electrical service sweating in 2 spots about 1-1/2" dia.

[wirenut]

Hello!

My service panel is sweating in 2 spots about 1-1/2" in dia., one on the side and one on the cover. F.Y.I.: The breaker inside the panel where the sweating is occurring is the one of two for the furnace. The furnace is electric. The panel is in the basement, the basement is dry but cold about 45 degrees. The house was built in 1962. We just bought the house Oct' 2103. Since then we installed a humidifier in the furnace duct and had it turned up too high "we had condensation on our ceilings and the water was running down the walls" needless to say we turn it down and that problem went away. The house also has very little insulation in the attic. So the plan is to add insulation up there. Sorry back to the condensation spots on the panel. Does it mean that possibly the breaker is getting warm due to resistance or do I have a different problem?

Thanks in advance for any insight!!!

Gary the Wirenut

[HayZee518]

condensation

for condensation to occur one thing has to be cooler than its surroundings. a glass sweats in the summer because the ice and glass is cooler than the surrounding air.
if your air around the breaker panel is cooler than the two spots inside the panel [i.e. two breakers] then you'll have moisture spots.
try shutting off the breakers, remove the wire and squirt some anti oxidation goo on the wires then put back in and screw it down TIGHT!

the anti-ox will cut down on the resistance which may be happening between the screw and wire.

[wirenut]

Thank you

for condensation to occur one thing has to be cooler than its surroundings. a glass sweats in the summer because the ice and glass is cooler than the surrounding air.
if your air around the breaker panel is cooler than the two spots inside the panel [i.e. two breakers] then you'll have moisture spots.
try shutting off the breakers, remove the wire and squirt some anti oxidation goo on the wires then put back in and screw it down TIGHT!

the anti-ox will cut down on the resistance which may be happening between the screw and wire.

Thank you!