Stevareno
Senior Member
- Location
- Dallas, TX
I took a service call a while back. Main complaint was breakers tripping, but also the main breaker was getting unusually hot.
The panel was mostly lighting circuits, so I turned on all the lights, took the cover off the panel and started checking the amperage of the individual circuits.
After a couple of minutes, something caught my eye.
No, that's not a reflection. It's a glowing red spot.
I checked that bus bar with digital thermometer and it was reading over 700 degrees F!
Here's a wider shot:
Both the A and B phase bus bars are charred black. All three bolts connecting the bus bars together were loose.
And look at this:
Something else I found. I know you can't tell from the picture, but the highlighted screw is not factory. My guess, someone stripped out the factory screw and replaced it with this one.
Also note how the middle screw turned black from the heat.
Needless to say, I replaced that panel two days later.
So, just a reminder to you fellow electricians out there, double check for loose connections on your installations.
The panel was mostly lighting circuits, so I turned on all the lights, took the cover off the panel and started checking the amperage of the individual circuits.
After a couple of minutes, something caught my eye.
No, that's not a reflection. It's a glowing red spot.
I checked that bus bar with digital thermometer and it was reading over 700 degrees F!
Here's a wider shot:
Both the A and B phase bus bars are charred black. All three bolts connecting the bus bars together were loose.
And look at this:
Something else I found. I know you can't tell from the picture, but the highlighted screw is not factory. My guess, someone stripped out the factory screw and replaced it with this one.
Also note how the middle screw turned black from the heat.
Needless to say, I replaced that panel two days later.
So, just a reminder to you fellow electricians out there, double check for loose connections on your installations.
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