Pigtailing Aluminum wiring with copper....

[grant6607]

My house was built in the 70's and as a result was fitted with aluminum wiring. I want to pigtail all the outlets, switches and lighting with a small copper piece. As I understand it, this will help with problems of oxidization and over heating.

I am finding mixed information on the best way to do this. I know there is an anti-oxidization paste i should be using but can't find if there is a special type of connector needed?

Is there a special connector required for aluminum to copper connections? Is there a preffered brand of anti-oxidizing paste?

Thanks so much for any advice!!!!!

-- Grant

[grant6607]

Apologies, i should have known better and searched before posting.

I have found most of the answers in thei post:

Basically I can use AL\\Cu connectors as long as the anit-oxidant paste is used.

Grant

grant6607 wrote:

[Eric in North TX]

My electrician made reference to a splice from aluminum to copper which is safe, I did a little internet search and came up with this: The crimp connector repair consists of attaching a piece of copper wire to the existing aluminum wire branch circuit with a specially designed metal sleeve and powered crimping tool. The metal sleeve is called a COPALUM parallel splice connector and is manufactured only by AMP Incorporated. This special connector can be properly installed only with the matching AMP tool. This tool makes a permanent connection that is, in effect a cold weld. An insulating sleeve is placed around the crimp connector to complete the repair.

Source:

[RayV]

This was posted as an option by another a few days ago:

go to this site to get more info: 'pigtailing' can make the problem worse.

[gfretwell]

There is a new device that is DIY friendly

[Joe]

Wouldn't it make better sense to rewire the house to current codes with all copper? Given this situation there may be a price break on your fire insurance, and for sure the peace of mind. Modernizing could (and should) also include GFCI outlets and more robust wiring runs. Your old system was temperature rated at 60C IIRC, while newer insulations are rated 105C today. Many older 240V installations as well used ungrounded

3 prong sockets which should be 4 prong now, with 2 hot wires, one neutral and a ground. Sure it might set you back some $$, but it beats coming home to a pile of smoldering rubble.

Joe

[Tony Hwang]

Hmmm, Give me one instance of house burning down with Al wire. Properly done, it's not that bad. My last house where we lived for 20 years had Al wire. Never had any trouble. If it's done shoddy, then it's different. But shoddy work with copper wire is not any better. Knowing what/how to do using proper parts is the key.

[John F.]

Would the easiest way to determine if the house wiring is aluminum and not copper be to remove the panel cover and visually see if all the circuits are AL wire? I have looked at several 70's houses to purchase and have forgotten to ask about AL or CU. Thanks.

[tom]

To help you, I only know of, and seen used, the only wire nut UL listed, for AL/Cu Connection, so I've been told. It's the "Purple Nuts" pretreated with a NoOx, Twister® Al/Cu Wire Connector.

When I flipped through a EC&M, I found another manufacturer has come out with another type of connector, AlumiConn? Aluminum to Copper Lug. Made by King Innovation. Infact it looks so good, I might order up one of their free samples.

Note with doing any work with Al wire, it is not as forgiving as Cu. You need to make sure you follow all manufacturer instructions (per NEC 110.3.b), and peform all work in a professional manor (NEC

110.12). Add I was told the 'purple nuts' were a one time use. Meaning you cannot reuse them, so prepare your work a head of time, and per the NEC, only qualified personnel can do electrical work, so this post isn't a how-to, just a fyi for a starting point for research.

Good luck.

tom

[Joe]

How about this?

other opinions simply Google 'aluminum wiring house fires'. Scary. Since the average house has hundreds of electrical connections it is highly unlikely that all of them would be perfect in an Al/Cu system. The bargain-built houses of years ago used Al as one cost cutting means, and if cheap back-stabber oulets were another cost savings, you have a recipe for trouble. But if you like to take chances, well, that's your choice.

[RayV]

Also check the sheathing of the romex and look for AL markings. The home inspector for the house I bought last year did the 'pull & peek' method. Turns out my house has Cu-clad AL wiring. fancy term for aluminum wire with a thin coating of copper.

The Cu-clad sucks also. Yesterday a breaker tripped for the washer, went downstairs to reset it and it was hot. Looked a little closer and the insulation was partially melted and the wire was loose. I pulled the wire and cut it back and stripped a new length. The piece I cut off was compressed and deformed so it was 'tight' at one time. When I found out about the aluminum wire I tightened up every lug in the box in March, 5.1 months later and 4 were loose again...

[volts500]

Try this:

down about 1/4 of the page and check out "Aluminum Wire Failure Reports & Photos" There are 110 electrical fires a day in the USA. All of them because of copper wire?