On 10/16/2015 05:21 PM, Terry Coombs wrote:
philo wrote:
On 10/16/2015 04:29 PM, Texas Kingsnake wrote:
Hi there. Back again with a new problem.

My wife was doing the laundry and I was working near the circuit
breaker panel. When she turned the machine on I heard a loud buzz
from inside the box. Less than a second long. I had her turn the
machine off, took off the panel cover and watched as she turned the
machine back on. I saw arcing at the left-handed side of the panel
at the point where the heavy black cable from the street enters the
box. I had her turn the machine on and off and it happened again. Then
I pushed the black wire right where it enters the clamp and it
hasn't happened again, despite having all the same lights and
appliances on. I am thinking the clamp has loosened over time. I am
going to get a
well-insulated screwdriver, put on very heavy rubber gloves and am
going to try to tighten the clamp which may have not been tightened
in 40 years. Does the power *really* need to be killed at the meterhead?
I've
changed out breakers without killing main power (so much frikkin'
stuff needs to be reset after a power shutdown that I hate doing it)?

Anything else I should consider? Is the washine machine motor about
to fail and is drawing a huge amount of current at startup? How do
you even measure the inrush(?) current in such a case. Would
pressing on the wire near the clamp cure it temporarily or is some
other process in play? What would account for it happening twice and then
not happening
again. The only real intervening act was to push on the wire jacket
at the point it enters the clamp on the circuit panel. Very strange.

TKS





Yes, the power has to be OFF


...however... DO NOT FOOL with it . call a licensed electrician
ASAP

Just tightening the connection is not going to be a fix as since there
was arcing, some burned wires and connectors will need to be replaced

Really ? Without seeing the situation you are going to tell this guy stuff
needs to be replaced ?


Yes, He said it arced. That means there is 100% chance burning of some
type has taken place.
I go along with have a licensed electrician check it
, since the OP doesn't seem to understand how serious this *COULD* be , but
it could also be as simple as tightening the screw and walking away .


That's how houses burn down...


I think all here agree that a qualified electrician should handle this.