Home Repair (alt.home.repair) For all homeowners and DIYers with many experienced tradesmen. Solve your toughest home fix-it problems.

Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
  #1   Report Post  
Howie
 
Posts: n/a
Default Stove and fridge aluminum wiring extending with copper...

Our house's main electrical wiring is aluminium. I have moved both our
stove and fridge plugs because we wanted them in reverse order. I kept the
old fridge and stove boxes and just extended the wiring, with copper to the
new plug locations. For the fridge wiring junction, I used copper-aluminium
rated marrettes, as well as copious amounts the anti-oxidising paste. For
the stove copper-aluminium wiring junction (8-3 wiring for the copper
extension piece, I think the aluminium is 6-3), I used big blue marrettes
that are aluminium (as told be by the surplus store salesmen I bought them
from). I could not find any copper-aluminium marrettes that were big enough
for the stove junction. I also used copious amounts of anti-oxidising
paste. I twisted each wire of each join in both the fridge and stove splice
really well with a pliers. I covered both of the junction boxes with a
steel plate so it is accessible. I hooked up the stove and fridge plug in
their new plug boxes. Works great!

Is this the way it should have been done?

any comments / suggestions / advice / tips / ideas?


  #2   Report Post  
Matt
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Just one:

Make sure your smoke detectors are working!



  #3   Report Post  
Howie
 
Posts: n/a
Default

they are... why?


"Matt" wrote in message
ps.com...
Just one:

Make sure your smoke detectors are working!





  #4   Report Post  
Matt
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Aw man, I dunno. But when it comes to electric, I'm perhaps overly
paranoid. Especially heavy loads, like a fridge and a stove. Me,
personally, I don't know if what you did is safe; but I get a bad case
of the heebie jeebies just thinking about a 240v feed line spliced in a
junction box - even if it was copper to copper. Copper to Aluminum just
scares me that much more.

Like I said, I don't know if you have anything to worry about or not.
But I would advise that if you ever sell the house, to put things back
the way they were.......

  #5   Report Post  
Howie
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Switching them back is not an option, we are installing new cabinets and a
"over the range" microwave.


"Matt" wrote in message
oups.com...
Aw man, I dunno. But when it comes to electric, I'm perhaps overly
paranoid. Especially heavy loads, like a fridge and a stove. Me,
personally, I don't know if what you did is safe; but I get a bad case
of the heebie jeebies just thinking about a 240v feed line spliced in a
junction box - even if it was copper to copper. Copper to Aluminum just
scares me that much more.

Like I said, I don't know if you have anything to worry about or not.
But I would advise that if you ever sell the house, to put things back
the way they were.......





  #6   Report Post  
Matt
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Ah... well there are lots of folks here more qualified than me to
comment on this. I was just thinking that what you did may open you to
some future liability if something does go wrong if/when/after you sold
the house.

  #7   Report Post  
RBM
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Howie, what you did is exactly what we did back in the seventies, before
"approved" methods were established. I personally did an entire apartment
building that way with absolutely no problems. Go to this link to get more
info http://www.inspect-ny.com/aluminum/pl2p12.htm
"Howie" wrote in message
...
Our house's main electrical wiring is aluminium. I have moved both our
stove and fridge plugs because we wanted them in reverse order. I kept
the
old fridge and stove boxes and just extended the wiring, with copper to
the
new plug locations. For the fridge wiring junction, I used
copper-aluminium
rated marrettes, as well as copious amounts the anti-oxidising paste. For
the stove copper-aluminium wiring junction (8-3 wiring for the copper
extension piece, I think the aluminium is 6-3), I used big blue marrettes
that are aluminium (as told be by the surplus store salesmen I bought them
from). I could not find any copper-aluminium marrettes that were big
enough
for the stove junction. I also used copious amounts of anti-oxidising
paste. I twisted each wire of each join in both the fridge and stove
splice
really well with a pliers. I covered both of the junction boxes with a
steel plate so it is accessible. I hooked up the stove and fridge plug in
their new plug boxes. Works great!

Is this the way it should have been done?

any comments / suggestions / advice / tips / ideas?




  #8   Report Post  
Howie
 
Posts: n/a
Default

so you had no problems... anyone else have comments?


"RBM" rmottola1(remove wrote in message
...
Howie, what you did is exactly what we did back in the seventies, before
"approved" methods were established. I personally did an entire apartment
building that way with absolutely no problems. Go to this link to get more
info http://www.inspect-ny.com/aluminum/pl2p12.htm
"Howie" wrote in message
...
Our house's main electrical wiring is aluminium. I have moved both our
stove and fridge plugs because we wanted them in reverse order. I kept
the
old fridge and stove boxes and just extended the wiring, with copper to
the
new plug locations. For the fridge wiring junction, I used
copper-aluminium
rated marrettes, as well as copious amounts the anti-oxidising paste.

For
the stove copper-aluminium wiring junction (8-3 wiring for the copper
extension piece, I think the aluminium is 6-3), I used big blue

marrettes
that are aluminium (as told be by the surplus store salesmen I bought

them
from). I could not find any copper-aluminium marrettes that were big
enough
for the stove junction. I also used copious amounts of anti-oxidising
paste. I twisted each wire of each join in both the fridge and stove
splice
really well with a pliers. I covered both of the junction boxes with a
steel plate so it is accessible. I hooked up the stove and fridge plug

in
their new plug boxes. Works great!

