Question about switch wiring
#1
Question about switch wiring
Hi,
I have an older house with aluminum wiring. At some point (prior to my ownership) there have been copper wires pigtailed to all aluminum wires. I was replacing a switch in a bedroom that controls a fan/light combo unit. There was a red and black aluminum wire pigtailed to a sole black copper wire, and then there was a black aluminum wire pigtailed to a sole black copper wire. I hooked up the new switch exactly how the old one was hooked up, but when I switched on the breaker, the fan/light always stayed on and could not be switched off by the switch. I ran into a similar issue on another switch in my house, but that switch had 3 wires, 2 black wires and 1 red wire (nothing pigtailed together). I had an electrician friend help me figure out which was hot and which was neutral, and got that figured out.
So I un pigtailed everything and did some testing, and found out that the hot wire was pigtailed to one of the neutral wires creating a unbroken circuit. So I ended up pig-tailing the 2 neutral wires together and then hooking up the switch with the hot wire on top and the neutral pigtailed wires on the bottom. After I flipped the breaker everything worked as normal. However, I do not understand why it was working before, but then I changed to a new switch and it was always on? Why would the hot wire have been pigtailed to a neutral wire? Is this something that has to do with the age of the house?
I have an older house with aluminum wiring. At some point (prior to my ownership) there have been copper wires pigtailed to all aluminum wires. I was replacing a switch in a bedroom that controls a fan/light combo unit. There was a red and black aluminum wire pigtailed to a sole black copper wire, and then there was a black aluminum wire pigtailed to a sole black copper wire. I hooked up the new switch exactly how the old one was hooked up, but when I switched on the breaker, the fan/light always stayed on and could not be switched off by the switch. I ran into a similar issue on another switch in my house, but that switch had 3 wires, 2 black wires and 1 red wire (nothing pigtailed together). I had an electrician friend help me figure out which was hot and which was neutral, and got that figured out.
So I un pigtailed everything and did some testing, and found out that the hot wire was pigtailed to one of the neutral wires creating a unbroken circuit. So I ended up pig-tailing the 2 neutral wires together and then hooking up the switch with the hot wire on top and the neutral pigtailed wires on the bottom. After I flipped the breaker everything worked as normal. However, I do not understand why it was working before, but then I changed to a new switch and it was always on? Why would the hot wire have been pigtailed to a neutral wire? Is this something that has to do with the age of the house?
#2
Welcome to the forums.
No.... you found a hot wire pigtailed to a white wire but the white wire was not neutral. If you connected a hot and neutral together you would create a dead short and trip the breaker.
You cut in or changed a switch loop where the hot is fed to the light or fan.... and a single two wire cable is brought to the switch. In that instance both white and black are used as hot wires.
Any time a white wire is used for an application where it is not neutral..... it should be taped or colored a different color (not white) so that it doesn't get taken as a neutral.
the hot wire was pigtailed to one of the neutrals
You cut in or changed a switch loop where the hot is fed to the light or fan.... and a single two wire cable is brought to the switch. In that instance both white and black are used as hot wires.
Any time a white wire is used for an application where it is not neutral..... it should be taped or colored a different color (not white) so that it doesn't get taken as a neutral.
#3
Thanks for the quick reply. So I basically switched which wire was originally pig tailed to the two wire group and now the switch works properly. Is there any reason for concern in my doing this? I currently have the breaker off, because I wanted to check before leaving it on. I also ran into this issue in another room (also with a fan/light) and switching the wire that was initially in the "two wire group" solved the "fan/light always on" problem as well.
Would a specific type of switch (the type that was being used before) require the hot wire and white wire be pigtailed together, whereas the new switch would not? I wouldn't think so, but I am still learning.
I guess my main question is, more about there being a reason for concern in what I did on these two switches? Should I call an electrician to come take a look at this just to be safe?
Thanks.
Would a specific type of switch (the type that was being used before) require the hot wire and white wire be pigtailed together, whereas the new switch would not? I wouldn't think so, but I am still learning.
I guess my main question is, more about there being a reason for concern in what I did on these two switches? Should I call an electrician to come take a look at this just to be safe?
Thanks.
#4
I guess my main question is, more about there being a reason for concern in what I did on these two switches? Should I call an electrician to come take a look at this just to be safe?
#5
Hmm.. Ok, then I think I may have a larger underlying problem here. I have been replacing outlets and switches throughout the house, and at every switch and outlet there are copper wires pigtailed to aluminum wires. They do have this grey/black paste on them underneath the wire nuts (which I am assuming is Noalox or something similar), but they are definitely touching. I think I am going to call an electrician to come check everything out.
Thanks everyone for your help.
Thanks everyone for your help.
#7
#9
Should I call an electrician to come take a look at this just to be safe?
#10
The new switch was attached to the copper pigtails.
Not something all electricians are familiar with. Might be better to DIY it so you know it is right. With the right connectors pigtailing is safe.
I am going to suggest one more resource.
http://www.cpsc.gov//PageFiles/118856/516.pdf
#11
Not something all electricians are familiar with. Might be better to DIY it so you know it is right. With the right connectors pigtailing is safe.
In the article that Joe posted, it states that the two acceptable ways to add copper wire section's to the end of aluminum is to either use the COPALUM Method of Repair (which needs to be done by a specially trained electrician) or to use The AlumiConn Connector, which also says to be installed by a qualified electrician. What would be the DIY way?
I know I should probably be getting the house rewired and get the aluminum wire out of there, but this is the first house I have owned and money is a little tight right now. So I am trying find an interim solution until I can start saving up again, since this would be quite an expense.
#12
AlumiConn Connectors and Polaris connectors are DIY installable without special tools.
Examples: http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&key...l_9ivv40b3uy_e
http://www.aplussupply.com/nsipolari...connectors.htm
Examples: http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&key...l_9ivv40b3uy_e
http://www.aplussupply.com/nsipolari...connectors.htm