Burned Wire On Breaker - Torque Screwdrivers & Why You Should Probably Be Using One

[@WorldPowerLabs]

I've gotten into arguments with "professional" electricians about the need to know what torque you're applying to terminals, and the fact that this is actually an NEC requirement. The NEC used to specify a calibrated torque tool, but they've relaxed the wording a little now. Too tight and too loose are both bad. Do I realistically think that installers are using torque screwdrivers on every lightswitch and receptacle? No, most aren't. However, they should dang well be using them on breakers, larger lugs, contactors, etc. But, hey, what do I know... I only have a degree in electrical engineering.

[@Nick-bh1fy]

Funny the people installing the devices r often shaking their heads at the electrical engineers drawings 😅

[@TnTBLACK95]

Yes sir, I've seen guys torque # 2 copper so tight It ended up being # 6 under the lug.. Lol

[@cipher1167]

It’s funny sometimes it’s not even electricians that install these, it’s against the law in California for anyone that’s not licensed or is an apprentice but hey people wanna save a few bucks. It easy to talk smack from a cozy office, isn’t it Mr. Engineer?

[@TnTBLACK95]

@@cipher1167 Why the shitty attitude toward engineers? I know plenty of journeyman electricians that may know code pretty well but don't know jack about vfd's, ratioing transformers, harmonics, power factor or simple electric theory. Yep, plenty of you guys that couldn't do something as simple as explain the difference between kW and kVA.

[@cipher1167]

@@TnTBLACK95 so what is the difference between kilowatts and kilo volt-amperes? Did you even read my reply? His attitude isn’t exactly good either.

[@smjones4238]

Retired after 30 yrs as a facilities maintenance "mechanic". This is electrical, plumbing, mechanical and what I was hired specifically for, electronics. We, as a unit, practiced the seemingly non existent practice of going to every panel and sub panel EVERY FIVE YEARS, and loosening and re torquing all breaker connections. Most of the panels are three phase at the 480/277 level and the single phase ones are 208/120. All of the major panels have screw in breakers. This got pretty labor intensive and we got a FLIR IR camera after a few years. We changed the format to only retorque the ones that show some heat. The 'messes' that we found at first did not show up again indicating that the installation was lacking. Some were aluminum wire with no nolox used. We were cognizant that the age of the wire used means that even using a brand new breaker NOW as a replacement means still using nolox in that instance as the alloy of the old wire doesn't have the corrosion resistance of todays wire. BTW: Most bad spots were in environments that were outside the main envelope of the building and were exposed to wide temperature and humidity swings in comparison. Michael in Colorado

[@throttlebottle5906]

always use noalox/antioxidant compound. ALWAYS!

[@ppainterco]

I work in Internet datacenters, and we do thermal imaging of breakers and other key equipment on an annual basis. The number of close calls due to loose contact points that we found was amazing.

[@DrD6452]

People think I'm crazy because I hire an electrician to come every 5 years and re-torque my entire panel and sub panels. I'd do it myself but I'm in a wheelchair and can't reach it.

[@asperbergers7136]

You shouldn’t be “retorquing” old connections.

[@Know-Way]

I've seen this sort of burnt wire happen in three different circumstances. One is where the installer forgot to tighten the terminal/clamp screw, in which case the best torque screwdriver in the world won't help. I suspect this happens most often when the installer get interrupted while installing the wires and upon returning the loose wire "looks" just like the rest of the tight ones. Another is when the insulation is not stripped back enough and ends up in/under the terminal/clamp. The clamp comes down tight on the insulation but the bare wire doesn't get clamped tight. The high(ish) current passing through the small surface area of the bare wire and the terminal surface causes it to get very hot, melting the insulation and then you just have a loose wire. The third is from back in the days when aluminum wire was used for all wiring in the home. I saw an aluminum wire melted back from a receptacle where the expansion and contraction of the aluminum caused the wire to become loose. Any time the surface area is small compared to the amps being carried through the connection, you will generate heat, whether from a loose connection, or corrosion, or carbon build-up from arcing, etc.

[@randallcarter-carterhillho2277]

A few years ago i had to figure out an electrical problem in my mom's house that was built in late 50's. I am not a certified electrician, but i know enough to do basic house wiring. Her microwave had quit and she bought a new one and it would not work either. After a couple of hours, I figured out the screw in fuse was bad but was not blown and could carry enough amps to power everything else on the circuit except the microwave. The microwave would not work at all. When i changed the fuse, both microwaves worked as normal. Thank you for all the great videos and information.

[@lisaa.powell3634]

Great safety info. I scan my breaker box and outlets with an IR Thermometer. Several times a year. As a quick indication of something going on, needing further investigation.

[@BYENZER]

BEFORE scanning, turn ON ALL LIGHTS, electric heat devices, etc. THEN SCAN breaker panel.

