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Is YOUR Aluminum Wiring Safe?

The condition and safety of aluminum electrical wiring and devices in specific individual homes cannot be reliably assured by someone who has not examined it!

Yet in response to inquiry by owners or buyers of homes served by aluminum electrical wiring, we have recurrent reports that some individuals in the field, building inspectors, electricians, building code officials, industry representatives, express the view that "Aluminum wiring in your house not likely to be a real problem," or words to that effect.

The condition of aluminum electrical wiring connections varies over an very wide range from building to building and among individual circuits and devices within specific buildings. It is possible for very unsafe conditions to be present, but not visible.

It is inaccurate and dangerous for anyone to make any representation about the condition of aluminum wiring in a specific property "over the telephone," and without on-site specific inspection and testing by a qualified expert who is familiar with aluminum wiring issues.

In explanation, we've attached the text portion a 2/3/94 letter from an expert on aluminum wiring, addressing this problem. The author, Dr. J. Aronstein, can be contacted at protune@aol.com, or contact me, Daniel Friedman. Extensive information about identifying and repairing aluminum wiring safety hazards is at ALUMINUM WIRING HAZARDS & REPAIRS.

                                                           February 3, 1994
(original addressee info)
(deleted by DJF)

Subject: Aluminum wiring (deleted)


Dear Mr. (deleted)


You requested my comments on the safety of the aluminum wiring at (deleted)
and my review of the written materials provided.  The question to be answered
is this - are the connections to the aluminum wire at (deleted) safe?  Without
determining what types of connections are in the system and how they were
made, nobody can answer the question.


Are the receptacles back-wired or screw-terminal wired? If screw-terminal
wired, how is the wire placed under the screw (straight in or wrapped around)?
Are the screws steel or brass? Are the screws plated with zinc on the neutral
side? What kind of splicing connectors exist in the system? If twist-on
connectors ("wire nuts"), are they the live spring or restrained spring type?
Did the installer abrade the aluminum wire before connecting to remove the
oxide? Were the spliced wires pre-twisted together? Was a corrosion inhibitor
used on all connections? Given the answers to these questions (from direct
observations), an evaluation of the relative safety of the wiring system at
(deleted) can be made.




The information that they were provided with misleads as often as it informs.
What the committee was given, for the most part, was organizational positions
rather than useful information. For instance, references to aluminum cable
being used in the Boeing 747 at the World Trade Center and in overhead power
distribution are not relevant, since the connections systems used are quite
different from those installed at (deleted). What the NEC, the UL standards,
local codes, and the wiring practices were at the time of installation and how
they have changed makes for interesting discussion but sheds no light on
whether or not there are serious electrical safety defects at (deleted), and,
if there are, how they should be corrected.




I am concerned that a proper assessment of the state of the wiring system at
(deleted) has not yet been made. The question electrical fire safety cannot
yet be answered with any degree of certainty.




                                          Yours truly,

                                          J. Aronstein, Ph.D., P.E.
JA/lsr
######

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