If Your House Has Aluminum Wiring, What Is The Solution?

[@Mr-Chris]

I spent two weeks doing this to my house. 2/3 of my house is wired in 10 gauge aluminum and 1/3 is wired 12 gauge copper. I opened up every single outlet, light switch, junction box, and light fixture and if I found Aluminum, I added Aluminconns with a 12 gauge copper pigtail using a firearm torque screwdriver. I developed an appreciation for electricians as my hands were sore after doing this. I did this not because I wanted or needed to bring my house to code, I did it but because I had 3 different incidents of a receptacle arcing when a wire "creeped out" due to thermal expansion throughout the years. I only pigtailed hot and neutrals aluminum wires and left the ground alone... I know code says ground needs Aluminconns, but again I did it to remediate the arcing as a homeowner. Plus my metal boxes have very limited space and my ground wires were very twisted to each other, then and grounded to the box with a clamp, then cut off with a signal strain pigtailed out to the receptacle. I felt like I would end up breaking the ground wires if I attempted to remove the metal clamp to the box untwist them just to pigtail to aluimiconn.

[@freda2758]

Texas has some of the most horrible regulations, resulting in aluminum wiring, popcorn ceilings, and miles and miles of ugly fences.

[@Bob.W.]

Can you use Wagos?

[@heroknaderi]

Good to know 😎😎

[@trevorlance5372]

Thanks for the video! I’m a RW electrician in Northglenn, getting ready to do Alumiconn and a new full electrical service on my own home. I haven’t come across much of any aluminum wiring in my career yet so this is good to know.👍🏼

[@Petersonelectricllc]

Remember to read your breakers! it states what they are listed for.

[@Petersonelectricllc]

Plz do your AFCI and DF based on 210.12 b and 406.4d and 210.8 and 110.14c

[@Watermelon_Shuga]

Very difficult to hear even with volume at max

[@donaldlee6760]

Nice video - I'd add that auto mechanics are always using torque wrenches (although often > 20 ft-lbs), and particularly motorcycles, which often use screws torqued to < 20 ft-lbs, then torquing the AlumiConn screws is second nature.

[@Petersonelectricllc]

Agree!

[@BC-ri7im]

Please let me know if this sounds correct. 12 gauge aluminum wire can be used for a 15amp circuit, so the copper pigtail would be 14 gauge I'm assuming. Also, 10 gauge aluminum wire can be used for a 20amp circuit, so the copper pigtail would be 12 gauge? Would it be okay to use 12 gauge copper regardless if the aluminum is 12 or 10 gauge?

[@davefranz8766]

This is why i like my area i can pull all that rotten aluminum wiring out and pull in THHN this is why im such a big fan of EMT [conduit ] i moved a service 30 feet away and extended the home run conduits using pull boxes inbetween the new and old panels had both panels going until no home runs were in the old panel .I left the new home run wires very long in coils hanging at the pull boxes as i pulled out each old home run i cut it and coupled the conduits fed my new wires to the first outlet and bingo you would have never known the old service was ever there. Hears are reasons to love the EMT wiring method this house had all copper wiring.In your video of the laundry room panel being a jb my boss taught me to put a bolt in the door of the panel [jb] so no one could open the door touch the wires.inspectors also want this.

[@Petersonelectricllc]

Yah, I wish I could ENT or Blue smurf all remodels. But the price is never considered to all for more on material and labor. EMT is great but it takes too long to craft in Rez. homes.

[@davefranz8766]

@@Petersonelectricllc In the Chicago area and Indiana was BIG STEEL & unfortunately big unions BUT I STILL THINK THIS IS THE SAFEST AND BEST WAY TO DO ANY RESI BUILDING RODENTS CANT HURT IT. I think it had some thing to do with the great Chicago fire they have RATS THE SIZE OF CATS YUCK. A guy from local 134 said in my collage class IF ITS NOT CODE IN A MOTION PICTURE STUDIO WOULD YOU WANT IT IN YOUR HOME I say NO!!!! When he said aluminum feeders were ok I SHOWED HIM PHOTOS OF THE FAILURES HE SAID HOLY SHIT!! .When i was growing up their were many news paper articles about whole families dying electric was the cause of the fires & some electrocutions This is why im doing this i dont have to live in fear any more fore me or my loved ones.

[@binthrdonthat]

What is the gauge on your copper and what in/lb do you use for the AL?

[@Petersonelectricllc]

I use #14 AND #12 awg copper, with a THWN-2 rating so in 310.15 and 310.16 it states it's worth. Torques are based on manufacture ratings.

[@Petersonelectricllc]

240.6 is ref. by 310.15b in/lbs is mentioned in appendix I

[@ChrisRubeo]

Great stuff.

[@davefranz8766]

PS that was a SLATER brand outlet you held up thats old never cared much fore those they were never very tight i liked Leviton