[@googacct]

First house I bought came close to burning down because of most likely an improperly torqued connection by the prior owner. I could smell burning insulation. When I checked the water heater, the wires were glowing red hot. If I had not seen it, I probably would have come home at the end of the day to a pile of ashes. Another case was was due to corrosion in an outside disconnect for my AC. It kept blowing the fuses on really hot days. I called out an AC tech and they just cleaned the AC. However the fuses started blowing again. When gonig to replace the fuse, the fuse box it was almost too hot to touch. Upon removing the cover, I saw wires burned back into the conduit and could see the corroded connections. Every so often during the summer I touch the outside of my disconnect box to make sure I do not feel any excessive heat. Based on what I have learned here, I probably should do a torque check every so often.

[@leealtmansr.3811]

Thank you. I teach HVAC/R and I have been teaching using a torque screwdriver on breakers and contractors. Also the use of ferrules, like they use in Europe and Japan, help prevent this issue. Also, yes you need to cut more back the burnt wires. The European screwdrivers are thinner then ours. The full Wiha set is several hundred dollars. Thank you again for making a YT video.

[@aaron74]

The ferrules are great! I can't believe those aren't common here in North America.

[@victorlopez2143]

I was also wondering if you can use Ferrules on wires attaching to the breaker and you answered my question. I used them on the bus bar but not going into the breaker.

[@GrampalettasCamp]

Are ferrules useful in marine wiring?

[@leealtmansr.3811]

@@GrampalettasCamp to my knowledge ferrules are great with any stranded wire.

[@leealtmansr.3811]

@@victorlopez2143 You may want to check with your local code enforcement agencies to find out for sure. I'll bet they are not all that up to date.

[@JerseyTom]

There are a number of decent digital torque screwdrivers marketed for firearms, and they're generally a better value than the ones marketed for electrical use. Plus they come with the right bits to torque down a scope mount and rings!

[@chrisE815]

I have something marketed for bikes/cyclists. Probably the same stuff

[@JimYeats]

Was going to say this as well! Wheeler fat wrench.

[@ricardobocus6304]

Any such brands?

[@KurtisSaiyo]

You want to make sure your not using your torque wrench near it's extreme values (within 5-10% it's low end or high end); they are most accurate toward the middle. I've used Wera, which is about half the price of the Wiha he linked to, even after the Grainger tax. They make both adjustable and single torque rating screw drivers. Home Depot sells a husky labeled torque screwdriver, but it only has in-lbs, not NM (we were inspecting European hardware), so you'll have to do the conversion, but it's way cheaper. Our torque settings were touch more than a sneeze, just a few NM or something.

[@gabakusa]

url for that?

[@mikesamyn7054]

Great video! As a retired mechanical engineer now installing elecrical cicuits in my own home I really appricate your insight.

[@mrfoodarama]

Love how in-depth your exploration of the issue and how it works is, great to see so much detail !

[@Michael-jp9jw]

So glad I found this video today. Discovered an overheated neutral wire at my home's circuit breaker, leading to all the outlets in the kitchen not working. The screw that secures the wire was loose so I essentially followed your procedure. Thanks for posting!

[@robertlee4172]

Absolutely a one of a kind demo. Of all the billions of uploads to YT, this one is unique, and interesting. Lots of things overheat and cause fires, some with very tragic consequences. The arcing circuit breaker is something I've never encountered. However, I may come across this one day. Pulling the breaker until a replacement is found is critical.

[@henrythompson7595]

Ben; I have ab observation for you. If you tighten down a screw TOO tightly, then use a torque wrench or screwdriver to test it's "Torque" it's an invalid test, as the screw may have been too tight in the beginning. This was not the case here, but just the same, it can give you a false indication. Before retiring, I worked in the electronics industry, and screws on heat sinks for power transistors do have a specific torque need, too loose, things get hot and burn themselves out, too tight, and screws snap in the heat sink.torque settings should be made at the start of screw tightening, not after the screw is already tight. I do enjoy watching your channel, keep up the good work!.

[@rj.parker]

True

[@Jason_Canada]

This is one if the most important videos yet ...so many and me included think or use to think tighter the better ...

[@eddieslittlestack7919]

I really love your channel. You are so professional in a ‘I want to help others’ kind of way.

[@eddieslittlestack7919]

MMMMMMM🤤🤤🤤🤤🤤🤤🤤🤤🤤🤤🤤🤤🤤BEEF!

[@BenjaminSahlstrom]

Thanks for watching till the end!

[@RiggerBrew]

I had built a control panel for homebrewer. Had a breaker fail that burnt the wire and caused a short on the contactor side that fried the control port on a BCS-462 process controller. Great explanation of what was going on in this situation.

[@stevenle1760]

Love these videos, keep them coming. Been subscribed for a few months now and always appreciate these informative videos.

[@critters5236]

35 years as an industrial electrician and that has never happened to me and never use a torque screwdriver just tighten your connections that problem is caused by loose connections turn your screwdriver to the right

[@WordofAdviceTV]

Awesome and interesting video Ben!! I enjoyed it! You were always good at making these videos but I feel like you've gotten even better and your recent videos' views prove that to be true. 👍👍👍 God bless you and your family! Keep pumping them out my friend!

