Molten contacts and a lesson in observation

[Kjelt]

Didn't read the entire topic but for TS now you're AC is open, also discharge and measure the capacitance of the motor capacitor. If it is less than 70% of the original value, replace it.
That is one of the first parts to go next 
Had that experience three years ago after 15 yrs of operation, noticed that the motor would not start easy everytime and there was only 5uF left from the initial 47uF.

[tooki]

Solder seems like it helps initially, but it creeps under stress even worse than the bare copper.

I believe you, but it was getting bad.
I'm not sure that there is room for a ferrule though.

Given that the ferrule crimping process compresses away much of the air space between strands, its final crimped size is similar to the bare stranded wire.

And since it can’t be emphasized enough: get rid of the tinned section ASAP, it’s a fire hazard in waiting.

[Vovk_Z]

I wonder if a ferrule would prevent that failure

+1. It (stranded wire) definitely will burn without some kind of ferule.

[james_s]

I've never seen ferrules used in any sort of domestic equipment, even where stranded wire is used such as wiring run in flexible conduit.

[tooki]

I've never seen ferrules used in any sort of domestic equipment, even where stranded wire is used such as wiring run in flexible conduit.

Living in the US, I never saw them, either. Here, they're required by code now, so they've become commonplace.

Whether required or not, I highly recommend using them, they make all sorts of wire termination jobs easier, not to mention safer. (For example, I use Pomona screw-mount banana plugs for temporary custom test leads. With a ferrule, even comparatively thin wires hold securely under the set screw, and are MUCH easier to feed in, since the strands can't spread into a mess.)

[ajb]

Solder seems like it helps initially, but it creeps under stress even worse than the bare copper.

I believe you, but it was getting bad.
I'm not sure that there is room for a ferrule though.

Given that the ferrule crimping process compresses away much of the air space between strands, its final crimped size is similar to the bare stranded wire.

And for tight situations, you might want to use a ferrule crimping tool that produces a shape that matches the terminal opening.  So square or trapezoidal crimps for terminals with rectangular openings, hexagonal crimps for round openings.  It won't make a ton of difference, but it may make things easier even if the ferrule otherwise fits. 

Alternatively, there are crimp-on terminals that provide a pin or flat blade to fit in screw terminals.  At 4AWG you might even be able to find a reduction lug with a larger screw terminal opening in the back that will fit a ferrule and provide a pin or blade that will fit into the existing terminal.

[james_s]

Living in the US, I never saw them, either. Here, they're required by code now, so they've become commonplace.

Whether required or not, I highly recommend using them, they make all sorts of wire termination jobs easier, not to mention safer. (For example, I use Pomona screw-mount banana plugs for temporary custom test leads. With a ferrule, even comparatively thin wires hold securely under the set screw, and are MUCH easier to feed in, since the strands can't spread into a mess.)

They do seem like a good idea, until this thread I never knew they existed, I'll have to look around and see if I can get some as well as the tool for them.

[tooki]

Living in the US, I never saw them, either. Here, they're required by code now, so they've become commonplace.

Whether required or not, I highly recommend using them, they make all sorts of wire termination jobs easier, not to mention safer. (For example, I use Pomona screw-mount banana plugs for temporary custom test leads. With a ferrule, even comparatively thin wires hold securely under the set screw, and are MUCH easier to feed in, since the strands can't spread into a mess.)

They do seem like a good idea, until this thread I never knew they existed, I'll have to look around and see if I can get some as well as the tool for them.

The Chinese clone ferrule crimpers (the kind that squeeze from all sides, either 4 or 6 depending on type) work very well, just as usable IMHO as a Knipex that costs 10x as much. Well worth the $15. See the attached pic for the style I mean.

And for tight situations, you might want to use a ferrule crimping tool that produces a shape that matches the terminal opening.  So square or trapezoidal crimps for terminals with rectangular openings, hexagonal crimps for round openings.  It won't make a ton of difference, but it may make things easier even if the ferrule otherwise fits. 

100% confirm. I own a hex crimper, but can use square and trapezoidal ones at work, and you’re absolutely right that sometimes, one shape or the other is better. I’ve been meaning to order a cheap Chinese square crimper for home use.

Alternatively, there are crimp-on terminals that provide a pin or flat blade to fit in screw terminals.  At 4AWG you might even be able to find a reduction lug with a larger screw terminal opening in the back that will fit a ferrule and provide a pin or blade that will fit into the existing terminal.

Yeah, there are, but the quality of the tool and terminal is much more critical than with ferrules, so I’d sooner use ferrules when possible.

(For those new to the topic: a ferrule crimp isn’t intended to be a gas tight crimp like terminal crimps are. Ferrules are just to keep strands together. It’s still the screw terminal’s own compressive force that fully compresses the strands.)

[KaneTW]

I've never seen ferrules used in any sort of domestic equipment, even where stranded wire is used such as wiring run in flexible conduit.

I've only ever seen solid wire or stranded+ferrule or stranded+cage clamp except for one case that was a ticking fire hazard.

[james_s]

I've only ever seen solid wire or stranded+ferrule or stranded+cage clamp except for one case that was a ticking fire hazard.

Clearly it's a regional thing. They're just not something that was ever common here, maybe they are used in our industrial cabinets, I have not done a lot of work with those, but they are not used in American domestic applications. I don't know if code allows them or not, it's hard to say with that kind of thing.