Aluminum- Copper pigtail

[Vern Heiler]

The splice in this panel has me a little concerned. By the size and shape of the tape wads I would have to guess they are wire nuts and not copalum crimp splices. The house was built in 2000 and I think the purple wire nuts were code compliant at the time (and may still be), but can't tell if they are the Ideal #65 type or not.

There have been several threads regarding the different splices and the purple Ideal #65 is known to have failed.

What, if anything would you put in the report?

Thanks in advance.

[James Duffin]

It looks like they used a split bolt to change from alum to copper so the wire would fit on a 30 amp breaker. The only concern, if any, would be if they used a copper to alum split bolt. If I saw that and the rest of the panel looked OK I would not say anything.

Lot's of time the electrician does not know what is going to be installed so they run a wire to handle most anything. I bet this circuit is for an outside condensing unit or heat pump.

[Vern Heiler]

It looks like they used a split bolt to change from alum to copper so the wire would fit on a 30 amp breaker. The only concern, if any, would be if they used a copper to alum split bolt. If I saw that and the rest of the panel looked OK I would not say anything.

Lot's of time the electrician does not know what is going to be installed so they run a wire to handle most anything. I bet this circuit is for an outside condensing unit or heat pump.

Your right about it being for a/c, but the shape is "wire nut".

[Bruce Ramsey]

Just for argument sake...

Assumming both wires are copper, is there an approved wire nut that would handle the two different wire sizes?

And you have 2 breakers feeding a single wire with the lower splice. Turn off one breaker and the wires are still engerized.

Get a sparky in there.

[Jim Port]

Just for argument sake...

Assumming both wires are copper, is there an approved wire nut that would handle the two different wire sizes?

Most wire nuts are listed for a range of wire sizes. The wires do not have to be the same size.


And you have 2 breakers feeding a single wire with the lower splice. Turn off one breaker and the wires are still engerized.

Get a sparky in there.

I believe what you are seeing is the black conductor going to the 2 pole breaker below the one with the splice in question.

[Roger Frazee]

Why the splice? A 30 amp QO breaker will accept 8 awg al/cu.

[James Duffin]

Maybe it is a #6?

[Roger Frazee]

Maybe it is a #6?

HI James

Yeah could be....I was going by the 40 amp breaker below the 30 amp those wires look identical in size to me but I suppose they could both be # 6 and likely to be the case since they are aluminum..