American Electric of Jacksonville has been hired for a residential electrical contract at the Monaco Arms Apartment Complex. Located in the Highlands area of Jacksonville FL, near the Jacksonville Zoo & Gardens, one of the buildings within the community lost power leaving the residents without any amenities that require electricity.
The power went out on a Saturday and American Electric had no hesitation to call staff to the job site and resolve the issue. A high-powered generator was used to temporarily supply the building with electricity until the job was fully completed. This allowed the families to continue with their daily activities without having to relocate to a hotel.
Working through the weekend, troubleshooting to find where the circuit was broken, American Electric used a toner to trace the circuit. A toner is similar to a metal detector as it detects where electricity is present on a wire or cable. Over time Electricians have nicknamed the probe to the “voodoo stick.” Electrical technicians followed the path of the wiring with the toner from a panel across the street until the detection of electricity became faint, locating the break in the circuit.
A small trench was dug to reach the aluminum wiring and it became aware the 30-year-old cable had been burnt. At some point the wire had been nicked, either by the factory which caused oxidation to occur. Aluminum oxidizes differently than other metals, turning white instead of a red and breaking the connection.
By Monday, the break was repaired by replacing the wiring using crimps to secure the connection. No matter if it is the weekend and a day at the beach is planned, American Electric will be there to turn your lights back on.