Can you splice aluminum and coppper wire? (heat, ceiling, light)

[JohnHAdams]

I think aluminum wire was used on mnay homes in the early 60's?

I have heard different figures.

Aluminum wire is brittle and poses a problem when replacing outlets and switches.

I have heard that you can not join aluminum and copper. But it strikes me as a possible old wives tale?

Thanks in advance.

[jimboburnsy]

You will eventually have problems if you twist an aluminum wire together with a copper wire. Aluminum in contact with copper will deteriorate due to galvanic corrosion and the stage will be set for arcing and open connections. It's a chemistry thing as opposed to an old wives tale. I'm sure there are connectors that specifically address the problem, but it is definitely a problem to have the two directly spliced.

[JohnHAdams]

Originally Posted by jimboburnsy

You will eventually have problems if you twist an aluminum wire together with a copper wire. Aluminum in contact with copper will deteriorate due to galvanic corrosion and the stage will be set for arcing and open connections. It's a chemistry thing as opposed to an old wives tale. I'm sure there are connectors that specifically address the problem, but it is definitely a problem to have the two directly spliced.

I buy and fix homes. Do you know what years they used aluminum wire in homes?

I have heard 60's. I have heard 80's.

[jimboburnsy]

Originally Posted by JohnHAdams

I buy and fix homes. Do you know what years they used aluminum wire in homes?

I have heard 60's. I have heard 80's.

I've heard 60's and 70's, but wouldn't really qualify as an expert.

[Pitt Chick]

Our 1966 house has it.
And we use a certain electrician who knows how to attach copper wired fixtures to it.

As we gut rooms, we replace the aluminum.

[JimRom]

There is a paste available that can be used to join copper with aluminum. The paste counteracts the galvanization effect. However, the best way to deal with aluminum wires is still to replace them. As for time period, I haven't seen any home built after approximately 1975 that was wired with aluminum. Not to say it didn't happen, but I haven't run across it.

[southernnaturelover]

Originally Posted by JohnHAdams

I buy and fix homes. Do you know what years they used aluminum wire in homes?

I have heard 60's. I have heard 80's.

Mine has it and it was built in '73. I think they stopped it sometime in the 70's.

I don't think the problem is with the wiring itself, but rather the connections that can oxidize or loosen. I have some ceiling light connections that are aluminum to copper, for those I use the Ideal purple wire connectors that have the anti-oxidant grease in them. I replaced all of my receptacles and switches with new ones that are made for aluminum wiring (they're double the price). DO NOT use receptacles with 'push-in' connections for aluminum wiring.

[desertsun41]

Do not do it. Aluminum is a poor conductor of electricity. Aluminum wire also expands and contracts unlike copper. Splicing them together, the splice will come loose due to the expansion and contraction of the aluminum wire. This expansion and contraction is also exaggerated by the heat caused from the copper being a better electricity conductor running into a voltage drop when it hits the aluminum. Aluminum also corrodes and corrodes at a more rapid rate when in contact with copper.

Aluminum wire also accounts for 50% of all electrical related house fires. There are grease type products to rub on these splices but they ARE NOT approved by UA or any state code. I am not aware of any locality that permits aluminum wire however of course if you already have it then it's use is grandfathered in and no one can make you change it unless you make major construction modifications.

[BigDGeek]

I've heard mostly 60s and 70s though I know someone whose house was built in 1954 and has aluminum wiring.

[earthlyfather]

Really ignorant here, but how do you tell if a house has aluminum wiring?