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Joined: Oct 2000
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This Used To Be A Conductor Photos by Dave55: ![[Linked Image]](https://www.electrical-contractor.net/Forum/Images/WasConductor2.jpg)
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Joined: Nov 2000
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Is that an aluminum conductor that was installed underground? That's what normally happens to aluminum if there is a small nick in the insulation and the conductor is installed underground. Don
Don(resqcapt19)
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Joined: May 2004
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Ahhh, this looks very familiar! I once had a call at a mobile home park where about 8 units had no power... A month earlier a plumbing company installed a sewer cleanout near one of the affected units.. All the utilities in this place were in the same trench.. Tone traced it & lost signal right next to the cleanout.. Lo & behold I found direct burial #1 Aluminum conductors just like this there... I wonder if the plumber noticed a tingling feeling when he was doing his work? ![[Linked Image]](https://www.electrical-contractor.net/ubb/eek.gif) The circuit breaker controlling this did not trip (Zinsco 90A 240V).. -Randy
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What causes the white "globs" on conductors that get wet? I've seen this many times, but never knew why the formed....S
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Joined: Aug 2002
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I think the white crud is aluminium oxide.... Aluminium reacting with the oxygen in the water and probably who knows what else in the soil? Just a guess....I'm no chemist. ![[Linked Image]](https://www.electrical-contractor.net/ubb/smile.gif)
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Joined: Oct 2003
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I think the electricity in the conductor has a lot to do with it also.
Where's Scott35 ?? Surely he could give us an indepth explanation of this occurance.
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SvenNYC: I'm no chemist either, so I phoned one up. The white crud is aluminum oxide.
[This message has been edited by crash (edited 05-26-2004).]
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Joined: Jul 2002
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To agree with Crash, That is Aluminium Oxide, caused by fresh Aluminium being exposed to Oxygen. Water only accelerates the deterioration of the Aluminium metal below, the oxide surface. ![[Linked Image]](https://www.electrical-contractor.net/ubb/frown.gif)
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For aluminium conductor, air and moisture readily form oxides and hydroxides when in contact with the metal on its exposed surfaces—coincidentally happening to be superb {and merciless} insulators.
As is probably evident from the images, in time the oxides also migrate into cable-strand interstices.
Nonreversible tool-compressed terminations and splices are unbeatably durable for many decades of electrical-connection reliability [and survival of the electrical system.]
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