AFCI - Aluminum Wiring


  #1  
Old 03-13-04, 07:29 AM
marys235
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AFCI - Aluminum Wiring

I read an article in today's paper that said installation of AFCI breakers would be a good solution for houses with aluminum wiring, but that inspectors had stopped requiring AFCI's in new construction because they didn't work very well, and to wait a year until the new AFCI's come out, before having them installed. My house has aluminum wiring, and I have it inspected regularly and go around checking for hot outlet covers, but I would like to have the added protection of these AFCI's, which I had never heard of before. I've had a hard time finding electricians familiar with aluminum wiring in my area. I've had 4 different licensed electricians out here, and none thought I needed to replace my copper-only rated outlets with CO/ALR devices, which seems necessary to me. Does anyone know if there really is some kind of improved AFCI coming out in a year? Do the currently available AFCI's really not work very well?
 
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Old 03-13-04, 08:21 AM
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Technology is always improving. The current version of AFCI works well. There is lots of information on the internet regarding AFCI breakers.
http://www.ul.com/auth/tca/fall02/Print/Print3.pdf
If your receptacles are not rated for AL wire, then they must be replaced or have copper pigtail added (with that pigtail spliced with an approved AL/CU wire nut).
 
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Old 03-13-04, 11:50 AM
J
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Why not buy one AFCI breaker and give it a try?
 
 

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