Residential Electrical System Aging Research Project

Status Report, Proposed Phase II

Background
Concern has been expressed in the electrical community regarding the aging of
electrical systems in residential occupancies, possibly resulting in fires.
A question not yet fully answered is: Why is there a residential electrical fire
problem in the United tates, e!en though we ha!e such a good code"# Among
the potential answers may be that electrical components, li$e any product, age
o!er time. Coupled with this, residential electrical systems are seldom inspected
after original installation. %his pro&ect hopes to address this issue in two ways: a
sur!ey of the condition of representati!e samples of systems installed in different
eras and a more extensi!e documentation of components and systems in!ol!ed
at the point of origin of electrical fires. %his pro&ect will pro!ide critical information
to code writers ' especially for ()*A +, and the (-C ' as well as A./s,
electrical equipment manufacturers, installers, property owners, and insurers.
Goal
%he o!erall goals of the pro&ect are to:
a0 Characteri1e the condition of residential electrical systems of !arious ages2
and
b0 %o document the relationship between aging and selected electrical fire
experience.
Project Technical Advisory ommittee
3n 455, a %echnical Ad!isory Committee 6%AC0 was formed to o!ersee the
pro&ect, determine the detailed scope of acti!ities and pro!ide the resources
to support its implementation. 7embers of the %AC are listed in Appendix 3.
Scope and M.O.
%he pro&ect was di!ided into two *hases. *hase 3, complete in 8ctober of 4559,
was a planning phase. :uring this *hase, the %AC met ; times to determine the
detailed aspects of the program. 3n addition, to further define the plan, three
pilot pro&ects# were underta$en, one in 3llinois and two in Alabama. %he result
was a detailed implementation plan with the following components which will
carried out in *hase 33 of the program.
Part A! Survey o" Aged #iring Systems
ur!ey ample
%he goal of this portion of the pro&ect is to obtain component samples from
approximately <55 residences from a representati!e sampling of locations
encompassing the ma&ority of the en!ironmental conditions found throughout the
country. %hese areas were identified by the %AC as outheast 6)lorida0,
(ortheast 6(ew /ersey0, outhwest 6*hoenix0, West coast 6California0, (orthwest
68regon0, and (orthcentral 67innesota=Wisconsin0. >esidences will be selected
through collaboration with the local authority ha!ing &urisdiction, as well as
electrical contractors. ?i$ely candidates will be those residences scheduled for
extensi!e reno!ation or demolition.
>esidences selected will ha!e an age distribution from ,; to +; years.
.ar!esting *rocedures
)ield installed electrical system components from the ser!ice point to the outlet
point will be the target of the sur!ey. Any alterations in the systems and an
estimate of the date of alteration will be recorded.
@ased upon the results of the three pilot pro&ects, the %AC arri!ed at a list of
components 6below0 that could best be analy1ed and would pro!ide the most
data regarding the effects of aging.
<. , ft of the utility ser!ice drop and the ser!ice entrance cable.
4. er!ice entrance panel and , ft of each branch circuit wiring attached
to the panel. 6(ote ' do not operate any circuit brea$ers0.
,. >eceptacles from $itchen, bathrooms, laundry, outdoors, those
dedicated to ma&or appliances, and any that may loo$ or be suspect.
>eco!ery should encompass the outlet box 6without disturbing any
wiring0 and , ft of wire=pipe on each side.
9. Aitchen luminaires, outdoor luminaries and any luminaires that extend
into attic space. )or luminaries also reco!er lamps. >eco!ery should
include the outlet box and , ft of wiring.
;. ome wiring system and components from the attic and crawl space
areas.
B. elected &unction boxes, especially where splices may be
encountered, including , ft of wire from each box.
+. :e!ices such as meter soc$et, wall switches, fans etc should be
reco!ered if they show e!idence of problems.
C. Any cord sets should be reco!ered and labeled as to where they were
found.
