Electric Vehicle Future

[Dean Hoffman]

This affects housing indirectly if the EVs create a super demand for copper. I worked with aluminum wire but it was direct burial in fields. I don't remember if AL wiring was tried for houses. <Writer John Hinderaker claims an EV future is impossible due to a lack of copper among other things.

He cite Professor Simon Michaux from Finland. I copied this from a Duck Duck Go search. Michaux has at least one piece of paper saying he's knowledgeable. "7 days agoHolding a Bachelor of Applied Science degree in Physics and Geology and a PhD in Mining Engineering from the University of Queensland, Simon has extensive experience in mining research and development, circular economic principles, industrial recycling, and mineral intelligence." I don't have the faintest idea if the Professor knows what he's talking about.

[Scott Lurndal]

AL has been used in houses. Both for branch circuit wiring and for service entrance; the later more commonly. It's perfectly safe WHEN INSTALLED AND MAINTAINED correctly.

As always, it best to use the source material rather than some synopsis written by a journalist.

Here is Dr. Michaux's actual report, note that some of his material requirements (e.g. Li metal) are considered an order of magnitude high by some commentors.

(Assessment of the Extra Capacity Required of Alternative Energy Electrical Power systems.)

His primary assumption is that the current Lithium Ion battery technology won't be superceeded by newer technologies (many of which are already in development) using different electrolytes and more abundent anode and cathode materials.

We've known for decades that known copper reserves only suffice for about 40 years, although the 'copper alliance disagrees:

Personally, I don't find the chart on the right compelling; Past performance is no indicator of future results.

And the conclusion of the Dr. Michaux's report:

"What may be required, therefore, is a significant reduction of societal demand for all resources, of all kinds. This implies a very different social contract and a radically different system of governance to what is in place today. Inevitably, this leads to the conclusion that the existing renewable energy sectors and the EV technology systems are merely steppingstones to something else, rather than the final solution. It is recommended that some thought be given to this and what that something else might be."

Kinda along the lines of:

[Marilyn Manson]

You'll know after you read this:

I've used these to pigtail aluminum wiring to CU only devices and to extend AL runs with CU cable.

[rbowman]

It was and got a bad reputation.

The company I worked for in the early '70s wound their own transformers and experimented with aluminum. It didn't work in that application but many large low voltage transformers use aluminum windings once the techniques were improved.

[Peter]

My previous home, built in 1970 was all AL wiring. It was miserable! I was used to doing my own simple electrical work, replacing faulty wall switches or pull chain ceramic ceiling fixtures, and substituting dimmer switches, self illuminated switches or silent action switches for the old fashioned "clunk" when turned on/"clunk" when turned off switches. When I tried working with the AL wiring, I realized it was very brittle and tolerated very little manipulation before snapping off at the nearest bend. Did some reading and learned about the problem of expansion/contraction loosening at connection points from heating when carrying high current loads and the risk of fires if not carefully maintained. Decided to leave anything and everything to electricians. As the years passed, fewer and fewer electricians were willing to work with it for liability reasons. The few I found charged much more than those that refused to work with it. The cost to mitigate the whole house was huge. Never had a charred connection point or a fire but it was a constant concern. I was very relieved to move to a place built in

1990 that had Cu wiring.

[micky]

My girlfriend asked the grocer, How much is your asparagus. $5 a pound.

She said, the grocer down the street charges $4 a pound.

So buy them down the street.

He's out of them.

When I'm out of them, I charge $2 a pound.

When I first looked at this place I liked it and I checked if it had copper wires. I'm glad I didn't have to go through what you went through.

[bud--]

Nice article. IMHO it is not clear enough - the problems with aluminum wire were when it was used on 15 and 20A circuits. Aluminum "rusts"? Back-stab devices were never listed for use with aluminum. I think the holes are now only large enough for #14, which eliminates aluminum.

I know of nothing as good as AlumiConn.

=================== Aluminum wire started to be used for 15 and 20A branch circuits about

1965 because of high copper prices. Because of problems (like fires) UL dropped its listing for aluminum wire and devices about 1971 and came out with new standards about 1972. That included a new aluminum alloy and CO-ALR (R=revised) devices. Aluminum use on 15/20A circuits dropped about 1973. The vast majority of installed wire is the "old technology" stuff. UL tests are done with "new technology" wire, which is not what is mostly in the field.

The CPSE contracted to have extensive testing done - thousands of aluminum connections. The CPSC appeared to be headed for a recall, which would have been very expensive. In the inevitable court case aluminum wire was determined to not be a "consumer product" and thus not under the purview of the CPSC. (This is probably one reason the CPSC dropped the investigation it had started on Federal Pacific (FPE) circuit breakers.)

A paper was published by the engineer in charge of the tests. The current version is:

The 1st version had a lot of nifty pictures of failing connections. This version is aimed more at how to make reliable connections.

AlumiConn is the best. I suspect that the screws dig through any oxide ("rust"?) layer. For large wire, which is reliable, screws in the lugs do the same thing. "Binding screws" on receptacles probably don't cut through the oxide.

I would abrade aluminum wire (to remove the very thin oxide surface) and then coat with anti-oxide paste. I have seen one lug that has that in the installation instructions.

[micky]

Aluminum oxidizes on the surface. When this happens with iron, it's called rust. Unlike iron, it doesn't continue after the first layer is formed and it doesn't eat away at the aluminum underneath.

I haven't read the link and I don't know if this is what they're referring to.