COPPER -ALUMINUM WIRE REPAIRS

[CHARLIE VAN FLEET]

HEY ALL

as you know from around 1965-1973 copper wire was not used in many homes for branch wires. this was during the vietnam war and copper was used else where.

well i would like to know what you recommend ,besides a quaified electrician for the proper fix to convert alum to copper there are very few--like three electricians here in denver that use the cripper toll mentioned in web below.

consumer labs and underwriters labs claim the purple wire nut is not a preferred fix now because of many failures.what is the staus in your area and what do you recommend. if you do make a recommendation

thanks

charlie


www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/516.pdf (http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/516.pdf)

[A.D. Miller]

HEY ALL

as you know from around 1965-1973 copper wire was not used in many homes for branch wires. this was during the vietnam war and copper was used else where.

well i would like to know what you recommend ,besides a quaified electrician for the proper fix to convert alum to copper there are very few--like three electricians here in denver that use the cripper toll mentioned in web below.

consumer labs and underwriters labs claim the purple wire nut is not a preferred fix now because of many failures.what is the staus in your area and what do you recommend. if you do make a recommendation

thanks

charlie


www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/516.pdf (http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/516.pdf)

CVF: CPSC trumps all code and all other opinions.

[CHARLIE VAN FLEET]

AD

do you go by cspc or what do you recommend ??

cvf

[john_opwin]

Silver is more conductor than any other metals, but it is highly precious. Current flows with fasted speed in silver. Aluminum and coppers are available at regional cost and more conductor of current. the basic reason behind using aluminum and copper is cheaper and high temperature tolerating power.

[Bill Kriegh]

The AlumiConn connector by King Innovations is a UL approved method for splicing and pig tailing branch circuit wiring for #12 and #10 aluminum wiring. It uses the same method of connecting the wire present in the panel for neutral and ground connections and the only "specialty" tool required for installation is a torque screwdriver.

As a side note, if the CPSC is going to recommend or non-recommend items for use in electrical work they ought to keep up with current products. And, if they have problems with a particular product they need to ban its' use and let the legal processes take their course and decide if the failures stem from a defective product or improper installation, likely the case with the purple wire nuts.

That the CPSC and UL disagree that purple wire nuts are an acceptable method for connecting aluminum wire is a good indication that one is wrong and that the methods used to test by one or the other is in question. UL approval gets something approved for use by the NEC. Approval by the CSPC doesn't.

I'm also curious what the CPSC is doing getting involved with something that isn't normally considered "consumer goods" (think appliances, furniture, and toys) and offering opinions on what is essentially construction materials.

[Bill Kriegh]

So, what department are the CopAlums in?

[Bruce Ramsey]

North Carolina Licensure board "strongly recommends" the following statement be added to reports.

Single strand aluminum wire is present on 120 volt branch circuits in this house. This single strand, branch circuit aluminum wire was used widely during the 1960s and 1970s. According to reports published by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), problems due to overheating at the connections between the wire and devices such as switches, outlets, and light fixtures may have been responsible for house fires. It is recommended that the circuits using single strand aluminum wiring be evaluated and modified as may be deemed necessary by a licensed electrical contractor who is familiar with the problems inherent in this type of wiring. For more information on aluminum household wiring, refer to the National Electrical Code and the C.P.S.C. booklet "Repairing Aluminum Wiring." The toll-free hotline number for obtaining this booklet is 1-800-638-2772, or you can visit http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/516.pdf.

http://www.ncdoi.com/OSFM/Engineering/HILB/Documents/AluminumWiring.pdf

[Bill Kriegh]

Hey AD. Sorry I'm not keeping up with the conversation. My list of posts in this thread evidently is lacking the one where the OP's question changed from what connectors were OK to what the CPSC thought about aluminum wire. Of course we are now talking about the last word in what's OK coming from the outfit that couldn't find anything wrong with FPE breakers. I suspect some of your "real world" time away from a computer screen where you can befuddle and bamboozle with that infinite knowledge you have has somehow been squandered. Pity.

I do keep reading and sharing your posts as there's a group of us that find them somewhat entertaining. That's probably as scary as FPE breakers.