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Aluminum Wiring Fire Hazards With Aluminum to Copper Twist-on Connectors & Acceptable Aluminum Wiring Repair Practices

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Aluminum Wiring Repair Methods: Aluminum to Copper Twist-on Splices - CPSC Meeting 9/28/95

Aluminum Wiring Repair Procedure - Page 2 Color photos and descriptive captions from CPSC Meeting 9/28/95. In this document aluminum wire twist-on connector failures and repair procedures are described, including aluminum wire repair methods which work and methods which do not work and are unsafe. Color photos of aluminum wire repair procedures, and photos of failed connectors are included. This document describes hazards with existing products, explains the aluminum wiring failure mechanism, and reviews recommended retrofit procedures including use of readily-available materials. This information was presented to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission by Dr. J. Aronstein, 9/28/95. The minutes of that meeting were obtained under the Freedom of Information Act and posted by Daniel Friedman January 1996.
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© 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.

William H. King, Jr. Manager                         October 10, 1995
Div. of Electrical Engineering
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
4330 East West Highway  Rm. 611 North
Bethesda MD, 20814



Subject: Meeting 9/28/95, Twist-on splices, aluminum to copper wire.



Dear Mr. King:



Enclosed per your request is a color copy of the slides used in my presentation
at the subject meeting. Descriptive captions have been added to convey the
significance that the slides had in the context of the meeting. An index by

subject is as follows:

Each aluminum wiring repair step listed below provides text, photographs and captions for those slides.

1. Copper Pigtailing, instructions and illustrations, Slide #'s 1-3
2. CPSC copper pigtailing test failures, examples, Slide #'s 4-7
3. Additional test failures, basic 2-wire splice Slide #'s 8-9
4. Examples of field failures Slide #'s 10-16
5. Failure to make adequate wire-to-wire metallic contact Slide #'s 17-19
6. Equivalent circuits, general case and newly made Slide #'s 20-23
7. Current flow in steel spring, newly made connections Slide #'s 24
8. Aluminum wiring connection deterioration process and consequence Slide #'s 25-27
9. Why the UL High-Current Cycle test is inadequate Slide #'s 28-29
10. "Special Service" aluminum wiring connector failures (similar standard) Slide #'s 30-32
11. The AMP TYCO COPALUM crimp connector repair recommended by CPSC, illustration of the procedure, Slide #'s 33-34
12. Alternative Repair Method: Special installation method for twist-on copper pigtail splice with aluminum wire, Slide #'s 35-49 - an alternative aluminum wiring repair method useful when the AMP TYCO COPALUM repair method is not available
13. Special Concern - shell and inhibitor ignite/burn readily Slide #'s 50-55

Please contact me if there are any questions.
Yours truly,
(original signed by)
Jesse Aronstein, Ph.D., P.E.

Presentation Conclusions

1. The Ideal #65 "Twister" connector will fail in significant numbers in residential long-term service in the aluminum wire pigtailing application.
   
   
2. The failure mode involves overheating, where, at normal operating current, the steel spring becomes red hot.
   
   
3. Both the shell and the oxide inhibitor inside the connector ignite readily and burn freely, increasing the fire hazard substantially when failures occur.
   
   
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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

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