60 amp service, very warm.....

[gwilcox (Gerald C. Wilcox)]

Recent home inspection had a 60amp service. Slight scorch mark on dead front panel above drawer pull out fuse. It felt warm to the touch, infared temp had it at 108 degrees, the rest of drawer fuses were 73 degrees. Is this within acceptable temperatures?

[dvalley (David Valley, License #566 - CMI)]

@gwilcox

Recent home inspection had a 60amp service. Slight scorch mark on dead front panel above drawer pull out fuse. It felt warm to the touch, infared temp had it at 108 degrees, the rest of drawer fuses were 73 degrees. Is this within acceptable temperatures?

Absolutely not…Your average breaker or fuse cartridge should be at room temperature.

If your getting 108 degrees, recommend an Electrician to evaluate that particular fuse cartridge.

Did you open the cover to see what may be causing this heat build-up?

[lkage (Larry Kage, CMI)]

More info:

http://www.nachi.org/forum/showthread.php?t=4390&highlight=breaker+temperature

http://www.nachi.org/forum/showthread.php?t=7760&highlight=breaker+temperature

[gwilcox (Gerald C. Wilcox)]

Thanks David, Larry. I did pull the dead front, but nothing stood out. I didn’t pull the drawer, because of shutting off portions of the house. Bakalite looked worn and the pull and the face of the drawer looked well used! No# 4 copper service cable looked recent and the lugs were bright. Judging from the screwdriver slots on the lug screws he/she had some trouble getting them tight.

[Speedy_Petey]

@dvalley

Absolutely not…Your average breaker or fuse cartridge should be at room temperature.

This is simply not so.

Here is a quote from one of the threads linked above. It is written by one of the foremost experts in the electrical field IMO:

@Pierre Belarge

If you take a look at 310.16, the 75C column, you will see the F temps as well. If a conductor/breaker is loaded to the maximum current permitted, the conductor/breaker may reach this temperature (possibly 167F). So the conductor/breaker can actually be hot to the touch, well above the ambient temperature surrounding them.

Some breakers as they get older will buzz due to the pitting of the contacts, which also may increase the breaker temp. Depending on the load applied to the breaker in the picture posted, I would say the buzzing is from pitted or loose contacts, and the temp is not creating this problem. There are many variables, but this is my guess.

[dvalley (David Valley, License #566 - CMI)]

@Speedy Petey

This is simply not so.

Here is a quote from one of the threads linked above. It is written by one of the foremost experts in the electrical field IMO:

So you’re stating that “Hot” breakers and fuse cartridges do not need an Electricians’ evaluation?

[Speedy_Petey]

@dvalley

So you’re stating that “Hot” breakers and fuse cartridges do not need an Electricians’ evaluation?

I absolutely did NOT say that. Look at the line I quoted. I am saying that breakers above “room temperature” are not necessarily a problem.
I guess it is up to you guys to determine how hot is too hot.

Warmer than room temp is not an immediate red flag IMO. Literally hot to the touch is.

[dvalley (David Valley, License #566 - CMI)]

Speedy,

Well, when I stated …

“Your average breaker or fuse cartridge should be at room temperature. If your getting 108 degrees, recommend an Electrician to evaluate that particular fuse cartridge.”

You stated

“This is simply not so”.

That (to me) translates that I’m wrong in what I stated…IMO.

[Speedy_Petey]

David, PLEASE go back and re-read post #5. You are looking at it with your man vision. You are seeing only what you want to see.

I ONLY quoted the line about the breaker being at room temp. And please note the post was not edited.

[dvalley (David Valley, License #566 - CMI)]

@Speedy Petey

David, PLEASE go back and re-read post #5. You are looking at it with your man vision. You are seeing only what you want to see.

I ONLY quoted the line about the breaker being at room temp. And please note the post was not edited.

But you posted “This is simply not so,” referring to my opinion.

Am I right?

[jonofrey (John Onofrey, TREC#6546)]

@Speedy Petey

You are looking at it with your man vision.

David, there has got to be a way to market this special ability!

Possible example for your website:

Our Inspectors use "Man Vision*" during the course of the inspection. This special ability insures our observations are superior to those who use just plain vision.

***Man vision tablets are available at your local NACHI mall outlet store. For added boost try our “Testosterone Vision” tablets. Not associated with “Women Vision” and “Estrogen Vision” which has been known to cause side effects such as outbursts of uncontrolled emotions, chronic crying and wild shopping sprees.

[Speedy_Petey]

@dvalley

But you posted “This is simply not so,” referring to my opinion.

Am I right?

Yes, I said your opinion that breakers should be at room temperature is flawed. I’m not sure how I could have been clearer.

[Speedy_Petey]

@jonofrey

David, there has got to be a way to market this special ability!

I’m not sure about you guys, but my man vision gets me in trouble all the time.

[Scott_Schultz]

Here in AZ, most main panels are attached to the outside of the home. When its 110 degrees outside, all the breakers show elevated temps because they’ve been in the heat. I will scan each breaker and look for a deviation from the average to see if any of them are overheating becuase here, they are usually all hot to the touch.

[dvalley (David Valley, License #566 - CMI)]

@Scott Schultz

Here in AZ, most main panels are attached to the outside of the home. When its 110 degrees outside, all the breakers show elevated temps because they’ve been in the heat. I will scan each breaker and look for a deviation from the average to see if any of them are overheating becuase here, they are usually all hot to the touch.

So, in your situation your room temperature would be the outside temperature. Right?
The sun is normally very hot and does actually heat up everything it reflects off of. So that would obviously make the breakers a tad warmer.

Oopps…I forgot, it’s not a room… I guess it must be an actual room to qualify for room temperature.

[mlarson (Michael Larson, WI Lic. # 1672-106)]

Anyone like the word ambient instead?