Check your home electrical connections, friends

[godfodder0901]

If you can torque much more than 70 lbs with a "screwdriver", remind me not to arm wrestle you.

The torque rating for the conductor lugs of breakers is general measured in in-lbs. And usually in the 30-50 range.

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[Zoidz]

If you can torque much more than 70 lbs with a "screwdriver", remind me not to arm wrestle you.

lol, but typical circuit breakers and terminals are typically in the range of 20 to 60 inch-lbs.

Here's a Square D type QO spec sheet calling for 50 in-lb on 40A to 80A breakers. That's 4 foot-lbs. Can exceed that with a large screwdriver or 90 degree screwdriver, let alone putting vice grips on the screwdriver, which I have seen some people do.....

 

[beatle]

Or you can just crank it until it will not go anymore - which I found to be 70+

Given how 50 inch pounds felt with a torque wrench, I probably wasn't getting there with a regular screwdriver. This probably explains my melted receptacle, at least in part. I reefed on the philips terminals of my old 14-50 with a #3 driver and one was only finger tight when I did the autopsy. A lot of the 14-50s need 75!

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