Ever heard the term "gapping"

[David40]

Not sure if this is the right forum for this topic but I couldn't find any other place that seemed to fit.
I got a call from a customer informing me that they were having brownout problems on a bank of meters. They called the power company and the guy that came out told them that a connection was "gapping". I went and took a look at it and I discovered that junction between the main buss bar and the feed wire lug was corroded and getting very hot. (170 degrees) It was very likely arcing and sparking during the time the peoples lights were dropping out and flickering.
I've never heard that term before. I would appreciate it if anyone could define or explain that term if it's used to describe a bad connection?
Thanks

 

[LarryFine]

Ther's a gap where there oughtn't be one.

How's that?


This is an example of an issue a FOP test would uncover.

 

[drbond24]

I suspect Larry's definition is correct.

A gap where there shouldn't be one could allow an arc where there shouldn't be one. Think of somewhere you DO want an arc....like a spark plug. What do you have there? A gap! Just my opinion since I've never heard the term before either, but sounds reasonable to me.

 

[David40]

After taking it apart this morning "a gap" would be a good description of what I found. I am amazed it was working at all. It was so bad I couldn't just resurface the parts. I had to dig through my old meter parts bin to find new pieces to rebuild the whole lug assembly and a new jaw.
Courtesy of the power company I have a new terminology to add to my vocabulary.

 

[mivey]

Think of somewhere you DO want an arc....like a spark plug.

or a spark gap arrestor

 

[mivey]

I have a new terminology to add to my vocabulary.

Don't forget funny gapping:

or famous gapping:

 

[David40]

or a spark gap arrestor

I'm not so sure about that example. Seem to me I DO want the lightening surge to jump that gap to ground instead of coming in the house. For me that would be an instance where I do want a spark.

Maybe "cavitation" would be another term to use. When I took out the mess it reminded me of a large cavity, like in a tooth. :roll:

 

[mivey]

I'm not so sure about that example. Seem to me I DO want the lightening surge to jump that gap to ground instead of coming in the house. For me that would be an instance where I do want a spark.

Expanding DRBond's example: Just like with a spark plug, the gap in a gap arrestor is of the appropriate size to allow an arc over when needed. :roll:

...Think of somewhere you DO want an arc...