the panel not in contact with anything else. I also noticed there is a heavy bare wire cut short by the Trailer lot electrical connection... Is there supposed to be a ground at the lot fed from an Metered private shed?

 

[zbang]

I am hooking up a used double wide trailer in a trailer park after a fire destroyed the old one. The aluminum connection box appears in great shape, but the bonding lug connection is corroded. Looks like oxidized set screws on the splitter inside... assuming the fire/smoke hasn't been an issue.

1) What is the best way to clean it? ..I will get the wire brush out, but I had heard hydracloric acid is a by product of a fire that can be neutralized with water.

Replace the parts if you can, wire brush and rinse if you can't. Water does not neutralize acids, it only dilutes them. You can deal with lingering acids and wash things out with a baking soda solution to neutralize, then clean water to rinse. Remember to dry everything very well.

(Was there a copper wire on an Al-only lug?)

 

[kingpb]

Hydrogen Sulfide gas will eat up copper really quick, my guess it was that.

 

[kwired]

I think the same reasons why you are not supposed to clean the buses in panelboards should the painter end up painting them is why you should not clean this connector, it needs replaced.