Home : Blogs : Home Inspector Fort Worth TX- Kent Keith : Kent's Blog

The Importance of Antioxidant Paste

I performed an inspection yesterday on a early 1980s home and found overheating of the main service conductors in the main breaker panel due to no antioxidant paste to the aluminum conductors. As you can see, the left terminal has oxidized and caused enough resistance to cause it to get very hot and melt the insulation. Of course I stressed heavily in the report to my customer to have this repaired, but also felt I needed to let the seller's agent know also so she could notify the current owners of it's condition for their safety and in case the sale didn't go through. She returned my call today and acted like I was being an alarmist because she had always viewed the antioxidant paste issue as something that is a nit picky item that we chose to throw in our reports. I emailed her the photo and I think she now understands the importance of this paste.

Posted by Home Inspector Fort Worth TX- Kent Keith on 09/10/2008 11:35 PM

Comments (13)

home wiring, electrical panel, electrical inspection

Generate short URL

Post is included in group: LATE NIGHT - EARLY MORNING AT ACTIVERAIN
Post is included in group: Lone Star Real Estate Professionals
Post is included in group: Professional Home Inspectors
Post is included in group: Sparky's Plumbing

13 Comments on The Importance of Antioxidant Paste

SEP

2008

Hi Kent... Thanks for sharing this. I never fully understood the issue with the antioxidant paste until I saw your picture. That pretty much says it all to me. I appreciate the education!

I've never even heard of antioxidant paste before, but it appears to be very important! Looks like a large potential fire hazard! Great information as always - thanks!

Good call.

Was that conductor all the way in?

Mike,

Yes, it was....the melted insulation shrunk causing more of the conductor to be exposed.

Kent Keith

Fort Worth Home Inspector

SEP

2008

Good stuff,

My neighbor had a garage fire from the aluminum entrance wires got loose and hot. (He was able to catch it before it spread to the home)

Even with anti oxidant paste it is a good idea to check the connections to make sure everything is tight.

Was this panel further evaluated and was there an issue with too many amps on that side?

Please do not check those lugs. They are HOT.

Say WHAT? Too many amps on that side???

It is hard to 'load' one leg of a panel in a residential application.

I think it was a loose connection.

I think is it a combination of a possible loose connection along with oxidation. If you look closely on the top of the connection lug, you can see a powdery substance which I think is oxidation from the heating of the aluminum. As far as a loose connection, if you look you will notice the wire in this connector is not a flattened out as the right one, which would make you think that it is not properly tightened, but the lug's screw appears to have the same amount of thread going inward. In any case, it needs to be repaired as soon as possible.

I have seen an electrician's home that ONE side of the service was at 520 Degrees F. Because he had put BOTH legs of his new hottub on one side.

Jim

Let me understand you.

Was this a 220 breaker or two 110 breakers?

If a 220 breaker two legs are used.

If two 110 breakers on the same leg one of the breakers should have tripped.

It was a real custom job. It was two 110 on the same leg. and one did not trip until I noticed the smell of melting insulation and shut it down.

SEP

2008

Very interesting post and comments, thanks for helping educate us.

JUN

Does anyone know how much does it usually cost to have a certified electrician come over & apply the anti-oxidant paste where needed?

Leave a response…

Name:

Email:
(optional)

Comment:

What does the graphic say?

Home Inspector Fort Worth TX- Kent Keith

Fort Worth, TX

More about me…

Fort Worth Home Inspectors - Green Tag Inspections

Address: P.O. Box 470815, Fort Worth, TX, 76147

Cell Phone: (817) 705-3200

Email Me

Fort Worth Home Inspector

Links

Fort Worth Home Inspector

Archives

Find TX real estate agents and Fort Worth real estate on ActiveRain.

Disclaimer: ActiveRain Corp. does not necessarily endorse the real estate agents, loan officers and brokers listed on this site. These real estate profiles, blogs and blog entries are provided here as a courtesy to our visitors to help them make an informed decision when buying or selling a house. ActiveRain Corp. takes no responsibility for the content in these profiles, that are written by the members of this community.