ALUMINUM WIRING HAZARDS & REPAIRS
ALUMINUM WIRE RISK
HOW TO RECOGNIZE ALUMINUM WIRING
HOW TO REDUCE THE RISK
REPAIR ELECTRICIANS
OTHER REPAIR PRODUCTS
COALR & CU-AL DEVICES
DETAILED EXPLANATION
More Information
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Other Products Sold for Repairing Aluminum Wiring
ElectricAPedia ©
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- Other products sold for repair of aluminum wiring connections:
- Caution - some of these products are not recommended or have been superceded by newer listed products
- This website answers nearly all questions about aluminum wiring inspection, hazards, repairs
Our site offers impartial, unbiased advice without conflicts of interest.
We will block advertisements which we discover or readers inform us are associated with bad business practices,
false-advertising, or junk science. Our contact info is at
inspect-ny.com/appointment.htm.
Aluminum wire connections can overheat enough to start a fire without ever drawing enough current to trip a circuit breaker.
© Copyright 2008 Daniel Friedman, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left. Use the links at page left to navigate this document or to go to Other Website Topics. Green links at left show where you are in our document & website.
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OTHER ALUMINUM WIRING REPAIR PRODUCTS: for Aluminum Electrical Wiring - Ideal 65 Purple Twister and Other Aluminum Wire Products/Articles
Currently-recommended aluminum wiring repair products & methods such as the AMP/TYCO COPALUM TM crimp connector and the AlumiConn TM connector, as well as other aluminum
wire repair methods can be read-about at How to Reduce the Risk of Aluminum Wiring.
Aluminum Wiring Connectors or "repair methods" which are obsolete or which are not recommended, such as
the Scotchlok TM 3M Special Method, and aluminum wiring connectors and repair methods such as the
Ideal-65 TM Purple Twist On Connector, electrical switches and receptacles marked "COALR" or "CU/AL", or conventional twist-on wire connectors
are described just below.
 Scotchlok 3M Special Method [- superceded by new alternate repair as of June 2007 -]: this ""Scotchlok 3M Special Method was previously recommended as independent tests showed that it performed acceptably.
While this repair method has been superceded by new alternate repair methods as of June 2007, we have kept this description available to aid home buyers, electricians and home inspectors
who may discover or need to be able to recognize this aluminum wire repair method if it was previously used in the building. A summary of this method is at "Scotchlok 3M connector" and details of this method are at Aluminum Wire alternative repair: Special Aluminum Wire Repair Method
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 Ideal-65 Purple Twist On Connector the Ideal 65 Twister (don't call it a "wire nut") - this one doesn't work - purple twist-on connector sold for aluminum wire repair
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- Dr. Jesse Aronstein, "Evaluation of a Twist-on Connector for Aluminum Wire", Forty-Third IEEE Holm Conference on Electrical Contacts, Jan 1997, 0-7803-3968-1/97.
[This article describes the Ideal Industries Ideal#65 purple "Twister" twist-on connector marketed as a repair/retrofit for residential aluminum wiring.--DJF]
Abstract: A new type of twist-on splicing component for use with aluminum
and copper wire combinations is tested to determine initial resistance, performance in a zero-current environment test, performance in a heat-cycle test, and portion of current carried by the connector's steel spring. The splices tested consist of two aluminum wires and one copper wire. The aluminum wire samples used for the test are of the types actually installed in aluminum-wired homes. Initial resistance is found to be relatively high,
and there is a significant sample-to-sample variation. This reflects failure to consistently establish low-resistance wire-to-wire contact through the insulating oxide film on the wire. Results of the environmental and heat-cycle tests show deterioration of a significant portion of the samples. The splices made with this connector are also found to be sensitive to mechanical disturbance, such as applied in
normal installation when the completed splice is pushed back in to the junction box. Based on the test results, it is concluded that this connector has not overcome the fundamental deficiency of twist-on connectors for use with aluminum wire applications. Keywords: aluminum wire, connectors, twist-on connectors, environmental test, heat-cycle test.
Electrical Receptacles and switches marked "COALR" or CU/AL are also not recommended for aluminum wiring repairs:
The photograph shows a back-wired electrical receptacle
with an aluminum-wired branch circuit. In this photograph case
the electrical receptacle was marked as "AL-CU" but was further marked as Backwire CU-ONLY by
its manufacturer.
