Electricians? - aluminum wiring

Avocado Dream

Well-Known Member
Some advice please: half my building is wired w/ aluminum wiring, have changed most of my switches and outlets to copper/aluminum type but they are expensive and low quality. I have a spec grade outlet I'd like to use for my main system, however it is not certified for aluminum wire. There is a special connector and tool available in the U.S. for pigtailing copper to aluminum - then I could use my outlet. The question is, how stupid would it be for me to just use wire nuts to pigtail some copper onto the end of the aluminum. None of the other fixtures in the building are aluminum approved - should I take a chance?

Thanks and regards - Dave
 
Just google for "aluminum wire" and you'll find out more than you wanted to know. There is a crimper and pigtails but you can't buy it - it's only leased to licensed electricans, in the US anyway. AFAIK.

Look here for some good info.

Murray
 
Get some REALLY good smoke detectors....

This has to have been the biggest mistake in the home construction industry EVER....
 
I don't know what exactly causes the fire in general -- but I do know that copper and aluminum DO NOT like to touch and will result in corrosion. Not good. Being certified for aluminum means no reaction = good.



dew.
 
If you are joining Al to Cu wire, there is a conductive paste which interferes with the normal galvanic reaction that causes corrosion. I use it when replacing switches and receptacles, as well.
 
My aluminium wiring corroded behind a light switch once - it kept on sparking (you could see it beneath the plastic covering).

I would get a qualified electrician to do anything. If you are a renter, get the building management to do it. If whatever you do causes a fire, there could be serious concequences.
 
I agree with GaryP on this one... Get a professional to do whatever needs doing in this case. Replacing switches or recepticles is simple enough, but not when you're trying to work your way through Cu/Al connections. Not to mention that the liability for future problems will fall squarely on you if you're renting. As Luvvinvinyl mentioned there is a paste available to stop the corrosive reaction, but all in all aluminum wire is just a king sized pain in the hiney to work with, and dangerous to boot. Which is why it's illegal to use in new construction (and has been here for over 20 years), and against code nationwide in the US.
 
Thanks for the info, Canadian info refers to approved connectors but doesn't specify any brand name, I suspect they would be the same Copalum mentioned on the U.S. site. I'll give a quick check at Home Depot to see if they have anything thats approved but won't hold my breath. Failing that I will call an electrician and find out if they can pigtail the wire for me, at least I'll have paper work to cover my butt (if it doesn't burn up). What scares me is that when I changed the fixtures to Co/Al, I told the super about it and got that blank stare. I would try the conductive paste except that we have a lot of seniors here and they can't run too fast. If it was my place, I would try it.
Thanks for the help, regards - Dave
 
Finally a thread I can actually add something too! I've been in the trade for 25 years, and here's my take. If it was my building, the easiest legal thing to do would be to replace the plugs and switches with CO/ALR devices like you have been doing. Yes, they are more expensive. But they are approved for attachment to aluminum wire. Even the cheaper grades are approved, if they have a UL listing. I'd also guess, that even using cheaper devices will be better than the old ones you have now, as far as safety and longevity.

Aluminum wire has 2 big draw backs. First, it expands and contracts much more than copper or steel, due to temperature. This creates loose connections which leads to heat, and possible fires. Secondly, Aluminum wire breaks easily when twisted or bent sharply. For this reason, using wire nuts is not an approved method in some areas of the country. Even the high pressure crimps are a pain when you have to fold it back into a box .
There are wire nuts approved for use on copper/aluminum connections which come with a dab of oxidation inhibitor, but care should be taken not to twist 'em so much as to break or crack the Aluminum. Keep in mind that the compound used is for corrosion protection, and has no effect on the expansion and contraction of this connection

Aluminum wire is still legal to use as main service feeders. This is because the wire is so large, you can actually put a wrench on the connection to get it sufficiently tight.

If you continue to change out the devices, take note of the insulation next to the screw terminals. If the insulation is not dis-colored or hard and brittle, then you know the connections were good. If you run across any suspect wires like this, cut them back, length permitting, to a point with good insulation, re-strip and attach. Make all your connections as tight as you can, short of breaking the device. Potential "bad" connections, sometimes are detectable by feeling the recptacle and wall around it to see if it warmer than surrounding areas. Bad terminations could be at any plug or receptacle, in-use, or not.

