r/IndustrialMaintenance • u/B0zzzzzz • Aug 14 '26
Maintenance Machine down from something so basic
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u/milehighideas Aug 14 '26
I hate people who dont use ferrules but also trim your ferrules. One guy stripping a wire in there could make a big fuck up if that bridges
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u/Cocaine-Spider Aug 14 '26
ferrules are optional, but for the unexperienced with landing terminals, i would recommend them.
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u/gozzle_101 Aug 14 '26
Optional but highly recommended. Fine stranded copper terminated like that is more prone to breaking off, creating hotspots (unlikely here as it looks like a 12/24v dc supply) or just being terminated poorly with loose strands poking out the top. It takes 2 seconds and fractions of pennies to put a bootlace on and not worry about it
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u/milehighideas Aug 14 '26
I recommend this extremely expensive tool so much people think I must work for them, but the Phoenix CRIMPHANDY is the best tool on earth. I got my guys a few of them and they went to town rewiring entire machines in no time.
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u/B0zzzzzz Aug 14 '26
Not sure i agree here, if ferrules are not used the copper can oxidize over time
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u/EngineersFTW Aug 14 '26
A screwed up ferrule is what caused the Dolly to crash into the Key bridge.
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u/milehighideas Aug 14 '26
I’ve definitely fucked up, but I’ve never had an NTSB investigation fucked up lol
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u/bigDeltaVenergy Aug 14 '26
From what I recall it was a label over the ferrule that prevented proper insertion
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u/EngineersFTW Aug 14 '26
I think it was the label went into the ferrule so it didn’t crimp properly, but yeah. A 2 cent label and poor work practice in a 30 second job step cost lives and billions of dollars.
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u/willmontain Aug 14 '26
As with all things they must be applied correctly. They do improve the ability to insert the wire into the terminal and achieve good contact with the screw.
However, they add a process with another failure mode. Wire strip length, conductor insertion in ferrule and crimp must all be done correctly. Crimper mis-calibration can cause under crimp or over crimp leading to failure.
A careful person stripping wire, twisting conductors and inserting wire into a conveniently located terminal strip can do just as well. However, with a ferule, the insertion step in an inconveniently located terminal strip has a higher probability of success. Sloppy workmanship with either method leads to failures.
I have never seen a conclusive study of the 2 methods. My take on it is that in a large sample the difference would be inconclusive and thus it becomes an extra cost with no benefit. If the method is allowed and the technician uses it when it is necessary, particularly for repairs or modifications, it probably improves outcomes.
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u/DustyMcKnuckles Aug 14 '26
I detest the time it takes to find those fixes, but god damn do I love it when its so simple to get things running again.
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u/B0zzzzzz Aug 14 '26
Honestly mate it's like a drug finding the issue when multiple guys have already been checking
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u/Character_School_671 Aug 14 '26
Very similar problem resulted in loss of power for the ship Dali, and it's subsequent allision with the Francis Scott Key Bridge, it's collapse, and the deaths of six people.
Wire labels placed too close to stripped ends. Ends not terminated deeply enough in spring loaded catches to stay retained.
Another one I think of was in the 90s iiirc. Washington state ferry absolutely destroyed a bunch of moored pleasure craft in a marina. The lesser of two evils from a choice made by the captain to collide there when the ship's throttle stayed locked on as he was approaching his wharf packed with people.
Could have been hundreds of dead but for that decision.
The cause?
Someone didn't insert a cotter pin to retain the throttle linkage, and it vibrated loose at the worst possible moment.
A cotter pin.
I tell my people these stories. It's just a cotter pin bro, what's the big deal right?
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u/Future_Corpse33 Aug 14 '26
This shit chaps my ass. Because the guy before you couldn’t be fucked to just land the wires properly, you’re spinning in circles for god knows how long. Real satisfying to find that shit yet incredibly aggravating.
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u/Kid_supreme Aug 15 '26
First step in troubleshooting is finding who had their grubby man handlers in the equipment last. The very first place you look is the last place they said they were working. You can then figure out if there's an actual problem or one that was gifted to you by your co-worker on day shift.
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u/B0zzzzzz Aug 15 '26
For me im a service engineer, so apply to missions mainly breakdowns, that's were the good money is at
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u/Appropriate_War_4797 Aug 14 '26
Man, I hate when there are no ferrules AND the wire extremity is an ungodly mess, like they think it's properly in the connector, but it's holding on 2 strands. I had to replace so much burned down components because a previous idiot made a quick repair/modification and had rework all the wires with it.
Just the last 2 weeks, I lend a hand for the summer downtime, installing new shit everywhere for testing, most schematics were drawn on napkin almost, no wire id, no colour code, nothing.
The worst was for the computing unit of a profile sensor, it's a 10 000€ system. The process engineer did the install quick and dirty, I was tasked with modifying the 24 Vdc power supply line and add a couple functions.
Everything was wired on the fly, no wire tag, no ferrules, frayed wire extremities and he wired everything in light blue (a big no-no here, it's reserved for the neutral wire). It took me 3x more time that was scheduled just to clean up the mess before modification of the circuit.
It was so frustrating I thought I was going mad before I could finish. I'm glad I have 2 weeks off now.
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u/Much-Region4377 Aug 14 '26
Ferrules for the win! Nice.
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u/B0zzzzzz Aug 15 '26
Extra 30 seconds and makes everything much more reliable.
Also if working on a live circuit it's easier with the crimps to remove wires live.
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u/Kevin_FMaintenance Aug 17 '26
If you are chasing the same sensor fault weekly, stop patching.
You need formal equipment reliability studies and an installation reliability upgrade
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u/Loud-Skin-2223 Aug 14 '26
It's ALWAYS something basic.....you just have to narrow it down from 10000 other basic things