[@AddictedtoProjects]

Great video, and I'm glad you're using your platform to remind people to follow best practices. These torque screwdrivers are pretty common here in Europe. Especially in the more developed parts of Europe, like German, Netherlands, France, United Kingdom, etc. Germany is now at the point where Arc Fault Breakers are code, whereas most other countries are still catching up with them.

[@jeffhammett3732]

At 5:37 into the video looked like a small spark where the wire and breaker retaining screw meet (dark area) ?

[@glenmartin2437]

Thank you for the video. It was a good reminder to check the connections. We kept burning out heater elements in a water heater and a water still- both were wired wrong. The instruction plates were in the back of the units. Used a mini Maglite to discover the problem. Good lighting makes a difference!

[@spelunkerd]

Nice demo. For some reason I thought these also had an 'inductive trip' mechanism, with a coil of wire pulling a magnetic contact away, but this was purely a thermal breaker. Maybe those inductive mechanisms are for bigger industrial size breakers. People should know that torque is not the only parameter. Even a small amount of corrosion, lubricant, antiseize, or thread trauma will significantly alter the ideal torque. You hit the bullseye with your remark about how the wires underneath can shift and create a loose fastener, even with a torque wrench. When torquing wheels, some guys drive the car around the lot, then retorque once the wheel settles into the place it want's to stay.

[@rj.parker]

They do have a magnetic solenoid as well. He just did not point it out. It causes the "instant" trip under a dead short situation instead of allowing the breaker to explode.

[@troubleshooter1975]

The metal 'flap' on the trip bar is the magnetic trip feature. There is no coil, the inrush current causes a magnetic field that attracts that armature and trips it.

[@PCTechHustle]

Amazing video! I’m having this exact problem right now (burnt wire and hot breaker). You gave me the confidence to go in and troubleshoot to resolve my issue!

[@mrbubble185]

You have so much fun! The variable here is resistance. Power dissipation is I squared R (I^2 * R). With normal current (amperage) the squared term (I) stays the same, but with a kiss contact the resistance (R) increases causing a corresponding increase in power dissipation (heat).

[@robertwilber1909]

actually, it changes the location of the voltage drop due to impact of now series resistance

[@Sylvan_dB]

Burned wires behind a hot outlet. Some joker had used the backstabs with 2x 12ga (so 4 wires connected to the back of the outlet) to feed and chain from, with another set of wires under the screws. Have you ever had to pull out an outlet with 7x 12ga wires connected to it? I had to trim 3 inches off the romex to get to good insulation and even then had to scrape it off the copper. It was then too short to work with so I used ideal push connects to join with a pigtail for the outlet. No heat coming from those and the outlet with only 3 wires (and less length on 2 of the other romex coming in) was a dream to fit back into the box.

[@michaelwright1602]

Thank you for the video, I need to go double check my electrical work in my two panels, one I installed myself.

[@bobcarry4820]

At 5:30 to 5:35 you moved the wire. I saw two white flash to the left of the screw head one high and one low. Arc? I priced your screw driver and don't see too many people buying them. I can put a screw driver bit on a small torque wrench if it that big of a problem. Also the problem does not seem to happen with solid connectors. Thanks anyway I found it interesting.

[@aaron74]

PSA: If you go to buy 1/4" shank driver bits, be sure to get ones that are rated for IMPACT drivers, whether you're going to use them in an impact driver tool or not. They are waaaay heavier duty. I haven't had one go bad on me yet, even in an impact tool.

[@Jason_Canada]

Do you think Milwaukee's the best bit ?

[@aaron74]

@@Jason_Canada Honestly, I've used many brands and as long as they say "impact rated", they're good.

[@Jason_Canada]

@@aaron74 thank you for your knowledge

[@MrWzeljunior]

@@Jason_Canada look up "Project Farm" KZbin channel. He does hands-on test reviews of every tool you can think of, including impact bits of every brand.

[@Jason_Canada]

@@MrWzeljunior thanks iam already a fan ..great reviews

[@peterpcampbell9485]

Great video, as usual. Altogether comprehensive analysis of situation and thorough instruction on corrective actions. Thanks, Benj... Pete C., from NH...

[@lukebrown4184]

I re-wired my rental house in 2016. I saved all the old wire to scrap it, and just got started doing that recently. I pulled a receptacle out of a box as I was scrapping and found it had a loose connection, and melted wire! Good thing I decided to replace everything!

[@kurtriexinger6097]

Great video. I’ve found both of these issues before. Once the whole side of the breaker was burned and melted apparently from a defect inside. Other times the wire was never tightened properly on the terminal. Also found this on neutrals before, all burned and casing melted off.

[@jcreeker5581]

Thank you for the video and showing that loose terminals can cause troubles. One a safety note, NFPA 70E and OSHA recommend/require wearing PPE appropriate for the work being done on a live panel. In this case, a Category 2 PPE system rated for 8 cal/cm^2 would likely be required. Of course, one may state, well I was not "at work" so those safety requirements don't apply. While that statement may be OK for some, that statement would not protect you if there had been an arc flash. An arc flash can happen at any time when working on a panel, not just when one is "at work."