The last bit of advice would be, if this is a residence, I would consider putting any circuits in the bedrooms, on AFCI (arc fault circuit interruptor) breakers. This type of breaker has only been required for bedrooms, copper or aluminum, since 2002. They aren't cheap ($35), but you'll probably only need 3 or 4. They look the same as a GFCI breaker, but serve a totally different purpose. If you have a dangerous amount of arcing going on in a switch, plug, or light fixture in the bedroom, it will trip the circuit until the situation is fixed. The AFCI breaker would be a "must" for me, if it was my house. Worst time and place for a fire is when you're asleep in a bedroom. This is why smoke detectors are also required in every bedroom doorway area.

Sorry I went on so long
 
The house I had when I was married had combo wiring. The previous owner had hooked an outlet for copper to aluminium.One nite it went Pffft and half the electricity went off in the house.

I virtually had an electrician on call, his name was Bob Mcgee(no joke) He spent winters in Georgia

Alan
 
Avocado Dream said:
Thanks for the info, Canadian info refers to approved connectors but doesn't specify any brand name, I suspect they would be the same Copalum mentioned on the U.S. site. I'll give a quick check at Home Depot to see if they have anything thats approved but won't hold my breath. Failing that I will call an electrician and find out if they can pigtail the wire for me, at least I'll have paper work to cover my butt (if it doesn't burn up). What scares me is that when I changed the fixtures to Co/Al, I told the super about it and got that blank stare. I would try the conductive paste except that we have a lot of seniors here and they can't run too fast. If it was my place, I would try it.
Thanks for the help, regards - Dave

Their are special merrettes for aluminum to copper wire (ACS 63, larger size) and their is also a paste (GB Ox-Gard) that you put on the wire. Both are available at Home Depot, Ajax or Scarborough. I live in Pickering, home of a lot of aluminum wire because the houses were built in the late 60's - early 70's. Both seem to work well, I have done this several times and have yet to have a fire yet, thank goodness.
 
Aluminum wire her ein OH, that is a BAD word!!

Every since the Supper club fire in 77 or so (which As far as I know spelled the end of aluminum wiring in this state, and finally the country) NO ONE likes to talk about aluminum wire here!! Most people rmemeber the fire, (it was in kentuckey, and a lot of major stars performed at the Beverley Hills SC at one time or another) and it killed a lot of people.(I still remember the interruption over the radio of the news flash about the fire, I wa sno older than 10 at the time.) Aluminum wire(along with a LOT of "rigging of wiring altogether") was the offficial cause of that!!

I have ONE aluminum wire cable in this house, to my A/C unit. it is an 8-ga cable of romex. I keep tabs on it, and make sure it is good and tight, to prevent aa problem. (IMHO, whoever put in the A/C unit before I moved should have NEVER used that al. cable in the first place!!)
 
Thanks for all the great posts. KC, lots of great info - not too long at all, particularly the AFCI, had never heard of them before. I am now convinced to call in a pro, no sense tempting fate to save a hundred or so bucks. Whether marettes or high pressure connectors tis not for the newbie to play with.

Many thanks to all, regards Dave

When the time comes to buy my own home, aluminum wire is the deal breaker.
 
Just put a 200A service in my house.I helped my buddy put his in a couple years ago.After remodeling/wiring a motel,a stint as electrician in the slaughterhouse,and other gigs,I should have done it myself.But I couldn't get the help lined up.Called the local guy-He was pro all the way.Bottom line,by 1:30 in the afternoon service was in,powered up,and the power co. guy was trimming a stray tree limb near my service line.I would have spent a whole day running parts,and getting help lined up.For my $780 the new panel/meter fed my original panel,I had outdoor GFI outlets,and a feeder to the basement for the studio panel(my project!).Sometimes ya gotta know when to say when,and have'em do it right. Just my 2 cents.. A big thanks to kcollins4 :thmbsp:
 
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kcollins4 said:
Sorry I went on so long

Good post,
In short alooneyum sucks.

Been on a number of service calls where a customer was having
trouble with high current draw appliances. Appliances such as
ranges or dryers, the cause was the aluminum wire service going to them.
One guy almost burned his house down. It was arching in the wall.
 
markthefixer said:
Get some REALLY good smoke detectors....

This has to have been the biggest mistake in the home construction industry EVER....

Well copper was being used to kill the commies when aluminum wiring became "Popular"
 
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