AL/CU connections in trailer

[kaiser]

Hello, everyone
Long time since I've posted.
I have a question. Is the jury still out on how to makeup aluminum to copper splices in a device box, as to whether or not an anti corrosion compound is necessary and if crimps or wirenuts should be used for pigtailing to a device?
The location is a mobile home in SoCal.
The owner had a breaker trip and the cause was the typical bad connection on a wall receptacle that overheated and he called an electrical contractor out and the cleared the short and replaced the device. He then told the customer he needed to have all splices in all boxes and terminals in the panel repaired with compound and pigtails and the estimate was about what I would charge to completely rewire a small 3 bdrm 1 bth home. The customer is a friend that is like family and he lives an hour away without traffic (unheard of where we live) and he asked me for my opinion. I'm going to go there and look at the situation and tighten all terminals on all devices and lugs but if I find short tails in a box or anything hokey, I will need to pigtail out. Should I use compound and regular wirenuts or crimps with compound or??
I was taught to use NoALox on main lugs and busbar connections indoor or outdoor and copper wire to any aluminum Ilsco style llugs and on splitbolts (Kearneys).
I just want to hear some thoughts since this is still a widely debated issue among us well trained and experienced wireman.
Thanks for your time and this forum to let us post.

* I'm using my smartphone and can't tell if my signature is being attached or not. So, sorry about any redundancy.

Ken Kaiser /Owner
Ken Kaiser Electric
Los Angeles

 

[jumper]

I know that some members here have used these with some success:

http://www.homedepot.com/p/AlumiConn-3-Port-Al-Cu-Wire-Connectors-10-Pack-95110/202889892

Ideal purple wire nuts have also been mentioned:

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Ideal-Tw...s-65-Purple-10-per-Package-30-1765S/202935623

and some have stated that plain wire nuts with de-ox compound have been successful for them. Not sure if this is totally legal or not.

I cannot state a preference as I have never worked with small aluminum wire with devices and such.

 

[user 100]

Hello, everyone
Long time since I've posted.
I have a question. Is the jury still out on how to makeup aluminum to copper splices in a device box, as to whether or not an anti corrosion compound is necessary and if crimps or wirenuts should be used for pigtailing to a device?
The location is a mobile home in SoCal.
The owner had a breaker trip and the cause was the typical bad connection on a wall receptacle that overheated and he called an electrical contractor out and the cleared the short and replaced the device. He then told the customer he needed to have all splices in all boxes and terminals in the panel repaired with compound and pigtails and the estimate was about what I would charge to completely rewire a small 3 bdrm 1 bth home. The customer is a friend that is like family and he lives an hour away without traffic (unheard of where we live) and he asked me for my opinion. I'm going to go there and look at the situation and tighten all terminals on all devices and lugs but if I find short tails in a box or anything hokey, I will need to pigtail out. Should I use compound and regular wirenuts or crimps with compound or??
I was taught to use NoALox on main lugs and busbar connections indoor or outdoor and copper wire to any aluminum Ilsco style llugs and on splitbolts (Kearneys).
I just want to hear some thoughts since this is still a widely debated issue among us well trained and experienced wireman.
Thanks for your time and this forum to let us post.

* I'm using my smartphone and can't tell if my signature is being attached or not. So, sorry about any redundancy.

Ken Kaiser /Owner
Ken Kaiser Electric
Los Angeles

The problem with the old standard wirenut and nolox fix is the listing issues you will run into (and liability if something goes wrong), and the experience with the approved ideal 65's has been mixed for a lot of guys- some think they are fantastic, others have seen them cooked (of course could have been a bad retrofit with some of the purples to begin with which led to the failure).

Don't know how deep ($$$ and time) you really want go into this job, but the alumiconns would be best for your situation. Alumiconns have shown to be pretty reliable and using them with cu pigtails to cu devices would be better than messing with co/alr rec & switch terminations - but an issue you might run into with that is too small an existing box for a lot of stuff, but there are always bigger boxes.

 

[JFletcher]

I would go with Alumiconns.

 

[John120/240]

I will second jumper's reply. Would Wago brand connectors or equivalent suffice ? I know probably not listed for AL/CU connections. With these there is no contact between dissimilar metals.