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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Friends:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>I narrowly avoided catastrophe yesterday. I created a tap connection on a 200 amp main breaker. I wrap split bolts with Scotch 2229 mastic and then cover that with a generous layer of Scotch 33+ tape. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>On this occasion, just as I was putting the dead front in place I noticed the glint of metal poking through the mastic and tape. The points on the legs of the split bolt are sharp and the mastic and tape had crept away from this point and exposed a tiny point of metal. This point would have contacted the dead front lightly or at least would have been in close proximity. Had I energized the breaker, I would have had a significant arc. I unwrapped both connectors so both bolts had the legs facing away from the dead-front, creating a good ½” of clearance and then wrapped them more carefully.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>30 years ago I had access to rubberized cloth tape that we used instead of the mastic. I suspect the cloth tape is more durable than the mastic, but I don’t see it in the supply houses anymore.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>How do the rest of you wrap split bolts so you are confident that the mastic won’t creep away from a high point on the connector?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Thanks in advance.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>William<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><img width=64 height=28 id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image003.jpg@01CF9066.A88ED2B0" alt="Gradient Cap_mini"><br>Lic 773985<br><a href="http://www.millersolar.com/">millersolar.com</a><br>805-438-5600<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>