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175 Strafford Ave. Suite 1, Wayne, PA 19087The United States Consumer Products Safety Commission estimates that the likelihood of having an electrical related fire is 55 times higher with a house wired with aluminum wiring than one wired with copper wire. Between the years 1965 to 1972, approximately 2 1/2 million tract built homes were constructed with aluminum wiring.
The wiring that is of major concern is the single strand solid aluminum wiring, connected to the lower branch circuits. (receptacles, switches, lights, and small appliances) Most modern homes have some aluminum wiring, main service wires and the heavier 240 volt circuits the feed the major appliances. (dryers, ranges air conditioners, etc.) The higher voltage wiring does not present the same risk as the single strand circuit wiring.
The source of the fires was traced to two (2) chemical reactions that take place on the surface of pure aluminum wire, and the loosening at the connections. The problem seems to increase as time goes by. The results of either reaction exactly the same - the wire heats up and can reach temperatures high enough to ignite nearby combustible materials.
Symptom which may indicate aluminum wiring connection problems:
| Cover plates on outlets and/or switches that are warm to the
touch. Flickering lights. Mysterious in-operative switches or outlets. Smoke coming from switches, outlets or junction boxes. Burning plastic odor near outlets, switches or lighting. Tripping circuit breakers for no apparent reason. Unusual static on radio and TV. Making aluminum wiring safer: |
A. AMP COPALUM CONNECTORS - The aluminum wire is attached to a short piece of copper
wire and the copalum sleeve is placed over the connection and
is crushed to cold weld the connection properly. (approximate cost $15.00 to $20.00 each.)
B. PIGTAILING - The method is similar to the above, except that the wires are cleaned with an antioxidant compound and are attached with a compatible wire nut. (approximate cost $10.00 to $12.00)
C. The switches and outlets can be changed to those carrying the label, CO-ALR which is a more compatible metal to connect aluminum wire to. This method does not address the loosening potential of those connections made within the junction boxes or within the main distribution panel itself. (approximate cost $8.00 to $10.00 per connection)
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