Aluminum Wiring Fire Hazards With Aluminum to Copper Twist-on Connectors & Acceptable Aluminum Wiring Repair Practices InspectAPedia® -
US CPSC meeting on aluminum electrical wiring hazards 9/28/1995
Contents of US CPSC presentation on aluminum electrical wiring connectors, hazards, performance
Color photos describe aluminum electrical wiring fire hazards
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Aluminum Wiring Repair Procedure - Page 2 Color photos and descriptive captions from CPSC Meeting 9/28/95.
In this document aluminum wire twist-on connector failures and repair procedures are described,
including aluminum wire repair methods which work and methods which do not work and are unsafe.
Color photos of aluminum wire repair procedures, and photos of failed connectors are included.
This document describes hazards with existing products, explains the aluminum wiring failure mechanism,
and reviews recommended retrofit procedures including use of readily-available materials.
This information was presented to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission by Dr. J. Aronstein, 9/28/95.
The minutes of that meeting were obtained under the Freedom of Information Act and posted by Daniel Friedman January 1996.
William H. King, Jr. Manager October 10, 1995
Div. of Electrical Engineering
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
4330 East West Highway Rm. 611 North
Bethesda MD, 20814
Subject: Meeting 9/28/95, Twist-on splices, aluminum to copper wire.
Dear Mr. King:
Enclosed per your request is a color copy of the slides used in my presentation
at the subject meeting. Descriptive captions have been added to convey the
significance that the slides had in the context of the meeting. An index by
subject is as follows:
Each aluminum wiring repair step listed below provides text, photographs and captions for those slides.
Alternative Repair Method: Special installation method for twist-on copper pigtail splice with aluminum wire, Slide #'s 35-49 - an alternative aluminum wiring repair method useful when the AMP TYCO COPALUM repair method is not available
Special Concern - shell and inhibitor ignite/burn readily Slide #'s 50-55
Please contact me if there are any questions.
Yours truly,
(original signed by)
Jesse Aronstein, Ph.D., P.E.
Alumnum Wiring Presentation Conclusions
The Ideal #65 "Twister" connector will fail in significant numbers in residential long-term service in the aluminum wire pigtailing application.
The failure mode involves overheating, where, at normal operating current, the steel spring becomes red hot.
Both the shell and the oxide inhibitor inside the connector ignite readily and burn freely, increasing the fire hazard substantially when failures occur.
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How to Reduce the Risk in Buildings with Aluminum Electrical Wiring - Overview of Acceptable Repair Practices (in the document you are presently viewing)
Aluminum Electrical Repair Method Details - "How to" details, how to identify, COPALUM repair, alternative repairs, history, products, research, source of special AMP TYCO COPALUM connectors & COPALUM Electricians (in the document you are presently viewing)
COPALUM Electricians: Sources of TYCO COPALUM -Certified/Trained Aluminum Wire Repair Services (in the document you are presently viewing)
Other Products, Ideal 65 Purple Twister (not recommended), & other Aluminum Wire Products/Articles (in the document you are presently viewing)
Reducing the Fire Hazards in Aluminum-Wired Homes, Jess Aronstein, Ph.D., This document answers most technical questions about the hazards and remedies of aluminum electrical wiring. Some of the sections of this very thorough document are listed below:
Electrical Panels, How to Inspect in Buildings, safety for electrical inspectors, electrical panel, fusing, wiring defects, defective products. Inspection Class Presentation
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