On Thu, 29 Oct 2015 00:13:27 -0400, wrote:

On Wed, 28 Oct 2015 23:05:32 -0400, wrote:

On Wed, 28 Oct 2015 22:21:53 -0400, wrote:

On Wed, 28 Oct 2015 21:54:32 -0400, wrote:

Just had an ESA-SAFE inspection on my 40 year old house so I can
change insurance providers The Ontario Electrical Safety Authority
does the inspection (at a cost of almost $400 canadian) and it is a
pretty extensive inspection. The house passed with flying colours,
condition-wise - but to pass I need to GFI protect 2 counter-top
"splits", 2 bathroom outlets, and 2 outdoor outlets that also need to
have "in-use" weatherproof housings installed.

The kitchen "splits" mean 2 Square D QO 215GFI breakers.
The outdoors will be pretty simple - just a simple pigtail to new GFI
outlets. The bathrooms are a bit more fun as the outlets are in ganged
boxes with a switch, and both have 1 12/3 and 2 12/2 cables coming
into the boxes, with 4 #12 conductors in one wire nut - on both line
and neutral.

The existing nuts are not AL approved, so need to be replaced. I
wanted to use Alumiconns - but they are not available up here
(although they ARE approved). The other decent alternative is the
Marrette ACS65 wire nut. So far none of my local electrical
wholesalers have the 65s in stock - only the too-small 63s

I have a few more to check tomorrow -
How do the "real" electricians do this kind of job when their
suppliers don't carry the required materials????

Do they "fudge" it like the original electrician (when AL specific
stuff didn't exist) and hope the inspector doesn't see it, or split
the connection into 3 and fill the box with smaller connections?????

Finding electrical components up here is starting to remind me of
Zambia and Burkina Faso - to get 5 parts you need to hit 10 suppliers
- on a GOOD day.

Someone like dale-electric.com should be able to help you.
Several years ago I had to order some strange size metric bolts from
Germany. 12mmx250mm stainless
Oh, I can get the Aluniconns from the states - about $3 US each in
quantity 25 - with another $40 in shipping and another $30 in
brokerage fees. That adds up pretty quickly - $145 US = about $193 -
about $7.75 Canadian each.

The ACS are not available in the USA but should be here in Canada -
just have to find a supplier that stocks them- if not locally at least
in their central warehouse. Lots of 63s around, but the 65s are
conspicuous by their absence!!!

All of these connectors are scary expensive, no matter where you are.
I assume you are paying some lawyer tax in there,.
I am curious why shipping would be so much. The last time I sent a
box to Canada it was not really that expensive and the tariff should
not be much.

We would be buying an Ideal #65 if you want a wire nut (probably the
same thing)

The differenmce between the ideal and the Thomas $ Betts (Marrette)
ACXS65 iand the ideal is the ECS is phenolic instead of the ideals
thermoplastic - which is highly flammable on it's own and is then
LOADED with a petroleum based asnti-oxidant.
The 65s are really a toss up. U/L and CSA lists them but the US CSPC
says they will burn your house down. Home inspectors hate them.
OTOH there are millions of houses wired with aluminum here in the late
60s/early 70s that never burned down. I used to have one and my ex is
still there. It used regular devices and wire nuts. (not CO/AL-r)

My house is 43 years old, with "regular" wire nuts too - never a
problem - but I need an inspection - and I need it to pass, and if I
disturb the connection at all I need to have the proper connectors to
pass. I found a distributor locally with the ACS65s in stock - but
had to buy a box of 100 for $65.00
Workmanship seems to be the biggest factor. You could be a lot
sloppier with copper and get away with it.
I believe if you twisted up the CU/AL joints tight, put on a little
dab of goo and screwed on a live spring wire nut (like the 3M) it
would last until the next millennium but I can't say it out loud.
I agree with you 100%