Charred Copper wires in Main Panels - InspectionNews

John Tullous · #1 (**permalink**) 04-05-2007, 04:54 AM

I Posted this photo some time back and never really got a solid answer from anybody. A lot of speculation, but I have plenty of that myself. History of this mystery.
Main House Panel in the two garage- garage is conditioned with an amateur add on branch line from adjacent living room.
All Copper wires are charred. Nothing Else
I pulled back the insulation on several neutrals and bright shiny copper was there??? This has to be a chemical/vapor reaction of some kind that only affects copper. Only the Copper was affected- nothing else
House was a repo. I'm think and leaning heavily towards the idea that this was a METH LAB at one time.

#2 (**permalink**) 04-05-2007, 05:21 AM

Hi John,

I have not seen anything like that myself. You may be right. Here is a sight published by Forensic Applications Consulting Technologies, Inc. that may give you some info on meth labs. You may consider contacting them for more info.
Recognizing a Methlab

#3 (**permalink**) 04-05-2007, 11:42 AM

I agree, I'm thinking Meth lab. If not, someone stored some strong chemicals next to the panel.

Did the home have a pool?

Would chlorine vapor have that same effect? Don't know, looks like what ever it was was very strong.

John Tullous · #4 (**permalink**) 04-05-2007, 01:30 PM

Nope, there wasn't a pool. And thanks for the tip on the Forenic Lab people will give that a try. thanks again

william siegel · #5 (**permalink**) 04-05-2007, 03:28 PM

John,

Did you check any of the outlets to see if the wires are also black? If I remember correctly, Jeff Hoope once said that the outlet wires are black, there is some sort of chemical problem and with wires will need to be replaced. Mabye Jerry or Jeff will read this and expand on it.

Jerry Peck · #6 (**permalink**) 04-06-2007, 10:25 AM

Could be caused by a ground or neutral problem.

Could be caused by an environmental condition, charging batteries, such as for a boat, golf cart, car, etc.

I doubt it was a meth. lab or something like that.

I've seen that in the mildest of forms, i.e., just turning purple on a new construction house with the electrical just being used for temporary power and still under construction.

I've seen it in the worst conditions where the oxidation is falling off and is laying in the bottom of the panel.

I've also seen it in green instead of purple.

Typically, the green is chemical, fertilizer, etc., which are stored open in the same room as the electrical equipment. The worst case of green oxidation I saw included everything copper covered with green corrosion (oxidation), including the copper water pipes in the room, the copper finish door knobs and hinges (but only on the storage room side, the garage side copper door knobs and hinges where not affected). And, yeah, there was an old bag of fertilizer which appeared to have fallen off a shelf many years earlier and split open, and was left there for those many years.

The green oxidation is copper oxidizing.

The purplish color is sulfur oxidizing the copper, such as from the sulphuric acid in the batteries mentioned.