DIYbanter - View Single Post

bud--

On 11/4/2013 12:22 PM, wrote:
On Mon, 4 Nov 2013 10:06:10 -0500, "Ralph Mowery"
wrote:

Probably several code violations. The 14 wire on the 50A breaker for one.
Slipping and mixing the copper and aluminum wire is probably another one.
When dealing with the aluminum wire it is difficult enough to keep from
burning down a house. I lived in a house that had the aluminum wiring and I
did tighten the wires at the fuse box several times. A house down the
street that was built at the same time (aound 1965) did burn down and the
cause was stated to be wiring in and around the fuse box.

Copper and aluminum isn't a problem as long as listed CU-AL
connections are used between.

Extensive testing of aluminum connections for the CPSC found that the
only listed wirenut for aluminum (Ideal 65) can fail even if installed
using the manufacturer's instructions.

Aluminum caused all sorts of grief but
it was eventually sorted out. Some of the problems were labor quality
(AL is less forgiving) and others were metallurgy. AL us still widely
used for large appliances (clothes dryers and ranges) with very few
issues.

Yes, the problems were only for 15 and 20A branch circuits.