Utility shed situation

With NEC in almost all cases new code changes only apply to new work. For outdoor receptacles that would be pretty much new construction, additions, major renovation.

I said have one located within 25 ft of any point on the perimeter. I think that's very reasonable, it's one receptacle every 50 ft. It's the same as what's there now for the AC, 25 ft.

See what they say. You could get your 15

IF I have nothing better to do, maybe I'll look into that. We have to look out for guys like Vic.

I have seen some hair dryers with a GFCI , or something like it) on the dryer cord.

I have not seen any, but read there are some compression couplings that allow you to install pigtails of copper to the aluminum wiring. It does take a special compression tool as the common compression type pliers do not have enough force to do the job.

That is an immersion detector, similar to a GFCI except the reference point is to a wire ring inside the throat of the hair dryer, not in imbalance of the in and out current.

It is the Copalum connector that requires a special tool and a certified installer. If you have room in the boxes there is also the Alumiconn, from King Innovation that is essentially a small bus bar in an insulated enclosure and each lug is Cu/Al rated. The Ideal 65 (purple) is U/L listed and still technically legal. It is the CPSC that doesn't like them. US and Canada disagree on a number of similar devices so I am not surprised that they like their home grown Marrette and not our Wirenut. Aluminum wire is an interesting thing. All aluminum wire is not bad. If the alloy is AAxx it is OK, It was only the original 6250 that was the problem but once the reputation was established the myth continued. The problem also only involved binding screw connections. Wire in lugs was never a problem it they were properly torqued. A loose connection is never good.

Why would I pay to have an electrician fly from Georgia to Morton Grove, IL? Homes here are metal conduit, nearly all built prior to GFCI. Unless they had a kitchen or bathroom remodel, THEY DON'T HAVE GFCIs. I just had a licensed electrician put a 60 amp breaker and a generator interlock in my service panel, and a village inspector pass the work. Neither said squat about GFCI. My SIL is a f****ng electrical contractor, and been all over this house, washing his hands countless times 2 feet below an unprotected outlet. Never said squat. I know about GFCIs, and AFCIs, and will have appropriate breakers installed when I feel like doing it. Until then, if a contractor wants GFCI protection, he'll have to bring it with him. Which is where this conversation started, and hopefully ends.

Unless they looked around the whole house, checked wet locations, etc, they wouldn't know whether you have GFCI or not. They were there for specific work on a permit. But if you called in a competent electrician to do any work where they realized that kitchen, bathrooms, outside were not GFCI, like Fretwell, I'd be surprised if they didn't recommend adding it.

Well, so much for his competence.

GFCI have been required for about four decades now, so if you haven't decided to put them in by now, I'd say it's not happening. BTW, you don't need breakers, in fact GFCI receptacles are better, since you can reset a trip right there.

Until then, if a contractor wants GFCI protection, he'll have to bring it

Wonder if your SIL does?

Copalum certified installers in Canada are scarcer than hen's teeth. The certification cost and rental cost of the tools (they can not be purchaced - or at least they were not available in Canada 5 years ago) makes the cost per termination daunting to say the least. Terminations run $15 to $25 per connection. Allumicons are also CSA approved and cost about $3 each in quantiitee uphere - and require a calibrated torque scewdriver for reliable installation. Common adjustable torque drivers run close to $300. Presets run around $100 each for decent quality name brand tools.

The thermoplastic purple ideal connectors are a small increment better than leaving the aluminum wiring alone. The biggest problem is IF the sonnection overheats the ideal is flammable - the ACS is not. The design of the "coil" in the connector is also different - and the ideal is inferior. It has NOTHING to do with the Marrette being Canadian and the Ideal american.Canadian electrical standards are significantly more stringent than American regs

Actually BOTH exist. The Wellong P8S is a commonly used GFCI plug assembly allong with the outdoor rated 3 wire GF9