[Photograph courtesy of Roger Hankey. Contributions of photos of CU-AL and COALR recptacles are sought by the author.].
See Using COALR or CU-AL Electrical Outlets and Switches with Aluminum Wire
for the details of these COALR or CU-AL (or AL-CU) products and why they should not be used with aluminum wiring.
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Technical Reviewers
Particular thanks are due to experts and also consumers who read these articles and suggest corrections, changes, and additions to
the material. Content suggestions, technical corrections and content critique are invited for any of the content at our website.
- Daniel Friedman - principal author
- Dr. Jess Aronstein, Poughkeepsie, NY
- Hankey and Brown home inspectors, Eden Prairie, MN, technical review by Roger Hankey, prior chairman, Standards Committee, American Society of Home Inspectors - ASHI. 952 829-0044 - hankeyandbrown.com
- Critique, contributions wanted: Contact Us to suggest text changes and additions and, if you wish, to receive online listing and credit for that contribution.
Contents -- More expert information on Aluminum Wiring
Use links at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.
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ALUMINUM WIRING HAZARDS & REPAIRS
ALUMINUM WIRE RISK
HOW TO RECOGNIZE ALUMINUM WIRING
HOW TO REDUCE THE RISK
REPAIR ELECTRICIANS
OTHER REPAIR PRODUCTS
COALR & CU-AL DEVICES
DETAILED EXPLANATION
More Information
InspectAPedia TM Home & Site Map
Air Conditioning
InspectAPedia Bookstore
Electrical
Environment
Exteriors
Heating
Home Inspection
Insulate Ventilate
Interiors
Mold Inspect/Test
Plumbing Water Septic
Roofing
Structure
Accuracy & Bias Pledge
InspectAPedia TM Home & Site Map
Contact Us
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More Information on Aluminum Wiring Hazards and Other Building Diagnostic Inspections and Repairs
 The Aluminum Wiring Information Website Aluminum Wiring Hazards and Repairs: in-depth info, photos, documents. Main Page.
- The Aluminum Electrical Wiring Hazard Explained (in the document you are presently viewing)
- How to Reduce the Risk in Buildings with Aluminum Electrical Wiring - Overview of Acceptable Repair Practices (in the document you are presently viewing)
- Aluminum Electrical Repair Method Details - "How to" details, how to identify, COPALUM repair, alternative repairs, history, products, research, source of special AMP TYCO COPALUM connectors & COPALUM Electricians (in the document you are presently viewing)
- COPALUM Electricians: Sources of TYCO COPALUM -Certified/Trained Aluminum Wire Repair Services (in the document you are presently viewing)
- Other Products, Ideal 65 Purple Twister (not recommended), & other Aluminum Wire Products/Articles (in the document you are presently viewing)
- The Aluminum Wiring Bibliography: extensive resources on Aluminum Wiring
- Aluminum Wire Failure Reports & Photos: Real life aluminum wiring field failure reports
- Reducing the Fire Hazards in Aluminum-Wired Homes, Jess Aronstein, Ph.D., This document answers most technical questions about the hazards and remedies of aluminum electrical wiring. Some of the sections of this very thorough document are listed below:
- Fire Hazards With Aluminum to Copper Twist-on Connectors & Acceptable Aluminum Wiring Repair Practices Color Photos, Current Issues. 9/28/95 CPSC Meeting Minutes
- "Is YOUR Aluminum Wiring Safe?" article discussing safety claims made by some people without looking at the wiring, J. Aronstein, 11/21/95
- "Repairing Aluminum Wiring," U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Publication CPSC#516 available online
- * Safety Hazards and Safe Inspection Procedures for Electrical and Home Inspectors at Residential Electric Panels
- Electrical Panels, How to Inspect in Buildings, safety for electrical inspectors, electrical panel, fusing, wiring defects, defective products. Inspection Class Presentation
- Electrical System & Wiring Hazard Inspection, Detection, Cause, Remedy, Prevention - Main Electrical Page
- Directory of Home Inspectors accessible via Internet
 InspectAPedia TM Home & Site Map - Building Inspection, Diagnosis, & Repair, Environmental Inspection & Testing - Research Website
 Home Inspection Construction Consulting Services & advice for home buyers
 Contact Daniel Friedman for website content suggestions or for fee-paid consulting
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