8nDite %esting *rocedures
%he %AC also de!eloped testing procedures to be used during har!esting. %hese
procedures include ground continuity, polarity, line !oltage and percent !oltage
drop testing to be conducted if power was a!ailable, receptacle tension testing to
be conducted if there was not power a!ailable, and the procedures to follow
regarding the remo!al of the specified components. Along with the procedures, a
recommended equipment list needed for har!esting and testing was de!eloped.
.ar!esting 7ethodology ' Champions, %raining *rogram
.
@ecause members of the %AC would not be able to participate in all har!esting
sites, it was decided that !olunteers or Champions# would be identified and
as$ed to participate in the program. A total of se!en Champions, primarily
electrical inspectors or authorities ha!ing &urisdiction, were contacted in each of
the geographic areas identified abo!e and all ha!e agreed to participate in the
program. A list of Champions is included in Appendix 33.
Again, based on the pilot program results, a training program was de!eloped for
the Champions to clarify the goals, components, and procedures for the program.
?aboratory %esting
3n addition to data gathered onDsite, a comprehensi!e testing program will be
conducted on the !arious har!ested components including:
>eco!ered circuit brea$ers and fuses D calibration and terminal tightening
torque bac$Doff measurements
Wire and cable D dielectric and lineDtoDground testing
>eceptacles D temperature and bac$Doff tightening torque
?uminaires ' dielectric testing
A detailed description of these tests, which will be conducted at Underwriters
?aboratories, 3nc., is a!ailable from the )oundation upon request.
As phases of the testing are completed, the results will be recorded in an
electronic database a!ailable to %AC members.
Part B $ %ire Investigations
%he goal of *art @ is the de!elopment and implementation of an enhanced fre
investigation program to better understand the relationship of electrical
component aging and real fre experience. The project will select and collaborate
with one or more AHJs (local government or federal agency) and with them,
develop and test a questionnaire that specifcally includes recording the
estimated age of components/systems believed to be involved at an electrical
fres point of origin.
The participating authorities representatives will be trained in the questionnaire
completion. %he questionnaire will then be completed by a fire in!estigator or by
a fire in!estigator and an electrical inspector together. %his will lead to more
detailed insight into the cause of electrical fires and pro!ide clarification on
whether a fire is caused by the improper use or installation of components, the
electrical components themsel!es, or some other cause not related to the
electrical system.
@ased on typical frequency of electrical fire incidence, it is anticipated that a total
of <55 to 455 fires will be in!estigated during the pro&ect. %he results of the
in!estigations will be recorded in an electronic database a!ailable to %AC
members.
Products and Bene"its "or Participants
*eriodic progress reports on in site testing, laboratory testing and fire
in!estigations will be made to all pro&ect participants. :etailed data sets
collected from all segments of the pro&ect will be made a!ailable to participants.
3t is anticipated that three reports will be issued for the pro&ect2 on onDsite testing
and on laboratory testing2 on fire in!estigations2 and a summary technical report.
All pro&ect participants will ha!e first access to these reports2 they will be then be
distributed to affected parties, rele!ant ()*A %echnical Committees, and made
a!ailable to the public through the )oundationEs website.
A careful assessment of aging of residential wiring system, and any relationship
to electrical fire incidents, should pro!ide !aluable information for decision
ma$ers in the electrical safety community.
Schedule
%he field sampling, laboratory analysis and enhanced fire in!estigations will ta$e
place concurrently with an anticipated completion date of :ecember 455B. 3t is
expected that the summary technical report will be published by )ebruary 455+.
Estimated Budget
%esting and Analysis F<;5,555
Component hipping and torage F95,555
)ire 3n!estigation %raining and 3mplementation F,5,555
*ro&ect 7anagementG F<5C,555
8ther :irect Costs F,5,555
%otal *ro&ect Costs F,;C,555
>emaining *hase 3 )unds F<5<,555
3nD$ind Contribution F49,555
%otal *ro&ect Cost F4,,,555
* Project Management costs include: fundraising; assembling TAC; managing
TAC meetings; acting as testing contractor; liaison between TAC and
participating Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJ); site visits; orienting and
training collaborating AHJ's; contract negotiations; contract management;
coordinating review of reports; technical report(s) production and distribution;
communicating status and results to interested outside parties, etc.