Reynolds Metals

How do you connect a bare aluminium wire ground to a copper outlet?

I have converted all my switches to an updated style that are rated for copper wiring using approved mar conectors on copper wire to the switch and antioxidant compound. I would like to continue to do the same with the outlets. My only concern is that there is a bare aluminium ground in each of these outlets. I would like to know how I might be able to convert these with relative safety. The wiring is currently 30 years old in a well taken care of vancouver condo building.

Public Comments

1. Wow....aluminium wiring was outlawed...it caused too many fires. The aluminium over time oxidizes. These oxidized spots are the source of fires. I'm going to ask my husband to answer this question when he gets home. I cannot give you an accurate and safe answer. My husband works on the commercial wind turbines, and knows/understands electrical systems and what is and is not safe. I learned the above about the aluminium from him. ~Garnet Homesteading/Farming over 20 years No idea who gave me the thumbs down, but D_Offio is my husband. He answered this question after I asked him too. He's use to work on helicopters (chinooks and vertols), especially figuring out the electrical problems they had. He now works on the commercial wind turbines. He wires up everything on our farm, including wiring his entire shop from scratch, to be able to use 110 and 220 (for the welder). He knows what he's talking about.
2. Just be certain that the oulets you purchase are suitable for aluminum wiring. Most of the common ones are only rated for copper. Also if the bare ground wire is aluminum then chances are so are the insulated power and nuetral wires.
3. You might ground the box with a screw and the Al wire. Then run a separate copper ground wire to the box and screw it in the back of the box and then attach it to the plug. This way the steel box is the ground. If you have to tie Al and copper together, at least use the cu/al gel.
4. you need to pigtail a copper wire onto the aluminum wire using an approved connector. its not overly difficult. the connector looks just like a wire nut with DE-OX inside. its allowed to put the aluminum wire on an aluminum rated outlet but i have seen problems doing it this way. the aluminum is to soft and the screw will either crush it or not tighten and melt. melting electrical wires = FIRES rewire the condo if you can afford it. at the least the kitchen counter outlets.
5. wire nut a new copper ground wire to the aluminum wire, make sure you put no-a-lox (no-aluminum-oxide) inside the wire nut, and coat the ends of the wires, too
6. they do not use aluminium house hold wiring any more thathas been removed from the mrket just like the old knob and tube connection . bot not i repeat do not do anything until u get a electricn in there to have your place rewired and updated . cuase you r looking at fire. plus u can not use the outlets and switch on aluminium wiring it says right on the package and also right on the switch and the back of the outlets .
7. Wrap the alum wire around the grounding screw on the bottom of the outlet, then tighten it.
8. What is the composition of the wire? Are the black and white wires copper or aluminum? If the black and white wires are copper, go ahead and change the outlets if you like...just connect the aluminum ground wire to the outlet as normal. If the black and white wires are aluminum LEAVE THE OUTLETS ALONE! You do not want to mess with the wiring if it is all aluminum, it gets brittle as well as forming aluminum oxide on the outside of the wire. Either of these things could start a fire. You also need to be concerned with dissimilar metal corrosion, not a good thing when you are playing with live wires. In the US, aluminum wiring was outlawed in the 1970's for 110 volt circuits, and had been used less and less for about 20 years prior to that. The reason for this is that the aluminum wiring caused many house fires due to the aluminum oxide that formed on the wiring at the connections. Aluminum is a great conductor, better than copper, but aluminum oxide conducts electricity very poorly. Poor conductivity causes heat, which causes fires. Aluminum wiring is still used in 220 volt circuits and higher, but not in 110 volt circuits. Above all, DO NOT "PIGTAIL" copper onto aluminum. See above about dissimilar metal corrosion. (The corrosion forms from 2 different metals touching...like copper and aluminum...with a nice warm place to live...like on live wiring...which is warmer than the surrounding materiels.) If you are still concerned about it, by all means contact a liscenced electrician, preferably one with a good reputation. I would reccomend a Union electrician from the IBEW (International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers), those guys go through a long apprecticeship and will know what is what. They will also be able to tell you what the current electrical code is. Hope this helps, D_Offio
9. the ground wire attaches to the box. take the alluminum out and use bare copper for the ground. please be sure you you the marrets that have the number 63 on the end as they are rated for copper to aluminum(hot and neutral) I like the fact that you are using the anti-oxidant that will make it safer. you can still buy the new style recepticals for aluminum but they are typically 2-3 times as much money. Maintman23