The CPSC has more details on residential issues and repairs for aluminum wiring.
https://www.cpsc.gov/PageFiles/118856/516.pdf

Ted Eckert
Microsoft Corporation
The opinions expressed are my own and do not necessarily reflect those of my 
employer.

-----Original Message-----
From: Richard Nute [mailto:[email protected]] 
Sent: Monday, December 12, 2016 3:35 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [PSES] aluminum vs copper wiring

The coefficients of expansion are sufficiently different between aluminum and 
traditional wiring devices that connections would go loose over time, yielding 
a resistive connection and fire.

The outer surface of aluminum is aluminum oxide, a non-conductor.  To make a 
low-resistance electrical connection, the termination must break through the 
oxide.  (Oxidation is almost instantaneous; welding of aluminum must be done in 
an inert atmosphere.) 

Best wishes for the holiday season,
Rich

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Ralph McDiarmid
> [mailto:Ralph.McDiarmid@SCHNEIDER-
> ELECTRIC.COM]
> Sent: Monday, December 12, 2016 11:50 AM
> To: [email protected]
> Subject: Re: [PSES] aluminum vs copper wiring
> 
> I've just come across this statement in a user
manual for a
> small inverter product:
> 
> "Do not use aluminum. It has about 1/3 more
resistance
> than copper cable of the same size, and it is
difficult to
> make good,
> low-resistance connections to aluminum wire"
> 
> I think both statements are wrong.  Science Data
Book by
> Oliver&Boyd, lists resistivity of aluminum at
about 1.5X
> that of copper.  And, I don't see why electrical
connections
> would be less reliable using aluminum, although,
I do
> remember household wiring in the USA was done
with Al
> some years ago with questionable success.
> 
> Thoughts?
> 
> Ralph McDiarmid
> Product Compliance
> Engineering
> Solar Business
> Schneider Electric
> 
> 
> 
> ________________________________
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