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View Full Version : How brittle are Copper Clad Aluminium conductors?


donf
Jan 21, 2013, 06:41 PM
I worked on a main service panel today that had two failures.

1) All of the receptacles on one wall in the living room were dead.
The failure: The black conductor mounted to CB 11 broke off where the cable
Went under the breaker screw.

2) The washing machine receptacle receptacle only showed 37 volts.
The failure: The Neutral conductor for CB #13 broke off at the screw on the
Neutral bus bar.

I thought it was odd and merited a question

tkrussell
Jan 22, 2013, 03:32 AM
The conductors broke I will bet anything due to a nick in the metal when stripped and then stressed by the tightening of the screws, and possibly heating and cooling effect.