ScrotusGobbleBottom
Solar Enthusiast
Not my 1937 house
Let's fight about aluminum wire!
- Thread starter cardboardboxprocessor
- Start date
Not even in the range feed? Or to the hvac?Not my 1937 house
The first home my wife and I owned was a mobile home. It had aluminum wiring feeding the thing and in the home too from what I can remember.
It burned to the ground taking all of our belongs with it.
I am not a fan of aluminum wiring
All of my homes since then have had copper and if anything wasn't copper I redid it with copper. I hope to not repeat past problems....
It burned to the ground taking all of our belongs with it.
I am not a fan of aluminum wiring
All of my homes since then have had copper and if anything wasn't copper I redid it with copper. I hope to not repeat past problems....
Oh and before anyone says it wasn't the aluminum wiring I had to replace the aforementioned wiring from corroding and losing connection in places at times. I am not going to argue its pros and cons since I'm not an expert in the field. I'm just stating why I feel the way I do and why I won't use the stuff EVER.
Most mobile home wiring is push in outlets and switches without boxes...The first home my wife and I owned was a mobile home. It had aluminum wiring feeding the thing and in the home too from what I can remember.
It burned to the ground taking all of our belongs with it.
I am not a fan of aluminum wiring
All of my homes since then have had copper and if anything wasn't copper I redid it with copper. I hope to not repeat past problems....
Horrid setup.
Worst case for aluminum use for sure!
ScrotusGobbleBottom
Solar Enthusiast
So, I was pretty sad with my wiring when I discovered that it looked to be aluminum. It turns out it is 1930's pretinned copper. I found this out after changing some outlets and switches.
The range line seems to be the same pre tinned copper tho I have not messed with that line/ scratched it to make a judgement since I do not use it (gas stove). In the breaker panel it looks like pre tinned copper. Certainly the same time frame as the other pre tinned circuits.
Hvac is totally redone THHN.
From a European perspective: what's aluminium wire?
On a serious note, it's used on power distribution, but I've never seen any aluminium wire used in residential in any of the EU countries I've been/lived in.
On a serious note, it's used on power distribution, but I've never seen any aluminium wire used in residential in any of the EU countries I've been/lived in.
Hedges
I See Electromagnetic Fields!
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- Mar 28, 2020
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My 1942 Oakland house had copper knob & tube with fuses.
Updated to a fancy-schmancy Federal 100A breaker panel and copper in BX ca. 1960.
Has been trouble free, but of course I can't leave it alone. Almost done with my 200A upgrade to Square-D QO.
AFCI breakers only up to 20A in QO series, so I'll be installing those. At least higher amperage circuits are all point-to-point.
I would like all copper. QO breaker panels 125A and up have copper busbars/fingers for plug-on breakers (100A and below is aluminum), but neutral busbar and lugs are aluminum (tinned). Some option for some/all copper hardware is mentioned.
Updated to a fancy-schmancy Federal 100A breaker panel and copper in BX ca. 1960.
Has been trouble free, but of course I can't leave it alone. Almost done with my 200A upgrade to Square-D QO.
AFCI breakers only up to 20A in QO series, so I'll be installing those. At least higher amperage circuits are all point-to-point.
I would like all copper. QO breaker panels 125A and up have copper busbars/fingers for plug-on breakers (100A and below is aluminum), but neutral busbar and lugs are aluminum (tinned). Some option for some/all copper hardware is mentioned.
ScrotusGobbleBottom
Solar Enthusiast
WTF thats knob and tube that has insulation on it? That was always a NO. Right?
Partimewages
Solar Addict
You're a better man than me. I stopped attic work 10 years ago!
RussNM
Solar Enthusiast
In the old part of Santa Fe nm Ive seen this with porcelain insulators screwed to vigas (round log roof beams) with braided cloth covered wire. This was done when electricity finally got here in the early 1900s. Wires went down to a fist sized rotary switch for the ONE light that was in the house. Crazy but cool.
ScrotusGobbleBottom
Solar Enthusiast
Wasnt it only used because WW2 needed all the copper and drove copper prices sky high?
JWLV
-.-. --.-
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Saw on the news last week that NV Energy is replacing stolen copper wires from street lights with aluminum wire. The say that aluminum has a much lower salvage value and that would deter copper thieves. Some areas near my house has had copper stolen from steet lights several times. And it takes months before they fix it. During that time, the streets remain dark. Using aluminum might be a good thing! NV Energy also talked about running the wires at the top of the light poles so that they're 40 feet up. It doesn't look pretty, but that'll definitely deter copper theives. Right now, almost all street lighting has wires underground. I think the thieves cut the wires at each end and just pull it through.
HarryN
Solar Enthusiast
There is some aircraft wire that is silver plated aluminum. I assume that it is used because the Al portion is light and the frequency is often 400 hz, so the silver might be doing most of the load carrying. No personal experience with it.
hwy17
Anti-Solar Enthusiast
It was after WW2, in the 60's and 70's.
hwy17
Anti-Solar Enthusiast
Yeah I met an engineer from TE by chance and he was saying they use aluminum lugs over copper sometimes for weight savings. So I'm sure the same could be true for some of their wiring too.
Zwy
Emperor Of Solar
Put it together myself. Had to replace the boiler a year ago on New Years weekend. Of course everything was backwards for hookups.
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