Re: Gecko burned out (not about tinned leads)

>
> So, I'm curious. How does a loose wire (not shorting to something)
> burn up a Gecko? Too much kick back voltage from the inductive
> load? This sounds like another "legend" that has been told so many
> times it becomes fact.
>

Tom:

I'm sure it's not the case here, but a loose connection in the power
world tends to cause arcing. This in turn causes heat. In
electrical switchgear (or meter connection blocks) this can, over
time, heat the copper lugs and surfaces to the point that they lose
their elasticity. Also the arcing causes microscopic pits, further
eroding the surface and increasing the heat. After a while, heat
sensitive stuff like circuit breakers, fuses and insulation tend to
break down.

Jeff