[@mandiwilliams3039]

You’re super impressive. Your vast knowledge, and demeanor combined are refreshing. They don’t make them like you anymore. Thanks for teaching me. I’d love to pick your brain with my current electricity problem. All of the people in my life think I’m crazy, but appliances and apparatuses burning out let me know it’s not my imagination.

[@jensschroder8214]

The boss had bought a new CNC lathe from Japan for €500,000. Everyone was happy with it, only at high speed did the CNC computer interrupt with an error message: "Error power supply." The three fuses and supply lines were checked, but nothing was conspicuous. Eventually it was discovered upon installation that one of the three phases had not been properly torqued. The cable was loose and already stewing. The cable and clamp replaced and production could start properly. The fuse was "only" 400 V 3-phase 100 amps, so good connections are needed. Such an expensive machine has to produce to make it worthwhile. But every house electrician is now also learning this in Germany. It's part of the standard.

[@jensschroder8214]

Of course, WIHA also wants to sell the insulated screwdriver bits. During production, one end of the screwdriver is immersed in a water bath and 1000 volts AC is connected to the other end. If electricity then flows, the screwdriver does not leave the factory.

[@BenjaminSahlstrom]

Thats impressive.

[@trebbleshooter]

That’s very interesting. I am a retired house/maintenance electrician for a processing plant. Had a 4160 volt motor making a very loud noise. Checked the alinement, loose base bolts, coupling all the usual suspects. Got the reliability team involved, Report said it had a connection problem. Opened the junction box connections looked good. Cut the insulation off connections had one stewing real bad. Fixed lead and the motor was running like it should after.

[@hojo70]

Good video. Hope you tightened the terminals on all of the other breakers too

[@victorlopez2143]

Thank you for the info. I was wondering about if I really needed to use a torque screw driver and now I see why. Great video.....

[@russrockino-rr0864]

When I replace a Bad breaker, I smash it in to pieces before throwing it in the trash. If it looks good on the outside, sometimes people will fish it out of the trash and bring it home to use or sell online, thinking "Hey somebody threw away a perfectly good circuit breaker" Not knowing any better. You are right, most Electricians in the US don't do it. I know it is usually considered a time waster in Residential situations where the pressure to get the job done is a priority. That being said, it should always be done. Most Resi employers won't provide that expensive tool either, thinking you can reach the specified torque easily by hand w/o the special tool. Right or wrong, that is what I was taught as an apprentice when I entered the Trade in 1995. I have since purchased my own torque screwdrivers I use on the job. Russ, Journeyman Electrician from Oregon.

[@kpdvw]

@ 6:10 you can see the orange glow and arcing in the failed breaker wire connection....!

[@jacklucas7265]

Wheeler and others make torque screw drivers for mounting scopes. Check Amazon and the price and compatibility are better. Great video!

[@CajunCoding]

Yeah, your'e the first that I see mentioning this. On Amazan it's called the F.A.T. Wrench by Wheeler engineering and runs about $50-$60. It offers similar/same torque range as the one you used in the video from Wiha but definitely uses standard bits. I've used mine for alumi-conn connections, polaris splices connections, breaker connections, etc. all requiring proper torque (granted 4awg Aluminum to 6awg Copper Polaris was really hard to torque down!).

[@Guillotines_For_Globalists]

I suppose this video clearly explains perfectly why exactly it is that torque screwdrivers are seldom utilized.

[@shopart1488]

Ben, over 50 years ago while working for the phone company we would no-ox stranded cable and tighter and retighten and retighten over a couple of day especially with the larger stranded cables 500,000 to 750,000 all DC voltage.

[@ghammer9773]

For Lockout devices, I keep a set of removable breaker clamps (I don't know the exact term) in my lockout kit. Each one is sized for a particular breaker lever, and will clearly sit over a breaker in the off position, while applying a small plastic wedge between the lever and the user side planar surface. A thumb wheel tightens it into place, then a hasp goes over the whole assembly and is secured with a standard shackle lock. I highly recommend these, as you don't need to depend on your customer having the necessary lockout capabilities in order to keep yourself safe.

[@TnTBLACK95]

Good job sir, your videos are great! A couple of things that may also need to be added. Tightening your wires too tight, especially stranded wires, can cause overheating issues as well.. If you over torque your conductor you could decrease the rating of that conductor by cutting into it, disfiguring its shape and/or breaking strands. Also your typical thermal breakers would trip on heat from overcurrent or heat from a conductor at the breaker just the same.

[@troubleshooter1975]

Turns out this breaker IS a dual trip. There is a magnetic trip feature.

[@research903]

Best practice when using stranded wire is to use a terminal designed for the connection type or to install a properly sized ferrule on the stranded wire end before placing it in the clamp style connection on the breaker. Even using a torque driver to tighten a stranded wire can give a false reading as the strands can displace over time, resulting in a loose connection. This is especially true when the wire is subjected to regular heat/cold cycles as is the case of the connection depicted.

