Paste or Scorch?

This is from a home that is approximately 5 years old. Is that the anti-oxidant paste or something else? Looking at the white wire, does the paste stain the wire like that or is that a scorch? Just trying not to look stupid.

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Other than the fact the conductors dont look like they are fully inserted into the lugs…that looks to me like anti-ox to me…now what i use is black…but I have also seen white so rulling out the color tells me nothing.

Since the image makes it look brown…I will assume it would stain a white jacket is smeared on it…I dont see any other signs of damage that I can tell.

Thanks, that’s what I thought but, like I said …

Heat will discolor the lug

greg…does not look like a heat issue to me…does not look uniformed enough for me…and it is the color of the no-ox…I dont think I would write that up as over heating if I were doing the inspection.

Wait…greg are you refering to the LUG itself…I have seen a nice silver shinny LUG turn a golden color when overloading the neutral has occured…is that what you are speaking of as well…

Yup, an overheated connection will usually toast the lug.