Danny D'Amico wrote:
On Tue, 19 Nov 2013 16:37:19 -0800, Oren wrote:

One of the AL wires looks to have heat damage on the insulation
(brown scorch) and a screw is corroded / rusted.

How you notice these things, from where you sit, and I don't even
*see* it when I'm directly in front of it, I'll never understand.

You're right! It's dark outside now (and I buttoned it all up),
but, here is a large-format picture that I had taken earlier.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7325/1...8917aa93_o.gif

What would make that huge neutral get that hot so as to melt
the insulation to a caramel color?

Could it be as simple as that rusty screw?

Hmm,
I wonder how long you have been living in that house not knowing all
this? I never lived in a preowned house. I always had mine built to my
liking(custom built) and have blue prints for building, hvac duct work,
plumbing, electrical lay out in the house. When I do some work on them
I always mark them on the prints. When I sell the house, new owner gets
them.