[@edku8565]

Very interesting. Good job. You need to clean strands of the red conductor (you can use emery cloth and wipe clean with alcohol). You can see they are covered with copper oxide and products of chemical reaction between copper and overheated PVC insulation. You stripped wire far enough from the connection but It is possible that even that far copper underwent annealing.

[@BenjaminSahlstrom]

Great suggestion.

[@davidstansbury3204]

So first I’m not an electrician. I installed the panel and wired my garage and have done other wiring, I’ve seen a lot of jack legend stuff. I know stranded wire meets code but I’ve never liked it. Ok let the beating begin. Thank you for your time and knowledge, love your videos

[@commoncentstx]

It doesn't just meet code, it is the only usable wire type in many situations. If you have a 100-200 amp panel at your house, then you have stranded wire feeding the panel. Solid 1/0 or 2/0 wire wouldn't be usable. Hell, solid 4 awg wire wouldn't be usable. Stranded wire is better than solid in a lot of ways. The negative of stranded wire is that it takes more skill to get a good connection. The positives are that it is more flexible, easier to pull through conduit, etc.

[@davidstansbury3204]

Yes I have 200 amp to my garage and I understand there is a need for stranded wire, trying to run solid wire from the weather head to the meter and panel would be damn near impossible. Thank you for your reply.

[@rj.parker]

Stranded wire with superior insulation can carry far more amps than solid wire of the same conductor od. It is also more flexible and costs more. Ever wonder why the wire inside the appliance is smaller diameter than the wire you hooked it up with? Appliance wire can carry higher amps because it is stranded, has superior insulation and usually has more air space to dissipate heat. Often the manufacturer will crimp a pin, lug or ferrule to the appliance wiring to bundle the strands or will tin the ends with solder. However breaker lugs are acceptable with bare stranded.

[@henrythompson7595]

Is that why most commercial wiring jobs I have seen/worked on are stranded wire? Because it's easier to pull?

[@ralphcrawford9741]

@@henrythompson7595 yes.

[@gannas42]

Working in data centers we do annual or bi-annual FLIR inspection of all electrical connections. Would you be surprised to find the number 1 issue was new installations that weren't torqued properly and the number 2 issue was improper bend radius on cabling? Once you fix the issues they generally don't come back. If they do come back it's usually a cracked lug spreading over time, a bad breaker, or bad whatever is attached to that dang hot wire again. :)

[@danielsteen1594]

When you were inserting your temp probe you can see the connection arcing. In this case it was definitely the loose connection which caused the thermal damage.

[@j.p.8276]

The wire looked discolored by excessive heat even after stripping it back twice. Was that bad camera angle?

[@mattluongo7763]

No you are correct, the copper strands had changed color from the heat. However I believe it was okay to reuse in my opinion.

[@Eddy63]

Great info Benji 👍👍👍 Klein probably makes one of those torque screwdrivers ... Thx ...

[@tombrewsaugh1399]

My father was a Machinist/ tool and die maker. I was practically born with tools in my hand. Spent 39 years as a working election and worked on cars as a hobby from the age of 15. First time I ever heard of a torque screwdriver was around 2012 about a year before I retired. Interesting enough no electrical or auto parts or hardware store even carries them. If been retired almost 9 years still haven't found one locally.

[@cward1954]

I have seen a Husky brand torque screwdriver at the Home Depot near me. It was $60 I believe.

[@luckyhiker3434]

Ben, I am not challenging anything you said but want to add the following. My background is in power generation - both nuclear fuel and fossil fuel. There the use of torque wrenches has been enforced for decades. The most common issue decades ago was that of calibration. Calibration was often done at the tool distribution center before the tools were shipped to the work site. This created questions and soon the temporary tool rooms had calibration equipment and would test the accuracy before issuing the torquing equipment. Records were meticulous kept to establish when and where the equipment was used. This process worked for Original Equipment Manufacture (OEM’s) performing work at utility sites or large general contractors employing multiple subs. However for small electrical contractors I can see this process can be cumbersome and some may argue cost prohibited. The issue is-just because a torque wrench is set to your desired torque, does not mean that it is actually producing the specified torque. I expect this will become an issue in a future NEC revision.

[@sammac4]

Your videos are very informative and explain things very well. Thanks for making them.

[@kpdvw]

Interesting forensic autopsy Dr. Sahlstrom!

[@master-electric]

what is the tool , that you use for listen and discover the arc inside breaker ? since 4:12 min ?? thanks for helpfull video .

[@tfun101]

I had to put in new parking lot lights for a few lowes stores and I had to cut back literally a foot of every wire when putting in the new lights bc the wires were burnt so badly (I’m guessing from loose connections and excessive heat with the desert heat?). Many of the old lights weren’t working and a number of the breakers were tripped as well. I’ve never seen so many damaged wires at one location.

