Aluminum wire pig tailing

[Riograndeelectric]

I have a customers whos house has Aluminum wire on a service call there the other day to trouble shoot why the bath lights/oultets quit working I discoverd numeropus burnt/charred oultate.

I replaced the outlets with CO/AL rated devices.
the home owener wants me to give them a price to pigtail all devices to copper and install new devices.
I also need to replace the Breaker panel due to the fact that all the breakes terminals have minor rust on the load side terminals due to water entering the panle.
to replace the panel I will have install a J box at the old panel location and splice all the conductors and then extend them about 3 feet to the new panel.

would you pigtial off the devices using the Ideal #65 purple twister nut , replace the devices with no pigtailing using CO/Al rated outlets.

I have researched this quit a bit but all the information concering the Ideal wire nuts is over 10 years old.
and the CSPC has not updated any information since 1995 on the Ideal wire nuts
Ideal has a letter posted on there web site that says the purple wire nuts are UL listed and safe for Permantte repais following there guideline.

would you also obtain a permit for the alumium pigtailing.


what is every ones thought on this.

Thanks.
Cameron

 

[Jeff Weissman Electric]

IMHO
stay away from the purple twister... use the Co/Alr receptacles.

If you have to ask, I'll always answer "Permits" But that is a personal choice you have to make with the HO.

Then I have a question on why the new breaker panel cant stay in place of the existing panel. But I'll assume you already made this decision...

 

[celtic]

would you pigtial off the devices using the Ideal #65 purple twister nut , replace the devices with no pigtailing using CO/Al rated outlets.

Pigtail with the 65's

would you also obtain a permit for the alumium pigtailing.

No permit required for NJ on device swap(120v/20A) outs UNLESS it's GFCI device.

 

[celtic]

IMHO
stay away from the purple twister... use the Co/Alr receptacles.

If you have to ask, I'll always answer "Permits" But that is a personal choice you have to make with the HO.

You would lie to use your preferred method?

Then I have a question on why the new breaker panel cant stay in place of the existing panel. But I'll assume you already made this decision...

That is not always true....
Not knowing where the OP is located, he may be able to leave the panel where it is under NJ's Rehab Code....of course, the OP may be located in some other State with other rules.

 

[mdshunk]

These things caught my attention lately:

As one user on another site explains, they need installed with a torque screwdriver to be a compliant install:

I've been using these things a while and like them. I think they wind up taking less room in the box than purple wire nuts on account of being able to lay the wires out inline and flat. The purple wire nuts are more expensive if you figure that on a feed through box you need 6 because they are limited to 1 copper and 1 aluminum each (2 grounds, 2 neutrals, 2 hots -each pigtailed). Also, they are cheaper in big lots (500 or so) from the distributers than the small quantities at the big box places.


One of the things that really bothers me about these connectors is that there are two methods for for installation in the directions. One, which maintains the UL listing of the item, requires the use of a torque screwdriver. The other, which is a manufacturer's alternate method of installation, is basically a "guess" as to the tightness of the connector screws - - AND, the connector is NOT listed when used this way. So, torqued, it's UL approved. Not torqued, it's not. Just more ways for a DIY to get into trouble IMHO. Be kinda nice if they came in 2 and 4 position as well.

As to the purple wire nuts, I've seen several burned up, but all of them were used for connections not permitted in the installations, that is, they had more than 1 copper and/or 1 aluminum wire, and not put on tight, etc., etc.

 

[celtic]

FYI:
Here a couple of other purple 65 related threads:

AL/CU change

water tank

 

[celtic]

These things caught my attention lately:



As one user on another site explains, they need installed with a torque screwdriver to be a compliant install:

I'm waiting on that user to explain the 2 wire limit on 65's :roll:

 

[Riograndeelectric]

has any one used the king inovations purple alumiconn connectors.
I have been looking at those as opposed to using ideal 65 purple wire nuts.

I will have to move the Breaker panel due to the fact that the Neutral bar is on the bottom of the old panle and the new CH Bryant panel I will be using has the Neutral bar is located on the side.
I do not like splicing in the panel.
Thanks

 

[mdshunk]

I will have to move the Breaker panel due to the fact that the Neutral bar is on the bottom of the old panle and the new CH Bryant panel I will be using has the Neutral bar is located on the side.
I do not like splicing in the panel.
Thanks

In the case of a panel change with short aluminium neutrals, perhaps you should consider buying an accessory neutral bar kit (or ground bar kit, if this is the service panel), and installing it in a position that the AL neutrals will reach? Just a thought.

 

[-=PEAKABOO=-]

has any one used the king inovations purple alumiconn connectors.
I have been looking at those as opposed to using ideal 65 purple wire nuts.

I will have to move the Breaker panel due to the fact that the Neutral bar is on the bottom of the old panle and the new CH Bryant panel I will be using has the Neutral bar is located on the side.
I do not like splicing in the panel.
Thanks

You don't like splicing in the panel?? You would rather make splices on every single wire where the old panel was?? Seams like a lot more splicing to me. Nothing wrong with splices as long as they are done correctly. If you do choose to add a new panel at a different location why not just use the old panel as a junction box and set the new panel next to it and nipple between the two? You can cut a new cover out of 14 gauge sheet metal or have one cut. I would however just set a new panel in the old location and either splice the short neutrals or use a isolated ground bar for the neutrals. Make sure to bond the neutral bar if it is the first means of disconnect. Oh yeah Use nolox:wink:

 

[Riograndeelectric]

The old panle is compley shot.
the cover has rusted where it screws to the base the bottom has started to rust out from water sepping into the panel fromthe cover not closing all the way.

I would rather install a J box at old panel location rather than splice or install an isolated bar.
all of the branch circuits enter thru the back of the panle at the bottom thru 2- 2" nipples going inot the wall.

the exsitng panel is also a split bus panel with no main breaker.
panel is only a 30 circuit and someone has taken some twin breakers and broke out a pice of the back of the breaker so thy could be installed on the busses that were not designed for twin breakers.

the exsting panel height to what would be the top of the main breaker would exceed 6.7 feet


I think Joe Handy man has worked on the house.
I found new copper only rated decora switches installed on aluminum wire. and emt being used as an underground raceway to a outlet at a pond for the pond pump with no GFCI