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Re: GFCI breakers for Al wiring
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| Kristen Caldwell 2007-04-14, 3:25 am |
| On Apr 13, 8:00 am, "Mark" <MarkWa...@Watts.com> wrote:
> "Kristen Caldwell" who doesn't know shit about wiring wrote<fatanduglylikebrittanymar...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
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> news:1176409443.377927.174950@y80g2000hsf.googlegroups.com...
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> You should never connect a copper only rated device to aluminum wire because
> it creates a serious fire hazzard. If you don't know that you shouldn't be
> answering questions from people who obviously already know more than you.
I got a jar full of pennies and nickels and dimes?.
How come it hasn't caught on fire yet?
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| On 13 Apr 2007 23:30:11 -0700, "Kristen Caldwell"
<fatanduglylikebrittanymartin@yahoo.com> wrote:
>On Apr 13, 8:00 am, "Mark" <MarkWa...@Watts.com> wrote:
>
>I got a jar full of pennies and nickels and dimes?.
>
>How come it hasn't caught on fire yet?
How much current passes through your pennies and dimes? Are they
protected by an AFCI?
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| gfretwell@aol.com 2007-04-14, 1:25 pm |
| On 13 Apr 2007 23:55:04 -0700, meow2222@care2.com wrote:
>GFCIs protect against L-E shocks and shorts, which have nothing to do
>with the risk that ali wiring posts. Al oxidises at joints, heats up &
>catches fire. A gfci doesnt make the remotest difference to that. An
>AFCI however would.
Not any AFCI actually being sold today. They only detect parallel arcs
(short duration spikes of around 60-70a). AFCIs called "combination"
devices refer to the ability to detect a parallel arc in building
wiring plus arcs in plugged in equipment.
The typical aluminum wiring failure, oxidized connections, is a series
fault.
There is supposed to be the magic "series arc" device out there in
white lab coat land but you will not find it at the BORG.
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| Coyote 2007-04-14, 8:25 pm |
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"Kristen Caldwell" <fatanduglylikebrittanymartin@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1176532210.972474.183140@y80g2000hsf.googlegroups.com...
> On Apr 13, 8:00 am, "Mark" <MarkWa...@Watts.com> wrote:
>
> I got a jar full of pennies and nickels and dimes?.
>
> How come it hasn't caught on fire yet?
>
All wiring devices like receptacles, switches, GFCI breakers etc. are marked
for Alum. and or copper usage.
Some are copper only some are will work with both.
If in doubt you could make a short jumper. If your circuit conductor is #
12 or #10 alum. use a copper
#12 conductor spliced to the circuit conductor using a copper/alum. butt
splice A compound such as peremetx
could also be used to coat the conductors. Permitex is a paste like
compound that contains both copper and
aluminum metals.
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| gfretwell@aol.com 2007-04-17, 1:25 pm |
| On 17 Apr 2007 08:02:29 -0700, "runderwo@mail.win.org"
<runderwo@mail.win.org> wrote:
>On Apr 14, 6:06 pm, "Coyote" <nom...@frontmed.com> wrote:
>
>I read that the butt splice method is not a good idea and that is why
>the COPALUM pigtail splice exists. Same deal with the Ideal purple
>wire nuts vs Scotchlok wire nuts that are spring loaded. In both
>cases the latter exerts more force on the aluminum wire keeping it
>from loosening as it inevitably expands and contracts.
>
There is a new device out there called Alumiconn by King Innovation
that is as good as Copalum and you don't need any special tools or
training.
It is a small terminal block with set screws in an insulating jacket.
http://www.kingsafety.com/products/alumiconn.html
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| Coyote 2007-04-17, 5:25 pm |
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<runderwo@mail.win.org> wrote in message
news:1176822149.197370.206240@p77g2000hsh.googlegroups.com...
> On Apr 14, 6:06 pm, "Coyote" <nom...@frontmed.com> wrote:
>
> I read that the butt splice method is not a good idea and that is why
> the COPALUM pigtail splice exists. Same deal with the Ideal purple
> wire nuts vs Scotchlok wire nuts that are spring loaded. In both
> cases the latter exerts more force on the aluminum wire keeping it
> from loosening as it inevitably expands and contracts.
>
>
You are correct...CP/AL spring loaded nuts could be used.
I used Scotchlock spring loaded nuts for years and never had a problem
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| gfretwell@aol.com 2007-04-17, 9:25 pm |
| On 17 Apr 2007 14:11:09 -0700, "runderwo@mail.win.org"
<runderwo@mail.win.org> wrote:
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>Yeah, that looks like a good product and it's even UL listed. But
>it's not listed by CPSC as an approved repair method (yet). This
>might be the best way to go in the end, the product makes sense and is
>not that expensive.
CPSC is not a nationally recognized testing lab, it is a political
entity.
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| gfretwell@aol.com 2007-04-17, 9:25 pm |
| On 17 Apr 2007 14:21:29 -0700, "runderwo@mail.win.org"
<runderwo@mail.win.org> wrote:
>Do you have a suggestion where I could find such a nut? All the
>Scotchlok nuts I have found on their site say Copper connections
>only... though it certainly seems that CO/ALR spring nuts do exist
>somewhere.
The only NRTL listed CU/AL wirenut is the purple Ideal #65
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