[@commoncentstx]

I love the Wiha torque screwdriver personally. I got mine in a kit that included like 12 bits. Others are recommending torque screwdrivers meant for guns, and those will most likely work fine, but the Wiha one is 1000v rated, and I think that is a big positive. The bits that are made for it are also 1000v rated. I do believe they make an adapter for normal bits, but they say it is not for use with the insulated handles.

[@Jason_Canada]

Ive seen that kit is it worth the money ?

[@davidcurry4433]

@@Jason_Canada Having owned my kit and more bits in the range 20+ for over 5 year's now, id say Yes, providing you don't lend them out to friends and family,

[@commoncentstx]

@@Jason_Canada Sorry for the delayed response. I definitely think the kit is worth it personally. That being said, I got it on sale directly from Wiha's site. They even did a 50% off anything on the site sale once about a year ago.

[@bjleau76]

Thank you I learn something with every video of yours that I watch

[@killsalltires156]

As an electrical contractor for 30 years I can tell you this is important. Wire heat up and cool down causing expansion and contraction and over time loose up these screws that hold down electrical wire to equipment. Drills not set at the proper settings will casue issues. So yes hand checking things are a great practice especially those of use doing new install or service calls. Stay safe out there! 👍❤️🇨🇦💪 Burt wires are usually a sign of poor connection or too much amps going through it and heat in panel, as it hits 30° Celsius ambient temperature your rating of the wire goes down.

[@thesaddleman1]

I am not an electrician, but Ive dealt with many electrical issues, at home, at work, with family members. It looks like on that one they never screwed the wire down. Most problems I have seen are with wire nuts. At My grannies house, the bathroom light circuit had I think 34volts, just because of the poor connection of wire nuts, same thing at work in 3 places. As you know, low voltage causes stuff to burn. I will only use Wago's now. I still have problems in my house where friends and family members wire stuff wrong. I would like to get a NEC cheat sheet. I have taken A/C and D/C. I think a lot of people don't understand Series and Parallel in an A/C circuit. If you start dropping voltages it will burn the house down. I've seen a few bad breakers. My water heater element just went out. It tripped the breaker, but it didn't trip the switch on the water heater. You got me rolling on that, I'd never done that. Thank you for the great video though! I have been watching your grounding and bonding videos. I am still a little confused about it though. If power is trying to escape from an appliance, I don't want it to escape through me. I want it to have 2 different routes where it can get to ground, but you were saying it was trying to make it back to the main panel on the pole? The house has a sub panel. Also, do you need 4 grounding rods for a main and sub panel?

[@millomweb]

10:06 Even that copper wire's been cooked. You could cut another 2" off it before you find normal copper.

[@thomasnorthcastle4130]

I could hear it arching when you were talking about the lockout.

[@garywilliams1596]

I love this video, as a building inspector I require torque test per manufacture on panel inspections especially if it’s not a C-10 that installed the panel,👍 good job

[@elffirrdesign2063]

Do your tie downs one at a time and don't leave it until you put the torque on it, technically you got only one shot to tighten properly you should not go back a retorque. All the same an overtight is better than missing the torqueing altogether. Also be careful how you strip your wire. Nicks especially if they are concentric from a stripper will cause resistance and heat as well.

[@flyer617]

I am not an electrician but as project engineer on some large energy storage systems have done inspections after all the regular inspectors signed off. I have found countless cases of loose screws on breakers. One insidious one is where stranded wire is used and it gets caught up in the screw threads. The screw appears tight but the wire is still loose. You have to very slightly try to move those wires to see if all the strands are tight in the screw clamp. At one point I solved an issue where a breaker was tripping at random times. Everyone was concentrating on the device being powered and the wiring to it but I found one of these strands-caught-in-a-breaker-screw issue causing high terminal temperature causing premature tripping of the thermo-magnetic breaker. So yes this is a very real issue, both for fire safety as well as electrical system reliability.

[@louf7178]

36 lb-in was more than I would have guessed. Tightening in-hand appears good because when wires are not seated freely. Good video.

[@dwoodog]

Thanks for some good info. Screwdriver set looks really cool, but too pricey for average home owner. :( I did buy the WIHA terminal screwdriver set. Took about 2 months to receive, it was on hard core back order.

[@RobHaag71]

Wheeler makes a torque screwdriver called The Fat Wrench. It takes regular 1/4 inch bits and it can be set from 10 to 65 in/lbs and i think it only cost around $50. It’s meant for gunsmiths but is handy for a lot of torque applications

[@shaundevrisky349]

This was a great video, Benjamin, I'm to the point that I always look forward to the next one. When I saw "Made In Germany" on your Torque driver I though "good for you!" because Germans are known for over-engineering and precision. But I was laughing (with you, not at you :) when you encountered the driver bit fiasco. 😆 Who would have seen that coming? I've been gunsmithing at home for about two decades and have had the benefit of trying several inch-pound torque drivers. The best I have encountered which is reasonably priced is branded by Vortex (sold on Amazon as Vortex Optics Torque Wrench Mounting Kit). It is good quality, easy to adjust, and is always within an inch pound of my Snap On 1/4 inch drive angle torque wrench. And one of the best "non-German" features is 1) It comes with bits, and 2) it will accept all the 1/4 drive bits in your tool box. So that's an affordable option for anyone on here looking for one. I DO NOT recommend that fat ugly yellow WHEELER thing. It's half the price of the Vortex, but it is GARBAGE. Please don't waste your time or money on it. Anyway, Benjamin, the 2P 30A breaker connecting my shop heater has been getting warm lately (but not the wires) and has been sometimes making a ticking sound. The wires ARE tight, so I'm assuming it's the breaker. I think I shall do a breaker dissection as you did, and see what's going on in there.

