Cut stranded neutral

[Fred B]

Not sure how this happened or even how the installation could have even been done with issue seen. Was called to add some branch circuits for an addition. When checking panel as to potential to add the circuits and found the 50A range conductor neutral had evidence that it had been sliced and started to fail. There was enough length to simply remove, clean up and re-terminate. When I loosened the set screw from the bus every strand other than the one center strand of the AL conductor simply fell off.
1. How could the installer even get the conductor in with that much damage?
2. Could the damage have happened after installation? If so, how if untouched?
3. Could the fact that connection was loose have been a factor? (Thinking that conductor had been nicked by installer at original installation) and in retrospect some of the strands did look like melting beads at some of the damage points. In fact practically every termination was loose, some by a lot.

This was not the only issue that needed correction that leads me to thing a totally unqualified person did installation. Every neutral and EGC termination was multiple taps, some they actually had 5 neutrals under on set screw and others had multiple grounds and neutrals mixed under the one set screw. Panel lists only accepting maximum of 2 EGC under a single set screw, not the 6 I found. Now almost all neutrals will be too short to reach the bus.
What would you do? Options seem 1. splice the neutrals to reach lower bus positions, 2. Splice the EGC to reach lower bus positions, 3. Add another grounding bus.

 

[ptonsparky]

Add the EG bus would be the best, IMO, then splice & extend neutrals as needed.
Older panels often did not have enough terminations so I have pigtailed multiple EGs to one #12 or whatever max was.

 

[retirede]

Did they break right at the edge of the insulation? Perhaps the outer strands were scored (deeply) when stripping the insulation? It would have assembled into the lug just fine, but the toll of age and heat cause further deterioration resulting in what you saw.

Just a theory.

 

[Little Bill]

Did they break right at the edge of the insulation? Perhaps the outer strands were scored (deeply) when stripping the insulation? It would have assembled into the lug just fine, but the toll of age and heat cause further deterioration resulting in what you saw.

Just a theory.

That's what I was going to say. Someone stripped the sheath by encircling it with a knife or regular strippers, or maybe lineman pliers. They went to deep and when the lug was tightened, the strands that were scored started breaking off.

 

[ptonsparky]

Did they break right at the edge of the insulation? Perhaps the outer strands were scored (deeply) when stripping the insulation? It would have assembled into the lug just fine, but the toll of age and heat cause further deterioration resulting in what you saw.

Just a theory.

Pretty good theory.

 

[ramsy]

This was not the only issue that needed correction that leads me to thing a totally unqualified person did installation. ..

My invoices have a project title underneath the client info.

"Fire Hazard Abatement", and
"Remodel Hazard Abatement" are ofter shown, but
"Unqualified Person Abatement" may be more accurate.

 

[Fred B]

Did they break right at the edge of the insulation? Perhaps the outer strands were scored (deeply) when stripping the insulation? It would have assembled into the lug just fine, but the toll of age and heat cause further deterioration resulting in what you saw.

Just a theory.

It was at edge of insulation. Interesting thing was that this was a #4 conductors so i think there would have been 2 rows of strands before the central center wire all of which broke free, other than the center wire, as I loosened the connector.

 

[ppsh]

Compact stranded AL is usually 7 strand in the small sizes. One outer layer wrapped around the center.