I think it threw 3 times, maybe 4. I know it's bad to have them trip too much so I didn't beat on it.How many times have you reset the tripped breaker and continued to use it? If a couple times, the breaker is likely OK to continue using, but if, say, 10 times, it should be replaced by a qualified person.
goldbrick said:Glad you caught that and got it fixed. Thanks for the update too, it's nice when there is a logical and conclusive end to this type of problem.
Nubo said:goldbrick said:Glad you caught that and got it fixed. Thanks for the update too, it's nice when there is a logical and conclusive end to this type of problem.
Yep. Googling for answers to technical problems can be challenging sometimes.
Indeed. So much for 'hiring a pro.'LeftieBiker said:I wouldn't use that electrician again.
EatsShootsandLeafs said:Update, because I wanted to test a bit more first.
The black wire had not unseated itself, but when I removed it I saw this. A couple of the strands had fallen out/been ruined when the electrician installed it.
Anyway, I snipped off the last 1/4", reattached the wire, and was able to fill 2/3 of the battery on the Leaf yesterday at full amps with the black wire only feeling mildly warm instead of very hot (and it was very hot when I set charger down to 16A, previously). Breaker didn't throw. I will update this thread if this issue recurs but it looks resolved now. Thanks for all the posts!
I think it threw 3 times, maybe 4. I know it's bad to have them trip too much so I didn't beat on it.How many times have you reset the tripped breaker and continued to use it? If a couple times, the breaker is likely OK to continue using, but if, say, 10 times, it should be replaced by a qualified person.
Nothing wrong with modern aluminum wiring. Problematic aluminum wiring is historical; a different alloy was widely used for 15A and 20A branch circuits during the 70s. That alloy turned out not to work well with standard connections, due to an incompatibility in its coefficient of thermal expansion and connection not designed to handle it (I believe).SageBrush said:The use of Alu wire was a fat hint that the electrician was cutting corners. I'm not even sure it would have passed inspection in the USA.
(My bolding above )wwhitney said:But the current electrical alloy has eliminated those issues. And aluminum wiring is not being made in sizes appropriate for 15A and 20A branch circuits, so its use is limited to larger circuits, which are typically point to point. As long as the terminations at both end are rated for aluminum, no problem.
As to the IF, yes it's important to check, but if you do I think you'll have find most/all breakers are rated for aluminum, and most/all large receptacles are. Hardwired equipment may well say in the manual "use copper conductors only" or the like; my EVSE said that. But if the equipment needs a disconnect in front of it, it would be fine to run aluminum to the (aluminum-rated) disconnect and then copper from there to the equipment; that comment in the instructions is just about the terminals. You could also just run aluminum and pigtail to copper with the proper connector (e.g. a Polaris style), although that's a bit of trouble.SageBrush said:I highlighted the IF, since an electrician (such as the one here) who does not pay attention to detail might also miss your point.
Question: Are the torque specs the same ? Or does the manufacturer have to give torque specs for each wire type ?
I've noticed this on some rare topics over the 20+ years I've been online. Generally speaking one can get a lot of good advice, quickly, on a multitude of topics. But, rarely, some topic will produce weird responses--sometimes from a lot of people. Responses that are inconsistent with what professionals in an industry do.SageBrush said:Off topic since OP's problem is resolved ...
I pretty much know that technical responses in this forum from Whitney or Gerry are the the most valuable, followed by a select few others. Newbs are inundated with noise (or worse) and often flounder since they lack filters. This problem has plagued the internet forever. I still think that karma points are the best solution found so far, even though they sometimes are abused or manipulated.
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