What Are Copper Pigtails on an Electrical Conductor?

An electrical conductor uses different types of pigtails to make the connection. The ends of a pigtail—bent like a corkscrew—are connected to electrical wire to conduct electricity. Read on for more information about copper pigtails.

Availability

You can purchase copper pigtails at your local home improvement center or electric supply store. They come in many different sizes and styles.

Common Uses

Copper pigtails are used in a variety of different applications. They are used with home wiring solutions because copper helps to reduce the conductivity of heat through your home lighting.

It is also used to reduce the problems caused by aluminum wiring. If your home has aluminum wiring, you should add the copper pigtails. According to several studies, aluminum wiring was the cause of over a million house fires between 1965 and 1973.

Installation

Installation of a copper pigtail is relatively simple. You need to purchase a high quality wire crimper at your local electrical supply store or home improvement center. Use this crimping tool to join the wires together and crimp the pigtail to the aluminum wiring to create the ends.

Costs

Copper pigtails are very inexpensive. You can replace about 100 connections for a little under $300.