alum and copper nm cable

[kentriolinda]

recently I was doing a job at a condo and my specialty is mostly res, It involved adding some lites and some outlets to a kitchen the prob was all of the wiring was done in the 70's and all done in alum nm what is the correct way to introduce copper nm into existing boxes all boxes are metal with mud rings?

 

[ramsy]

Combining AL & CU branch wiring

Combining AL & CU branch wiring

This is one of several cases where your mileage varies with AHJ's or Fire marshal's, much less with armchair experts in online peanut galleries. For such information go directly to your regional IAEI division.

The NEC offers little help with AL wiring methods, UL includes a listing for highly controversial & flammable anti-oxidant additives, and many property insurers deal with this by simply disqualify the buildings with AL branch wiring.

If the opinions you read don't inspire much confidence, consider altruism and charity have their limits. How long can a professional stay in business by giving away his expertise online, or in public domains, and if retired how current are those methods. If IAEI wants a membership, consider the investment an alternative to perpetual dependence on code books, or hoping the right person is on the code forum.

 

[jumper]

Two connectors that I know of that are listed for this application are Ideal purple wire nuts and Alumiconns.

Here is a link to each.

http://www.idealindustries.com/products/wire_termination/twist-on/twister_al-cu.jsp

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=202889892&storeId=10051&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&ci_sku=202889892&ci_kw={keyword}&kwd={keyword}&cm_mmc=shopping-_-googleads-_-pla-_-202889892&ci_gpa=pla#.UPUnN2dhDE4

 

[iwire]

This is one of several cases where your mileage varies with AHJ's or Fire marshal's, much less with armchair experts in online peanut galleries. For such information go directly to your regional IAEI division.

Confusing advise.

An armchair expert is telling us not to listen to arm chair experts.

The NEC offers little help with AL wiring methods,

It seems to cover AL just as much as copper, or where you looking for an instruction manual?

UL includes a listing for highly controversial & flammable anti-oxidant additives,

I have not heard any of this 'high controversy' care to share the source?

and many property insurers deal with this by simply disqualify the buildings with AL branch wiring.

Do you have any reference for that?

I have not seen or heard of that happening around me.

If the opinions you read don't inspire much confidence, consider altruism and charity have their limits. How long can a professional stay in business by giving away his expertise online, or in public domains, and if retired how current are those methods. If IAEI wants a membership, consider the investment an alternative to perpetual dependence on code books, or hoping the right person is on the code forum.

There is nothing but peoples opinions at the IAEI as well and those will be heavily slanted towards the local customs.

 

[iwire]

Two connectors that I know of that are listed for this application are Ideal purple wire nuts and Alumiconns.

If I was up against this I would likely use the AlumiConns.


http://www.alcopstore.com/

 

[jumper]

If I was up against this I would likely use the AlumiConns.


http://www.alcopstore.com/

I got a free sample and it seems like a good item.

 

[Ponchik]

If you can, install (2) new circuits and don't worry about the Aluminum to copper connections.

 

[petersonra]

I got a free sample and it seems like a good item.

I wonder how much of the $3+ each is the cost of insurance.

 

[kentriolinda]

Thank you all for your suggestions I will be replacing all wirenuts allready installed with alumiconn connectors and I will have to absolve the cost of the labor and cust. agreed to pay for materials and I know i will sleep better!

 

[ramsy]

An armchair expert is telling us not to listen to arm chair experts.

Not all pundits know when to punt.

There is nothing but peoples opinions at the IAEI as well and those will be heavily slanted towards the local customs.

Without being immune to opinion or prejudice, any IAEI member could have answered this by now if they were listening.

While perhaps not an enduring audience on Mike Holt's forum, some IAEI members who enforce electrical-building codes are required by their industry to justify enforcement by reference to authority, describing code progress among standard bodies, and presenting code topics for discussion at regional IAEI meetings, also open to the public. Perhaps the best way to scare off the IAEI is by regularly censoring members or deleting URL links to cited authorities for proprietary reasons.

While volunteer interpretation of building codes at online forums are more accessible to the public, and perhaps more detrimentally-relied on as an instruction manual, the end result is there are no wrong answers if left unchallenged by the remaining forum audience.

Unfortunately, the OP appears to have relied on the advise here, which omits AL branch wiring torque requirements.

 

[roger]

Without being immune to opinion or prejudice, any IAEI member could have answered this by now if they were listening.

Well, from my experience I know of a number of IAEI members that could talk about this for hours and not have a clue of how to answer it.


Roger

 

[jwelectric]

Well, from my experience I know of a number of IAEI members that could talk about this for hours and not have a clue of how to answer it.


Roger

Roger stop that. You know that all IAEI members know everything about everything, if you don't believe me just ask me :lol:

 

[ceknight]

Unfortunately, the OP appears to have relied on the advise here, which omits AL branch wiring torque requirements.

Alumiconn connectors come with a spec sheet that includes torque requirements.

 

[liquidtite]

.

 

[readydave8]

If the opinions you read don't inspire much confidence, consider altruism and charity have their limits. How long can a professional stay in business by giving away his expertise online, or in public domains,

I'm glad I don't know enough to have to worry about giving away technical information that my competition can use in competing against me.

a further thought: I'd rather bid against a competitor that knows a lot, the ones that don't know as much seem to be able to bid cheaper