[@ShotGunner5609]

Thank you for sharing. Been needing one for a while for lots of things. But thought i was gonna have to get a snap on or something.

[@shaundevrisky349]

@@ShotGunner5609 Oh, you are welcome. If there is any complaint it would be that the bits can be a little tough to pull out, but I guess that's better than them falling out on their own! Anyway, if you get one, hope you like it. It's definitely handy having one around!

[@JonathanPollard23]

Is the wire gauge proper for that water heater? Why not replace that wire with solid instead of stranded?

[@dunep6465]

Well Done Ben. This is how a lot of house fires happen. Good explanation and display of the various points inside and outside the breaker. Nobody (owners) goes back into a panel and torques connections. IMHO Definitely a torque issue where the heat travelled back into the breaker as well. That panel is so old it should all be changed out to a new code-compliant design with arc fault/ground fault breakers. The new AF/GFCI combo's are great and this would have been discovered long before a real problem occurred. Inspectors should be mandated to test a portion of the wiring system for compliance. And, I would never pay that kind of prices for those fancy torque drivers. I've yet to have an inspector ask for my torque tools and have used many, much cheaper types. Just calibrate them periodically.

[@timedwards8980]

During the same time frame of this video a 5KW heater in my garage quit. I found the connector in the heater had fried along with the plastic holder for the same connection via over heat and the black wire had gone open. Its insulation had fried back to almost the romex connector in the body of the heater. The wire is solid copper #10 @ 30 Amps. The heater is rated at 21.9 Amps. I thought it might have been the thermistor heat sensor having gone bad. Several of my wire buddies could only say the connection was not tight. I now agree after seeing your video. I have some pics but I need somewhere to send them.

[@joehead1294]

Interesting look at the breaker, looks like overheat everywhere, coming right in from the busbars. Was that 10 AWG stranded? If so, wonder why not solid? Breaker looked more suited for solid conductors.

[@LuybXAzH2]

I forgot to add. When relay contacts (or breaker or thermostat or .... contacts) get burned by arcing they get a oxide layer on the metal that has resistance which generates makes even more heat ( a flywheel effect?). Mechanical contacts in humid environments probably make such problems worse. I noticed the internal contacts on one side of your breaker looked "cooked"-- Bad! I'm sure "materials scientists" working for Square D and other ckt breaker mfgs know all about that and all the "scientific details". Would they send out a "white paper" to every electrician and apprentice world wide?? I doubt it. You are very conscientious and detail oriented when you see, analyze and solve a problem! Kudos! You DID NOT mention that the SAME problem can occur with ANY switch, relay, outlet and .... connection that carries enough current to heat the metal and melt/burn the insulation if loose or corroded. Then there are the "push in" connectors (probably ok for low current circuits, but I'd get nervous about those in high current circuits. Ex water heaters and electric heating.... I think they were invented to protect from frayed appliance power cords. I've run into hot loose wires on outlet connectors (ones I didn't install). After repeated heating, the copper or brass or plated metal isn't shiny and low resistance where the metals are in contact anymore! "Arc fault breakers" are supposed to be the cure! Expensive and how reliable are those over the long term.??? Nice profit center for Square D and others. No substitute for good electrical workmanship! More parts doesn't seem a real good solution. I might just make do with a 1/4" lever type torque wrench. Any tool that is manufactured in small volumes and/or is covered in patents is going to be expensive (especially if its German). Then there are the "wirenuts". LOL You DID NOT mention that the SAME problem can occur with ANY switch, relay, outlet and .... connection that carries enough current to heat the metal and melt/burn the insulation. Then there are the "push in" connectors (probably ok for low current circuits, but I'd get nervous about those in high current circuits. Ex water heaters and electric heating.... I think they were invented to protect from frayed power cords.

[@LuybXAzH2]

OOPS! Correction: "I think they were invented to protect from frayed power cords." sentenced belongs at the bottom of the "Arc fault breakers" paragraph. Nothing to do with wire nuts!

[@StewCal65]

Very informative! Enjoy your videos!

[@robertphillips4383]

See this all the time. I am an E&I technician for a large US company. The torque driver is nice, but stranded wire should be tinned or have ferrules installed.

[@benelsen9007]

I will now check that also when diagnosing water heater tripping issues.

