I did a search for similar terms and it came up virtually empty so I'm jumping in to start a new thread.
My main motivation is to ask about an electricians' practice of deoxidizing connections, especially high current connections used in outdoor conditions inside service entrances, but we can expand this to discuss contact issues in all connections, low voltage ones and the like, as I'm a user of "Stabilant 22" and I think it works.
But anyway, to my main question:
As some of you may know, I've purchased a 16 kW whole house generator to help deal with the Florida blackouts during hurricane season. I hope we don't get any before August 26th because ironically, I have to wait till then for the LP (Liquid Propane) tank to be delivered and installed! There's that much of a waiting list.
But in the meantime, I'm rewiring the service entrance and installing the Automatic Transfer switch. I've never done any major splicing of #4 gauge and larger cables and so I asked the home depot electrical guy for advice. He told me to get an aluminum "splice block". It consists of a hollow aluminum tube with two screws and you strip the ends of the wires and put it in there and screw it down. Simple.
But he also advised I coat the wires with this greasy black stuff! Brand name: IDEAL. Description: NOALOX. Anti-oxidant Joint Compound. Instructions: 1. Coat wires with compund and work in with emery cloth or wire brush. 2. Fill contact surface of connector with compund and apply per connector manufacturer's instructions. 3. wipe off excess material from insulation." Ideal Industries, Inc. www.idealindustries.com.
This stuff scares me. I should put black gook on my bare wires when for years I've been trained that "shiny and clean makes the best connection"?
At the website, they add:
"Features:
Anti-oxidant and anti-seizing compound
Reduces galling and seizing on aluminum conduit joints
Suspended zinc particles penetrate and cut aluminum oxide
Carrier material excludes air to prevent further oxidation
Improves service life of aluminum electrical applications
For use with all types of pressure-type wire connectors."
Hmmm.... suspended zinc particles. This makes a pinch more sense. The splice blocks are aluminum and anything but shiny. The wires are shiny copper, but not shiny anymore!
While I'm at it, what about the practice that electricians use to cover the heavy duty screws in the breaker box with some kind of clear jelly, looks like vaseline? What do they use? I can see this making sense, in that it will keep oxygen from corroding the connection, AFTER YOU'VE MADE THE CONNECTION.
And we're off!
My main motivation is to ask about an electricians' practice of deoxidizing connections, especially high current connections used in outdoor conditions inside service entrances, but we can expand this to discuss contact issues in all connections, low voltage ones and the like, as I'm a user of "Stabilant 22" and I think it works.
But anyway, to my main question:
As some of you may know, I've purchased a 16 kW whole house generator to help deal with the Florida blackouts during hurricane season. I hope we don't get any before August 26th because ironically, I have to wait till then for the LP (Liquid Propane) tank to be delivered and installed! There's that much of a waiting list.
But in the meantime, I'm rewiring the service entrance and installing the Automatic Transfer switch. I've never done any major splicing of #4 gauge and larger cables and so I asked the home depot electrical guy for advice. He told me to get an aluminum "splice block". It consists of a hollow aluminum tube with two screws and you strip the ends of the wires and put it in there and screw it down. Simple.
But he also advised I coat the wires with this greasy black stuff! Brand name: IDEAL. Description: NOALOX. Anti-oxidant Joint Compound. Instructions: 1. Coat wires with compund and work in with emery cloth or wire brush. 2. Fill contact surface of connector with compund and apply per connector manufacturer's instructions. 3. wipe off excess material from insulation." Ideal Industries, Inc. www.idealindustries.com.
This stuff scares me. I should put black gook on my bare wires when for years I've been trained that "shiny and clean makes the best connection"?
At the website, they add:
"Features:
Anti-oxidant and anti-seizing compound
Reduces galling and seizing on aluminum conduit joints
Suspended zinc particles penetrate and cut aluminum oxide
Carrier material excludes air to prevent further oxidation
Improves service life of aluminum electrical applications
For use with all types of pressure-type wire connectors."
Hmmm.... suspended zinc particles. This makes a pinch more sense. The splice blocks are aluminum and anything but shiny. The wires are shiny copper, but not shiny anymore!
While I'm at it, what about the practice that electricians use to cover the heavy duty screws in the breaker box with some kind of clear jelly, looks like vaseline? What do they use? I can see this making sense, in that it will keep oxygen from corroding the connection, AFTER YOU'VE MADE THE CONNECTION.
And we're off!