Is this the way it should have been done?

any comments / suggestions / advice / tips / ideas?






  #9   Report Post  
Greg
 
Posts: n/a
Default

The real answer for big wires is dual cavity split bolts, listed CU/AL.
  #10   Report Post  
Howie
 
Posts: n/a
Default


"Greg" wrote in message
...
The real answer for big wires is dual cavity split bolts, listed CU/AL.


where do I find these? online?




  #11   Report Post  
AZGuy
 
Posts: n/a
Default

On 7 Jan 2005 14:05:47 -0800, "Matt" wrote:

Aw man, I dunno. But when it comes to electric, I'm perhaps overly
paranoid. Especially heavy loads, like a fridge and a stove. Me,
personally, I don't know if what you did is safe; but I get a bad case
of the heebie jeebies just thinking about a 240v feed line spliced in a
junction box - even if it was copper to copper. Copper to Aluminum just
scares me that much more.


The final connection at the stove/oven is just a junction box too and
is often a wire nut connection. I don't see any problem with what
he's done.

Like I said, I don't know if you have anything to worry about or not.
But I would advise that if you ever sell the house, to put things back
the way they were.......


--
Elbridge Gerry, of Massachusetts:

"What, sir, is the use of militia? It is to prevent the
establishment of a standing army, the bane of liberty. . .
Whenever Government means to invade the rights and liberties of
the people, they always attempt to destroy the militia, in order
to raise a standing army upon its ruins." -- Debate, U.S. House
of Representatives, August 17, 1789
  #12   Report Post  
Howie
 
Posts: n/a
Default

marrettes are a brand name of wire connectors by a company called "Thomas &
Betts"...

wrote in message
...
On Fri, 7 Jan 2005 16:26:28 -0600, "Howie" wrote:

Switching them back is not an option, we are installing new cabinets and

a
"over the range" microwave.

Yeah, but replacing the wiring all the way back to the main panel IS
an option. If the 120v line goes to other fixtures, cap it off and
run a new line.

By the way, what the heck are marrettes?
Do you mean wirenuts, or what?



  #13   Report Post  
HorneTD
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Howie wrote:
Our house's main electrical wiring is aluminium. I have moved both our
stove and fridge plugs because we wanted them in reverse order. I kept the
old fridge and stove boxes and just extended the wiring, with copper to the
new plug locations. For the fridge wiring junction, I used copper-aluminium
rated marrettes, as well as copious amounts the anti-oxidising paste. For
the stove copper-aluminium wiring junction (8-3 wiring for the copper
extension piece, I think the aluminium is 6-3), I used big blue marrettes
that are aluminium (as told be by the surplus store salesmen I bought them
from). I could not find any copper-aluminium marrettes that were big enough
for the stove junction. I also used copious amounts of anti-oxidising
paste. I twisted each wire of each join in both the fridge and stove splice
really well with a pliers. I covered both of the junction boxes with a
steel plate so it is accessible. I hooked up the stove and fridge plug in
their new plug boxes. Works great!

Is this the way it should have been done?

any comments / suggestions / advice / tips / ideas?


Here is a page of pictures of split bolt connectors. The ones that are
silver and have a divider plate through the middle are suitable for
splicing or tapping dissimilar metal conductors. They come in a range
of sizes. They are insulated after installation using listed electrical
tape or mastic pads. They are bulkier than wire nuts but they are
listed by electrical testing laboratories for the thing you are doing.
Splices made with those should outlast the building.
--
Tom H
  #14   Report Post  
HorneTD
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Howie wrote:
Our house's main electrical wiring is aluminium. I have moved both our
stove and fridge plugs because we wanted them in reverse order. I kept the
old fridge and stove boxes and just extended the wiring, with copper to the
new plug locations. For the fridge wiring junction, I used copper-aluminium
rated marrettes, as well as copious amounts the anti-oxidising paste. For
the stove copper-aluminium wiring junction (8-3 wiring for the copper
extension piece, I think the aluminium is 6-3), I used big blue marrettes
that are aluminium (as told be by the surplus store salesmen I bought them
from). I could not find any copper-aluminium marrettes that were big enough
for the stove junction. I also used copious amounts of anti-oxidising
paste. I twisted each wire of each join in both the fridge and stove splice
really well with a pliers. I covered both of the junction boxes with a
steel plate so it is accessible. I hooked up the stove and fridge plug in
their new plug boxes. Works great!

Is this the way it should have been done?

any comments / suggestions / advice / tips / ideas?


Here is a better picture of an aluminum split bolt connector that is
listed as suitable for copper to aluminum conections.
http://www.panduit.com/products/Prod...=556&ig_id=722
--
Tom H
Reply
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules

Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Sears special on stove and fridge gini52 Home Repair 8 July 13th 03 03:38 AM


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 08:07 AM.

Powered by vBulletin® Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004-2024 DIYbanter.
The comments are property of their posters.
 

About Us

"It's about DIY & home improvement"