Anti-oxident compound

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goldstar

goldstar

Senior Member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
I recently had to correct some code violations at a residence where the home inspector for the new buyers cited "no anti-oxident compound on aluminum terminations" among several other discrepancies. Aside from the SE conductors there were two other SER terminations in the main breaker panel that were aluminum. While I believe using anti-oxident is probably a good thing to do I'm wondering whether it is a requirement by any Code. If so, would you think it would be required on any other terminations besides the service entrance conductors ? As far as I know all the lugs are listed as CU/AL.
 
goldstar said:
I recently had to correct some code violations at a residence where the home inspector for the new buyers cited "no anti-oxident compound on aluminum terminations" among several other discrepancies. Aside from the SE conductors there were two other SER terminations in the main breaker panel that were aluminum. While I believe using anti-oxident is probably a good thing to do I'm wondering whether it is a requirement by any Code. If so, would you think it would be required on any other terminations besides the service entrance conductors ? As far as I know all the lugs are listed as CU/AL.
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Here is a link to a previous thread on the subject.

http://forums.mikeholt.com/showthread.php?t=107433
 
Thanks. I did a search in the Forum for anti-oxident but I came up with anti everything but oxident.
 
Not required. Many HI's incorrectly call this out. Try this spelling in your search: antioxidant.
 
How old is the installation? For maybe at least 30 years the aluminum alloys used for those conductors haven't required such compounds to be used. Also new installations have required use of the modern alloys.

Next question is how does HI know compound wasn't used, unless he took the connection apart to inspect it? At best he can only say there isn't extra compound in places it doesn't really need to be.
 
kwired said:
How old is the installation? For maybe at least 30 years the aluminum alloys used for those conductors haven't required such compounds to be used. Also new installations have required use of the modern alloys.

Next question is how does HI know compound wasn't used, unless he took the connection apart to inspect it? At best he can only say there isn't extra compound in places it doesn't really need to be.
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The last inspection the house had was back in the 1970s. Who knows what the home inspector was thinking, they just have to justify their existence. The easy way out was just to apply the antioxidant to whatever aluminum cables I could access. I did write a follow up letter for the homeowner to give to the home buyers lawyer explaining what I did and that the anti-oxidant was not an NEC requirement.
 
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