[Baker2605]

Well, I have a customer with a nice older home built right about 1970. All plaster walls throughout. The house other than the wiring is in great shape. Now the problem is the wiring. I can't decide if it is more cost-effective for him to go the alumi-conn route or a re-wire. The panel (FPE) change needs to happen either way.

I can't recommend a panel change without doing something with the outlets and switches. I really don't want to get involved with tearing out plaster walls. Can you even find someone to patch that stuff?

Should I just run from this house? I have only been in business since October so I don't really want to get involved with a re-wire of an occupied home. If it were vacant no problem.

Something else I thought about was after installing alum-conns was to use AFCI breakers. The owners of the home are really nice retired couple and I get the fact that I am running business but I am just confused on what makes the most sense. If a re-wire is the best option then I will pass this project onto a contractor with more man-power than myself.

 

[Southeast Power]

We have several of these gems in the middle of NE Fort Lauderdale.
I just go in and use what ever AL to CU crap I have and fix them one at a time. I'm not ever thinking about going after the whole place.
You would have to hire a couple of entry level guys that know how to patch and give them one or two rooms a day, charge $1000 per room and skip the kitchen until they want to remodel it.

You will need to change the panel and use the old crap while you are changing over. Cut above the panel all the way to the ceiling.

You won't really make any money but, might make your wages.

This is kinda why they make those Al to Cu splice things. Maybe you have to change a few boxes here and there to make them work but, nothing really wrong with the conductor, it's the terminations.

 

[Meadow]

I know this will be a comment that will make people disagree with me but I would rip all the AL and run copper. About the only sure way to fix it is with cop alums, but you have to be trained to use those. The ideal purple is the least desirable solution and the Polaris style screw down terminal block thingies are not half bad but how reliable they are is unknown to me.


Keeping AL opens the window for major hack ups, and come time to sell it will be something that could turn away buyers, considering most HIs call it out.

Plus the rewire will bring everything up to code.

AFCIs will protect the aluminum wiring from a nail being driven into the cable, but an arcing fault is hit or miss since not all of them give an arcing signature at some point.

 

[someonespecial]

Standard panel change and swap out for new CO/ALR receptacles and switches

 

[Baker2605]

Well, homeowner called me again today. I think I am going to go aluminconn and new panel route. I will also add interconnecting smoke heads.

 

[Magnettica]

Offer the customer some options and let them decide. Here's what a complete rewire will cost versus what wire nuts and copper tails costs. That's what I would do if it were my customer.

 

[CaptainSparky]

Wire nuts with tails and Coalr devices are band aid repairs not recognized by insurance companies or the CPSC as a permanent solution. The internet is loaded with info on both of those.

Complete rewire, Copalum crimps and alumiconn connectors are the only methods recognized by the CPSC as a permanent repair.

http://www.cpsc.gov//PageFiles/118856/516.pdf

 

[CaptainSparky]

Offer the customer some options and let them decide.

I agree completely. This how I would offer that type of job to a customer.

 

[That_Dude]

I agree, complete rewire. Aluminum wire isn't going to sit well with most insurance companies. :no:

 

[Bootss]

try wiring a couple bedrooms see how that goes, make sure you charge plenty to though

 

[Meadow]

Wire nuts with tails and Coalr devices are band aid repairs not recognized by insurance companies or the CPSC as a permanent solution. The internet is loaded with info on both of those.

Complete rewire, Copalum crimps and alumiconn connectors are the only methods recognized by the CPSC as a permanent repair.

http://www.cpsc.gov//PageFiles/118856/516.pdf

* meant glowing connection in my post.

Not many people realize this enough. I have come across total home aluminum fixes done in purple ideals.

 

[Jlarson]

Tyco and the CPSC should get a room already.

 

[Meadow]

Tyco and the CPSC should get a room already.

Not denying there in the same bed as most other manufacturers, but, Ive said it before on here:

Aluminum wiring of the 70s was never intended to be used with screw connections. The alloy it was made from was not the one we know of today used in multi stranded AL conductors. for indoor wiring. The alloy was originally formulated for overhead aluminum conductors, that would often see crimp connections and was made to be ultra low cost for the pocos. The testing process was rushed through and the alloy was simply applied to the NM being sold for interior wiring. Nobodies willing to admit the screw up. Similar goes for FPE, the breakers have high failure rates not because of poor engineering or age, but FPE cheated the UL label. The approval process was never cheated for AL that I know of, but it was an honest mistake no one wants to admit was a huge failure.

 

[CaptainSparky]

Tyco and the CPSC should get a room already.

Ideal {and their purple wire nuts}and the numerous manufactures of CO/ALR devices wouldn't need to get a room with the CPSC if their products actually worked as intended.