[@epsilon-5494]

It is fun and entertaining when someone is having problems and you're just watching. 😂

[@jpattoncook]

Excellent in every regard.

[@EronIler]

Add all the tools and consumables to your Amazon store. I am glad to buy items from your store as a thank you for great videos. Wago, multimeter, torque screw driver, cable, outlets, generators, etc.

[@digitalQ33]

Question: The 20 amp breaker directly above the one in question has two wires under each lug. Is this a case of someone running two circuits off one 240v 20 amp breaker? Is that legal, advised etc. or do I have it wrong? (I'm not an electrician, but play one on the weekends, always trying to learn) Thanks!

[@JustinVallon]

I noticed that too. Also noticed that each lug had a red and black. With 220v, both the red and black are hot, so I suppose it wouldn't matter whether it was red/black or black/red. Don't know about doubling up the connector. The breaker install sheet might tell you how many conductors and the gauge(s) that can be used per terminal.

[@im2yys4u81]

Double tapping a breaker or a neutral is a definite NO NO

[@cengeb]

The WHIA includes the bits, I just ordered one from your link, it shows it as an 11 piece kit.....more than just the handle. Whia, wera, Knipex, Hazet, and a few others, best tools made, always use the good stuff. channellocks are one of the few brands that are equal in build, fit and finish...but most are nothing like the GERMAN stuff in how they work, feel in your hand, and have perfect machined fit and finish

[@usa-ev]

Love your videos! Always nice hidden personality touches in there that others would not include. Anyway, hope you went through that panel and torqued everything else down. 😀

[@chrisE815]

Speaking of 2020 NEC and gfci breakers on water heaters, keep in mind the rules of NEC 2020 only apply if your state/jurisdiction has adopted it. Your state may be using another version of the NEC.

[@josephmichuda6447]

As of January 21, 2022 Tennessee is still using the NEC 2017 code.

[@robertwilber1909]

Changes to the NEC do not have retroactive authority for existing installations

[@kumaquattro]

Thank you for your video, very eye opening and informative .

[@millomweb]

While you're there, check the tightness of all the terminals !

[@tedsaylor6016]

While using a torque is probably better than "good-en-tite", the connection actually relies on a consistent clamping force which usually correlates to torque, but not always. This is why for critical bolted connections one-time-use "torque to yield" (aka torque to x, then x degrees) is used in automotive and aerospace. Also thermal cycling can play havoc with actual clamping load no matter what the initial torque was set to. In my mind a thermal survey a week after loads are in use (and recurring) would be a far better program.

[@geneard639]

You captured the arc fault quite well at the terminal. You are also incredibly lucky you didn't get bit. I saw a guy point at an energized circuit with a plastic pen, drew an 8 inch arc to his hand. Drew another arc Finn the zipper on his pants to ground about ....well, he needed skin grafts on his hand, and on his bits. Today your lucky, treat every circuit like it's a rattle snake, wear safety gear, and know hope, luck, and prayers are nice but burnt bits? You'll be walking funny for weeks.

[@benduane429]

We had this happen with our range. The previous homeowner (or one of the cut-rate handymen he liked to hire) put a cord on the appliance but didn't tighten the nuts well enough. One hot connection arced and ended up melting clean through the wire and also damaging the terminal block. We discovered it when the melted wire broke in two and the oven stopped working. Lucky it didn't burn the house down.

[@cbarr0288]

Third & final comment (sorry espresso kicked in) do you partake in any spa installations from time to time? I’d love to hear your best practices on this since it is a bit more complex than a standard circuit & really like your attention to detail. Have a great day & thanks for content.

[@ExNightSquader]

At 5:36 of your video, when you moved the wire, there was a spark at the the joint where the screw is.

[@Bob.W.]

I've never been accused of under tightening any fastener. Over tightening, well..... :)

[@garrysekelli6776]

What is the metric unit for inchpounds? Metergrams?

[@bobclarie]

Thanks ! Very informative. We appreciate your efforts . . . . . Bob

[@juliaswati5242]

thanks for sharing. generally, if one wire is heat damaged, and the other is not, it is a good sign that it's a loose connection or oxidezed conductor on that affected wire. Overcurrent will lead to both wires being hot.

[@JackRussell021]

I have seen people who install 50A circuits for car charging use a torque screwdriver on both the breaker and the recepticle. I happen to have a FLIR camera attachment for my phone - I am tempted to go out and look at our own breaker panel and see if there is anything hot. While those things can be a little pricey, they can be useful for doing a quick check when looking for hotspots.

[@billrimmer5596]

I’d b throwing that Whia as far as I could. I spray the screws with WD-40 and tighten the heck out of them. Whenever I work on someone’s panel I spray all the breakers with WD and cycle them a few times then I tighten all the screws. Most always, I find many loose.

[@jakequaempts5234]

Great videos I’m a first year apprentice ill be watching more of your content

[@mr.fredricklawngtawnghedav5094]

I like to emery cloth the wire just to insure that no oxide is on my wire before i mount wire to breaker every ohm equals heat or waste